Japanese Woodblock Bird Prints

Sharing ♥

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.

PORK CHOPS

In a zoo in California, a mother tiger gave birth to a rare set of triplet tiger cubs.

Unfortunately, due to complications in the pregnancy, the cubs were born prematurely;
and due to their tiny size,
they died shortly after birth.

The mother tiger after recovering from the delivery,
suddenly started to decline in health,
 although physically she was fine.

The veterinarians felt that the loss of her litter had
caused the tigress to fall into a depression.

The doctors decided that if the tigress could surrogate
another mother's cubs, perhaps she would improve.

After checking with many other zoos across the country,
the depressing news was that there were no tiger cubs
of the right age to introduce to the mourning mother..

The veterinarians decided to try something that had never been tried in a zoo environment. Sometimes a mother of one species will take on the care of a different species.

The only orphans' that could be found quickly,
were a litter of weanling pigs.

The zoo keepers and vets wrapped the piglets in tiger skin and
placed the babies around the mother tiger...

Would they become cubs or pork chops?

Take a look...you won't believe your eyes

Recent Features

hatsbybuck featured My Cow Creamer in

her Some Creamers Make You Smile Treasury

BirdsInTheAttic featured My Bleeding Candles in

her Goblins Ghouls and Ghosts Oh My!! Treasury

meaicp featured my Primitive Witch Spell Book in

her Ultimate Halloween Party Must Haves Treasury

Thank you all so much!!

Very much appreciated!

♥♥♥

Check for Alzheimer's - Pretty Amazing

The following was developed as a mental age assessment by the School of

Psychiatry at Harvard University ... Take your time and see if you can read
each line aloud without a mistake.


The average person over 50 years of age cannot do it!


1. This is this cat.
2. This is is cat.
3. This is how cat.
4. This is to cat.
5. This is keep cat.
6. This is an cat.
7. This is old cat.
8. This is fart cat.
9. This is busy cat.
10.. This is for cat.
11.. This is forty cat.
12. This is seconds cat.


Now go back and read the third word in each line from the top down.

Did I read it right??

Many sign managers really do need proof readers.

 But I hope they never get one, what else would cause laughter ?

Just in case Batman forgets?

Then, how should I get in? 

Geez, not even an emergency phone?

And you thought that particular personality trait

wouldn't look good on your resume...  

Excuse me???

Oops, not secret anymore!!

Sounds tasty doesn't it?

McDeath?

Interesting marketing angle!

Another dream come true...

NO! The other right!

A fine example of rocket science

Hope the emergency's not too urgent!

To calm those stressed rabbits.

OY!!

It's That TIme of Year Again!!!

For the Newman Fall Festival! 

Our little town has a Fall Festival every Labor Day weekend.

Everyone looks forward to it each year.

There is lots of entertainment, contests, and just plain fun!

Some of the contests can get serious like the Salsa Making Contest

(our neighbors have won like 8 years straight!).

Some are just for fun like the Pets On Parade Contest.

There are several categories you can enter.....Best Dressed Pet,

Biggest Pet, Littlest Pet, Most Unique Pet, Pet Owner Look-a-Like, etc.

Someone in our family usually enters one of our many pets.

We took this year of......to give everyone else a chance ;)

But we went and watched..gotta keep an eye on the competition!LOL

Here's just a few of the competitors.

Getting ready for "The Best Dressed Pet"

"Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz with bunnies dressed as

The Tin Man, Cowardly Lion and Scarecrow"

She even has ruby slippers!

"Owner Pet Look a Like"

Owner is in beachwear,

dog is wearing scuba gear.

lol

This time she's wearing fairy wings

and so are the bunnies.

"Most Unique Pet"

Goffin Cockatoo

"Smallest Pet"

 She was so cute and so tiny !!

She didn't win though...

a one week old baby bunny took it for smallest...

Of Course, the best thing about the Festival is the.....

FOOD!

Rows and rows of all those deep fried, junky, and delectable treats!!

Just a taste of what was available...

Deep fried Calamari, Chinese Food, Terriyaki Bowls, Sicilian Canzones

Tacos, Carnitas, Tamales

and don't forget the Margaritas!!!!!

1/4 pound of deep fried Bacon on a stick

(not to sure about this one....)

Kettlecorn

And a cheap way to advertise your burgers and dogs!

Fruit Smoothies, Blended Mochas, Coffees, Hawaiian Ices

Tri Tip, Chicken, Linguica

Carnival games and rides too 

Hello there C!

It was a gorgeous blue sky day

 

It's starting to get crowded, time to go.

But first need more deep fried...

corn dogs, polish dogs, spiral potato chips, Twinkies, Candy Bar, Moon Pie

and Funnel Cakes!

Pioneer Park, where the Festival is held,

 is right across from the F.D.E.S. Hall which was built in 1914.

F.D.E.S. stands for The Festa do Espirito Santo,

"The Festival of the Holy Spirit"

The majority of the Newman’s Portuguese community

hail from the islands of the Azores, 930 miles off the coast of Portugal.

An annual Festa is held each year honoring the Holy Spirit, and with a nod to Queen Isabella of Portugal, who gave freely to the poor, the Festa is open to all at no charge. Festivities begin with the bodo de leite, or parade of animals, Saturday morning.

Festivities continue throughout the weekend.
After Mass on Sunday, the traditional Festa meal of sopas—tender meat slowly stewed with broth, cabbage, and bread—is served to all at the F.D.E.S. Hall.  Auction and bazaar follow all in a festive and family friendly atmosphere.