Painting

Sunrise 6:07 

 Sunset 8:22

Another nice cool morning for walking.  I walked my connect the path route and went in the opposite direction than I usually go.  It was a quiet uneventful walk and I only saw a couple of people out.  It's more quiet early in the morning on a weekend than a weekday along the paths.  My morning walk is a great time to just think and enjoy everything around me.
I looked up at the sky and it looked beautiful so I snapped a picture of it.

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We went over to the old house and did a little painting.  When we lived there I had painted the kitchen/dining a country blue and was very happy with it.  I know when we rent it out or sell it most people wouldn't like the blue.  So we decided to paint it a pale yellow.  Really brightens things up in there.

Ken took this picture of me.

What looks like a blue square is actually a cut out to the living room which I had painted blue too.  Eventually that will be painted a much lighter color.  Probably a light gray.

While we were over at the house we also did some yard work.
Since we worked hard we are going to enjoy the evening by going out to diner.

Hope you are enjoying your Saturday.
Happyone :-)

The best car safety device is a rear-view mirror with a cop in it.  

~Dudley Moore

Cooler and sunny

Sunrise 6:06

Sunset 8:22

Oh my, what a beautiful morning for walking. A nice cool 60 degrees with low humidity and the sun shining. I don't think it gets much better than that. It was so nice in fact that I walked an extra mile and went 7 miles. Walked around the lake. What a surprise to see so many people out not only walking around the lake but swimming IN the lake. The Iron Woman Triathlon was going on. Once again I don't see how those people can swim in that water!!! I think I'll stick to walking around the lake. Didn't see many animals around. I think they were all in hiding because of all the people. I saw the Tiger Swallowtail butterflies again today and got a better photo than the one I posted yesterday on my picture blog.

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I finished reading The Way We Were by Marcia Willett last night so I was able to take it back to the library this morning. Another very good book and I think that was the 9th one I've read by her. Looked for the next one on the shelf but it wasn't there.
I have another book due Tuesday, another due the next week and just got two more today. One was on hold for me and the other is a book by Rossamunde Pilcher. This is a new author for me and I got it because on the book cover of some of Marcia Willett books this author is named saying her books are like Willett's books. So thought I'd see how she compares.

A very nice day for taking a ride in the car so I went the long way around to and from the library. One of those days when you can drive with the windows open.

I'm home now, had lunch and I don't know what I'm going to do yet with the rest of the afternoon but I'll be doing it out on the deck.

Enjoy your Friday.
Happyone :-)

Your life can radiate the kind of light
that truly makes a difference in the world.
~Thomas Kinkade

A hot morning

Sunrise 6:05

Sunset 8:22

Ah, it was a hot one out there this morning. Very still without any breezes! It felt so good to step into an air conditioned house when I finished walking 6.1 miles! I walked around the lake and so did lots of other people. The drill sergeant was at it again and I could hear her yelling at people across the lake.
I saw the heron again standing at the edge of the water in the same place as yesterday. The black duck and white goose was around again too. Maybe they have found a new home here. I also saw two baby deer with their mom. They cut across the path in front of me and disappeared into the tall grass.

The morning sky.

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Yesterday afternoon while I was reading I dozed off in the chair. Though I fell asleep the story continued in my dream. When I woke up I had to reread part of the book because I didn't know whether it was part of the story or I had dreamed it!! Has that ever happened to you?

Those roots of mine were were getting pretty long again so off to the hair dresser I went to have Cheryl color my hair. I had her go a shade darker again and I really like the color. Just about every time I've gone my hair gets just a shade darker and now it's almost my natural color again. I haven't seen Cheryl since I got my hair done last time so we had a lot to catch up on.

I got home just before the sky darkened up and the rain came. It didn't last long and surely not even enough to give everything a good water. At least not where I live. I'm sure someone else got a good soaking.

I have a few things to do around the house yet and then I'm going to finished that book I've been reading because it's due at the library tomorrow. Hopefully I can stay awake this afternoon! :-)

A happy Thursday to you.
Happyone :-)

Flowers don't worry about how they're going to bloom.
They just open up and turn toward the light and that makes them beautiful.
~Jim Carrey

The Hamster Bubble

The morning has once again turned hot and humid after a couple of mornings of cooler weather, though not quite as hot as it was. There was not a breeze stirring at first but later on every so often I would feel a stirring of air and when you are wet from sweat it feels pretty good!
I walked 6.2 miles around the lake this morning and saw the heron at the edge of the water. I saw a bunch of yellow butterflies and at one point there were about a half a dozen of them fluttering around me as I walked.

I haven't seen this white duckor this black one

around here before. Don't know what kind they are.

I heard a couple of bull frogs and do quite often but have never seen them. I saw a tiny baby snapping turtle squashed on the pathway. I guess he was trying to make his way down to the water when someone stepped on him. Poor thing.
Saw a couple walking friends I haven't seen in a while and stopped for short chat with them.

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Last evening we took a walk around the mall and came across these bubbles with people in them. There is a big zipper on one side where you get in. Then air is blown in and you're zipped in. Then floating around on water you try to make like a hamster and get it turning. It looked like fun for those who gave it a try. It cost $10 for 5 minutes. I had never seen anything like it before!

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I made up a 20 item shopping list and head out to the commissary this morning. I got everything I needed and there were no lines to speak of so I was in and out in no time.
The Exchange is right next to the commissary and I went there today to look around just to see if there was anything I needed. I don't usually find anything there I like but just looked anyway because you never know. I couldn't find anything in smaller sizes - the smallest size was a 10.

Next it was home to put things away and have some lunch. I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

I have my exercise tape to do, a few chores and then hopefully a little time for reading.

Hope you are finding some happiness scattered throughout your day.
Happyone :-)

Before borrowing money from a friend,
decide which you need most.
~American Proverb

No Luncheon today

I took this sunset last night from the back deck of my house.

It was nice and cool this morning on my walk. When I stepped out the door at 6:30 I was even a bit chilly at first, but I did warm up once I got walking. Just walked my 6 miles along the streets today. Saw lots of runners out and a few walkers, all in the road. I was the only one I saw using the sidewalk. I stopped to take this picture of Black Eyed Susan's along the edge of the sidewalk.
I was supposed to meet Ken at a luncheon today that was given for the volunteers from the golf tournament that we took the pictures for a few weeks ago. When I got back from walking there was an email from him saying the luncheon was canceled. The president of the foundation decided to play tennis during one of those very hot days. I am sad to say that he collapsed from dehydration, fell hitting his face and head and was seriously injured.

Since lunch was canceled that left me free to go my Tuesday morning knitting group. It was nice knitting outside. It was cooler than it has been and every once in a while a nice cool breeze could be felt.

Last night we watched Paul Newman in HUD which we got from the library. I didn't like it much. Very depressing. I had some vanilla fudge ice cream and that cheered things up. :-)

Can't seem to get motivated to do much of anything the rest of the day so I'm just going to go out on the deck and read or knit.

Enjoy your Tuesday
Happyone :-)

Be pleasant until ten o'clock in the morning
and the rest of the day will take care of itself.

~Elbert Hubbard

The Carnival, food, and a cooler morning

Saturday

Before we went to the carnival Saturday night we had a quick supper of tomato sandwiches on toast with the tomatoes we got from the produce stand. Look how big and red the slices are. One slice covers a whole piece of bread and they tasted as good as they look.Ken and I had a great time at the carnival. I didn't get any cotton candy but we did eat funnel cakes and ice cream cones. It was fun watching all the people and just walking around. It was very hot but it just didn't seem to matter. I hadn't been to a carnival in years and I felt like a kid again on a date with Ken. I tried to win gold fish by throwing ping pong balls in little fish bowls but didn't get any. There were many rides that we didn't go on but we did go on the Ferris Wheel. This picture of Ken and I came out pretty blurry but I love this picture. Ken took it while we were on the Ferris Wheel.BTW - I walked over 11,000 steps so I did make my goal of 10,000 even though I didn't walk in the morning.

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Sunday

I cut my walk a bit short today and only walked 5 miles. It was another one of those hot humid mornings.

Went to church in the morning. We just finished up the book of Jonah. It never fails, every week Pastor says something that seems like it was meant just for me. :-) I pass my church every day on my walk and say a quick word of thanks that I have found such a wonderful church!!

I made the peach cobbler on Sunday afternoon.
Though it was VERY easy to make and it tasted good,
I prefer the cobblers where the topping goes on top of the fruit.
We got some much needed rain
and I sat on the floor in the living room
by the window and watched the rain.

We made a stop at Weis after supper to pick up some ice cream. They had another sale going on so we stocked up again. One of my flavors this time was Vanilla Fudge. Didn't have any yet though because I had the peach cobbler for my snack.

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Today

Yesterday's rain cooled it off and this morning the weather was pleasant and so much nicer for walking. I had a wonderful 6.5 mile walk around the lake. I thought these clouds in the sky this morning were awesome.
Surprisingly there weren't all that many people out this morning. With this nice weather I thought I'd see lots of people. I found my self stopping more times than usual just to look at how pretty things looked. I went down close to the water and watched a fish, I sat on a bench to just look at the lake and stopped on a foot bridge to watch the water flow by. I saw the ground hog again today up on a hill away from the water and I had to step around the geese on the path. There were ducks taking a swim on the lake through the lily pads and all the usual kinds of birds were around too.

Now that the morning is just about gone, I'd better get going and do some of that housework that needs doing. I already have the clothes out on the line, but the vacuuming, dusting and bathrooms are awaiting me.

Have a great Monday and don't forget to take a break and enjoy some of the simple beauty that surrounds you.
Happyone :-)

The time just before dawn contains the most energy of all hours of the day.
This has helped me become an early riser and an early doer....
When I wake to see that it's light out already,
I feel like the world has started without me.
~Terri Guillemets

Prayer

Sometimes when we pray we don't think God listens to our prayers or doesn't answer them. But He hears them all and answers every one of them. Sometimes we just don't like the answer or the answer doesn't come fast enough for us.

Romans 12:12

Rejoicing in hope,
patient in tribulation,
continuing steadfastly in prayer.

Romans 15:13

Now may the God of hope fill you with
all joy and peace in believing,
that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Keep saying those prayers. God does hear them. And He does answer them.
Have a happy and blessed Sunday.
Happyone :-)

Prayer does not change God,
but it changes him who prays.
~Søren Kierkegaard

No Walk!!

No walk for me today!! Last night we decided to take a ride up to Pennsylvania to see my parents and were going to leave first thing in the morning. But when I called to say we would be coming up, my mom said they would be busy today so we ended up not going. By then it was getting too hot to walk. :-(
My mom did open up her birthday present early like I knew she would! :-)
Remember those Welsh Cookies I baked last week. Well, I wrapped them up and put them in this Longaberger basket that I bought for her months ago. I am happy to say she was happy with her present! :-)

I made us French toast for breakfast this morning with some of the French bread I made in the bread machine. It was delicious!

Later in the morning we went out and about and did a few errands. One stop was as Bass Pro and since I couldn't take any pictures from a morning walk I took this picture of the deer in the store!
We pass a farm quite often that has a sign which says they sell produce. You can't see the stand from the road and we usually just pass right by it. Today we went up the dirt road to take a look.We bought peaches and one huge tomato. The peaches are to be made into peach cobbler, the recipe which I got from a new blogger friend Anita. I'll be sure to post a picture when I make it.

I got an email from the library telling me a book I have on reserve was in so we made a stop at the library to pick that up too. And wouldn't you know I opened it up and started to read it, so now once again I have 5 books started!! We also picked up a couple of old Paul Newman movies. We just finished watching a biography of him from we got from Netflix, so thought we would watch a couple of his movies.

We stopped for a bite to eat at Subway while we were out too. I had a turkey sub with cheddar cheese, cucumbers and spinach.

Now we are home for a while this afternoon. I plan to do a little knitting and reading. Then after supper we are headed out to walk around a local carnival which I'm really looking forward to. It's been a very long time since I've been to a carnival. I'm thinking I'd like to get some cotton candy!!

Since I haven't walked today I've been wearing my pedometer and counting my steps for the day. I usually take over 12,000 steps on my walk alone but today so far I've only taken a little over 5,000. Maybe by tonight I'll get up to at least 10,000 which is supposed to be what you should walk every day to stay healthy. I'll tell you tomorrow what my number for today was.

I hope you are enjoying your Saturday.
Happyone :-)

You've got a lot of choices.
If getting out of bed in the morning is a chore
and you're not smiling on a regular basis,
try another choice.
~Steven D. Woodhull

Lots of food and a friends new blog

After doing the usual house chores that have to be done, I spent a lot of time browsing around on the computer today. Time sure gets eaten up fast when you do that. I also finished reading the brain book. I was able to fit a little knitting time in as well.

Before Ken left for work this morning we decided we were going to go out to eat this evening. I thought all day of where I wanted to go and my choice was Champs. Ken though about it too and couldn't decide so Champs it was.

I had nachos which was an appetizer.
Look at all that food.
I only ate about a third of it.Ken had Kung Pao Chicken.

After we ate we walked around the mall for a while using up some of those calories.
A stop at the grocery store to pick up some milk and then we headed back home.
My snack tonight will be a few Oreo Cookies. I haven't had any ice cream for about a week. We will have to go to Weis and get some in the next day or so.

A friend of mine from my knitting group has just started her own blog. She is a fun lady and loves to laugh. If you have a moment stop by and say hi to Retired Knitter and tell her I sent you. :-)

I hope this Friday was a great start to your weekend.
Happyone :-)
Just a word of welcome to the few new followers to my blog.

Friday morning walk

I bet you can guess that I'm going to say it was another hot and humid morning. Because it was so hot I had planned on just walking 4 miles or so along the paths under the trees. There is an intricate pattern of paths throughout all the neighborhoods with lots and lots of off shoots that go all over the place. I have my usual routes that I follow but once in a while I will just follow paths to see which streets they come out on, and that is what I did today. When I do that I don't usually keep a good track on how far I am walking because I get caught up in the walk and end up walking farther than I intended. That is what I did today. I ended up walking 6.6 miles! That is 13,527 steps. As you can imagine by the time I got home I could just about wring my clothes out.
Not many people out - just a couple runners and a couple dog walkers. I saw deer, bunnies, the fox and listened to the many birds.

The morning sky.One of the paths I walked along.

My walk ended with finding a lucky penny. A good ending to a nice long walk.

And now it's time for breakfast! I'm thinking cinnamon toast this morning.

Enjoy your Friday.
I'll probably post again this evening.
Happyone :-)

If you are seeking creative ideas, go out walking.
Angels whisper to a man when he goes for a walk.
~Raymond Inmon

Home

As I stepped out the door this morning, I thought oh, it's not so hot today. Well, a couple miles later I felt differently. I must be getting used to it a bit and it just takes a little longer to feel the heat now! :-)
I walked my connect the path route with a slight change to the route. I just cut into the path again in a different place. It makes the route flow better. I was lucky to spot a heron by the stream and also a deer.
Quite a few people out walking, running, biking and walking dogs getting their exercise before it gets too hot.While I was walking some one said to me, "You walk fast but look like you're taking a stroll in the park."

The picture is of one of the foot bridges I walked over.

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I'm staying home today not doing very much work. Just a few things that HAVE to be done. I've been doing a lot of reading this morning. I realized I am in the stages of reading five different books!! I usually have a couple going at the same time, but 5 is a bit too many. I am going to concentrate on one at a time until all five books are finished before starting on any more.

I was up in my loft and realized it has become a mess again. I just can't seem to keep that place neat. That is one of the reasons why I like it though. I can just keep everything out and work on whatever I feel like at the moment.

Knitting
Reading
Weave-its
Needlepoint
Counted Cross Stitch
And sewing if I ever get started and learn.
My keyboard is up there too. I am not very good at it, but I enjoy playing.

I'm going to make those Chicken Enchiladas that I cooked the chicken for last week for supper tonight. The chicken as been in the freezer and now I just have to put everything together. It's a very easy recipe!!

Have a happy Thursday.
Happyone :-)

How many of our daydreams would darken into nightmares,
were there a danger of their coming true!
~Logan Pearsall Smith

No title today

This morning was like all the others, hot and humid as I walked my 6 miles around the lake. The drill sergeant had her troupes out again today. This time they were lifting weights in the parking lot!
A half dozen bunnies came out from hiding and were eating breakfast along the upper path. I can see why that path is nicknamed the "bunny trail." The geese are so used to people now that they don't even move out of the way when we walk by. We have to walk around them on the path.
I was out walking earlier than usual and so was lots of others. It was quite crowded around the lake.

The clouds in the sky looked really cool this morning.
To me it looked like layers of batting that is used in making quilts.
Then to have it reflected in the water was an added bonus.

This picture is on the other side of the lake.
I thought it pretty with all the different shades of green.

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I finished reading The Big Book of Beatrix Potter yesterday.
It was nice to read all those old stories once again. :-)
I love all the illustrations too.

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I made a birthday card for my Mom and then packed up her present and got it ready to bring to the post office. In a couple of days once she opens it up I'll tell you what I got her. Her birthday is next Monday, but once the package gets there, she won't be able to wait and she will open it. :-)

I hopped in the car, went to the post office and mailed off my Mom's present. I get my hair done just down the street so I stopped in there and made a hair appointment for next week. Cheryl was working today so I went over and said Hi.

My car quite often is a conversation piece and people are always making comments about it or asking questions when I go out. This is the first time I have ever been asked this question though!! "How do you get in your car"? I looked at her kind of strange and said "What do you mean? She said, "it's so low, I'd never be able to get in it."

One of many pet peeves I have of people's driving habits is when they pull up to a red light and stop about 2 car lengths back. Then they inch up every so often until the light changes. Why don't they just pull up to the line and stop. Very annoying to be behind them.

The first townhouse in our development is for sale already. Today while I was out on the deck taking in the laundry a man walked by and asked me some questions about how we liked living here. I told him about the houses and how much we liked it here. He thanked me, said he would check out the house for sale, got in his car (which was parked blocking my driveway) and drove away. Perhaps I've just helped sell a house!!

Well, that's my day so far. Don't know what the rest of the day will bring but I hope to enjoy it!

Hope good things are happening for you on this Wednesday.
Happyone :-)

The only thing that could spoil a day was people.
People were always the limiters of happiness
except for the very few that were
as good as spring itself.
~Ernest Hemingway

Walking, knitting, baking, and reading

This morning I walked along the paths through the neighborhoods with no special route in mind. I just wanted to stay in the shade under the trees because it was yet another hot sticky morning. I cut my walk a bit short today and only walked 5.4 miles. No deer again and I didn't even see any geese or ducks because I wasn't by the lake. But I did hear all the birds singing their happy morning songs. Quite a few people along the paths though and I stopped for a little chat with Petey and Bob.

A picture I snapped along the way.Isn't this mushroom huge?A slug making his way slowly down the sidewalk.When I get home it feels so good to step into an air conditioned house!!!

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We did go to Rita's after supper yesterday. We went a little after 8:00 and the parking lot was full. Seemed like everyone had the same idea as we did. We both got vanilla and cherry Gelati's.

It's Tuesday and off I went to the knitting group this morning. The other Corvette was parked right next to mine when I left again. Next time I think I'm going to leave a note on their windshield!

I had some lunch when I got home and then I baked some Welsh Cookies. The recipe is HERE. A nice biscuit type cookie that is not very sweet but is very good and goes just perfect with a cup of tea!

For the rest of the afternoon I am going to enjoy sitting in the chair by the front window reading my a book and NOT feel like I should be doing something else.

A happy Tuesday to you!
Happyone :-)

I think, at a child's birth,
if a mother could ask a fairy godmother
to endow it with the most useful gift,
that gift should be curiosity.
~Eleanor Roosevelt

Just another day :-)

The morning sky.

Once again a hot and humid morning for my walk around the lake. At the lake there are row boats, canoes, and paddle boats that you can rent. During the night there was a storm and a few of the paddle boats must have come lose during the storm. I saw 3 of them all the way over on the other side from where they belong near the shoreline. Two of them were upside down! I walked a little bit earlier than usual so the workers hadn't made their way around the lake checking things out yet.

The drill sergeant was there already with her group of exercisers putting them through their paces. I'm sure glad I'm not in that group. She is one mean woman!!!
I saw fishermen, walkers, runners, and dog walkers all out this morning. Didn't see any wild life out except for the usual geese and birds. I expect the others were just hunkered down somewhere out of sight staying cool.

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My car was making a rubbing sound when I made fast hard turns and then it would whine for just a couple of seconds. It didn't happen often but still it shouldn't be doing that. I told Ken about it and he checked the power steering fluid and sure enough it was low. He filled it up and this morning I took my car out for a ride to test it out. Went around some corners, and on and off some highway ramps at a good clip and not a sound to be heard. I'm so glad that was all it was. :-) Thanks Ken!!

While I was out I stopped in at Ross to look for some new dresses. I wanted to get a few to wear to church. I feel like I wear the same things to church every week. Dressing for church now a days is pretty casual, at least at my church it is. I have even worn jeans a few times. Not my well worn ones but still jeans. A lot of people still get dressed up and you do see ties and jackets but there are quite a few who are casual too. I'm sure God doesn't care what we wear, just as long as we go. :-) Anyway I didn't find any dresses today. At Ross you never know what you will come across. I'll just go back and check again another day.

I usually do my exercise DVD in the morning after my walk but I've changed my routine and have now started doing it in the afternoon. Nice to change things around once in a while.

I knitted some this afternoon and then put that down and got some ironing out of the way. I plan on getting some reading done in just a little while. I'm still working on the brain book, but I'm reading a couple of others as well.

After supper tonight I'm going to suggest we go to Rita's for our snack this evening!! Somehow I don't think Ken will put up too much resistance. :-)

We have been watching OZ and New Tricks from Netflix in the evenings. I think tonight will be a New Tricks night.

I hope everyone is finding some happiness today!!
Happyone :-)

Tears are the safety valve of the heart
when too much pressure is laid on it.
~Albert Smith

Enjoy life

Habakkuk 3:18 & 19

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
The Lord God is my strength;
He will make my feet like deers feet,
And He will make me walk on my high hills.

Proverbs 17:22

A merry heart does good, like medicine,
But a broken spirit dries the bones.

God loves you and wants you to be happy. Have a blessed and happy Sunday.
Happyone :-)

Recipes, a boat and a birthday

I'm starting to sound like a broken record, once again it was a hot and humid morning for walking. I walked along the road today. Went to the end of Gray Rock, turned around and headed back home again. It was another 6 mile walk. Lots of people out early this morning - bike riders, walkers, runners and the dog walkers were out in numbers today. The pool was crowed with an early morning swim meet. The parking lot was full and cars were parked up and down both sides of the streets for quite some distance.
I passed a couple of yard sales also, but didn't stop to take a look.
Some pictures I took walking along.

A squirrel watches me take his picture.A whimsical garden frog?

I am thankful that I can take morning walks, have such nice places to walk and I'm thankful for the desire to walk!

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A few of you asked for recipes in yesterday's comments. The French Bread recipe that I use in my bread machine is the one in the booklet that came with the machine. It's very easy.

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons water
3 cups bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
Just add all the ingredients as listed in the bread machine pan.
Program 4A
It takes 4 hours.

You can also use the program DOUGH.

Then when the dough is done,
you can shape the dough and then bake it in the oven.

I've done it this way before but don't remember the oven temperature or how long it took.

Bread made in the bread machine is so easy to do and doesn't heat up the house when it is hot out and you still get the good smell!!

I finished making the chili today and it came out very good and I do like it better than my old recipe. We are going to eat it tomorrow for supper instead of tonight because I think chili always tastes better the next day.
You can see the old recipe HERE.

I've added the new recipe in my cookbook at MealsMatter and you can see it HERE. I've posted a picture of it there but again it takes a day or two to get it approved before it is actually there for all to see.

This morning we were out and about. We had a few errands to do, and spent a little time walking around in Bass Pro looking at things.
If I lived on a lake like Deep Creek where we went on vacation I'd love to have this little boat to run around with on the lake. It is fun to dream! :-)
Today is my son David's birthday. He is 38!! I just can't believe that my son is now only 1 year younger than me. Next year he will be the same age as I am!!! :-) At least that is the age I feel I should be!! :-)

Hope you are having some fun this Saturday.
Happyone :-)

Son, you outgrew my lap, but never my heart.
~Author Unknown

In the kitchen

Another hot humid morning and this time my 6 mile walk was along my connect the path route. Today I walked the route in the opposite direction I usually go. Not far down along the path I came across two baby deer. They were so cute but didn't stick around to have their picture taken. I didn't see mom anywhere around.
Here I'm coming out of one of the paths to walk along the road for a bit.This is a side yard I pass along my route which I always find so pretty and peaceful.A few people out riding bikes this morning and also a couple of walkers. Odd I didn't see anyone walking their dogs!
There is a school I pass by and they have been making additions to it for over a year now and still aren't done. Today the workers were knocking out door openings with a sledge hammer on a brick wall. It looked like fun and I wanted to ask if I could have a turn with the sledge hammer, but I just didn't think that would be a very good idea!! :-)
By the time I got home I could wring out my wet clothes.

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A good day for getting clothes dried out on the line, so I did three loads of laundry and hung them all outside. I have enough room to hang two loads out at a time, but they dried fast and by the time the third load was done washing the first load was already dry.

I ended up NOT making the enchiladas or the zucchini because Ken was in the mood for ribs last night so we went to Longhorns instead!! :-)
Tonight we will have the zucchini. You can check out the recipe HERE if you are so inclined. There is no picture there now but I will take a picture tonight when I make it and get the picture up then. Sometimes it take MealsMatter a day to post a picture. It has to be approved first.
I made French bread in the bread machine and will eat that with the zucchini.

I cooked up the chicken for enchiladas and I'll make them for supper in the next day or two. If I decide not to make it, I'll just put the chicken in the freezer for when I need it.

I have a very good recipe for chili that I got from my friend Sue many years ago and it has been my favorite chili all this time. UNTIL NOW. We go to a Mexican restaurant which has chili and we both think it is better! Ken didn't want to say it was better than mine until I said it first. Then he agreed and we both laughed as he said he didn't want to be the one to say it.! :-) It has shredded beef in it instead of chopped beef so I am going to change my recipe around a bit and see if I can improve on it. So today I have cut up a roast, browned it on the stove and now it is cooking for the day in the slow cooker. After cooking it all day I am going to shred the beef and then add most of the ingredients from my recipe and cook it all in the slow cooker for another day. I'll let you know how it turns out.

After lunch I cleaned the upstairs and here I am now writing this. In just a bit I'll start making the Zucchini. While that is baking I'll will read until Ken comes home from work.

I hope your Friday was a good one.
Happyone :-)

Life is about using the whole box of crayons.
~RuPaul

Walking, shopping, and washing the car

It was a hot one out there this morning but I walked my usual 6 miles and walked around the lake. People out fishing, running, walking, bike riding or just sitting on a bench over looking the lake. A lot of activity for so early in the morning. Looked more like mid day. Even though it was hot, it was a beautiful morning and I kept reminding myself just how much better it is than all that snow we had in the winter! Deer, bunnies, geese, and lots of different kinds of birds came out of hiding for us to enjoy. Just before I got home I found a lucky penny! :-)

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With my shopping list in hand off to the commissary I went in my dirty red car. A good day for shopping - not too many people, the shelves were full with everything I needed on my list, and not a line long at the checkout. I unpacked all my goodiesfrom the green canvas bags that I always remember to use now that I keep them in my car. After the groceries were all put away, green bags in the car once again, I decided to wash my dirty red car.

An hour later here she is all nice and clean once again. :-)While I was washing my car a guy walked by and said you shouldn't have to wash your own car, it says 4 Karen on it, so someone should wash it for you. I told him I liked to wash it. And that's true. I really enjoy washing it. What about you, do you like to wash your car? My mom told me once that she has never washed a car. My car has never been in a car wash and I never stop at a place where they hold up those signs for free car washes. I just wouldn't trust anyone else to wash it. That is no one but Ken. He has washed it for me a couple of times. :-)

Then it was time for a late lunch of cottage cheese and raisins, one of my favorite lunches. A bit later I had a few cashew nuts. I can't decide what I want to make for dinner yet. Chicken enchiladas or zucchini casserole. Until then, I'll read some blogs. I hope to get some reading done and a little knitting also. A happy Thursday to you. Happyone :-)

Courage is fear that has said its prayers. ~Dorothy Bernard

A walk and a book

During the night we got another 3 inches of rain according to my rain gauge and the stream along the path on my way to the lake was pretty high. It was another damp, warm morning with a few light rain showers lingering from last nights rain which kept me cool. The last shower started about a mile from home and was not so light and by the time I got home I was pretty much soaked! Quite a lot of people around the lake enjoying the morning. I stopped for a short chat with walking friend Gary. Don't see him that often any more because he walks earlier now.
A peek at my lake through the trees.
I saw more of those bunnies, geese, and deer once again. Some animal dug up one of the turtle nests and ate the eggs as you can see by the picture. Someone had a good breakfast.

I walked my usual 6 miles.

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A couple of you asked about the brain book I'm reading.
It's called
Brain The Complete Mind
How it develops, how it works, and how to keep it sharp.
By Michael S. SweeneyI've read a little more than half of it so far and what a fascinating book it is. Our brains are even more amazing than you can imagine. If you are all interested in how our brains work, this book is a must to read!!

Planned on going to the commissary today and made my shopping list but never did go. It was a rainy morning and I didn't feel like going in the rain. There is always tomorrow.

I made a birthday card for my son whose birthday is Saturday and got that in the mail. Then called my SNL Kathy and had a chat with her. Read blogs then did a few things around the house.

Had some lunch and now it's mid afternoon. Time for some knitting, reading, and whatever else pops up to do.

Hope you are enjoying your Wednesday!
Happyone :-)

Courage doesn't always roar.
Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day
that says I'll try again tomorrow.
~Mary Anne Radmacher

A BIG pizza

This morning I walked my connect the path route which is a nice 6 mile walk. A damp humid morning but still a nice morning for walking. Not many people about on the paths but I'm sure there were lots of people around the lake today. It's funny how many people are there during the warm months and in the winter the number really whittles down. Today again I saw many rabbits and a deer.

While we were in Deep Creak we found a very good pizza place called Brenda's. They have some really big pizzas there. We usually get a large pizza when we go out and bring the leftover slices home. Usually the large is a 16 inch round pizza, so when we ordered one at Brenda's we got a large. We didn't realize Brenda's large is a 20 inch pie! The pizza in the picture doesn't really look that big, but the pie was BIG. They have a super large pie too that's a 26 inch one. A woman got one to go while we were there. I wanted to take a picture of the woman carrying the huge box but thought she would think me strange so I didn't.

Last evening we went to Mama Lucia for dinner but when we arrived there was a sign on the door saying it was closed because of no hot water. What a disappointment, but not very far away is an Olive Garden so we went there instead. :-) We shall try Mama's another night. Not today though, I'm making tuna casserole for supper.

Knitting day today outside at Kings Contrivance. A small group today - only 8 of us.
After leaving there I stopped in at the library to renew a book. I'm reading a non fiction one for a change and it is all about the brain. Very, very good.

We got some much needed rain yesterday. I checked my rain gage and it showed 2.5 inches of rain!! More rain is supposed to be on the way today but so far only clouds.

Well off I go to do some reading.
Hope you are having a fine Tuesday.
Happyone :-)
Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak;
courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.
~Winston Churchill

This and That

Most mornings lately it's been very hot on my walks and by the time I get home I'm soaking wet. Saturday it rained and this time I was soaked from the rain. I didn't mind though because it was nice and cool. I did bring my umbrella but the only thing it kept dry was my head. There were a few really hard downpours and the rain drops bounced up off the road. I love the way that looks. This morning the weather was cooler and nice for walking around the lake. All the usual wildlife was out around the lake. There seems to be over abundance of rabbits and geese.

Deep Creek, where we went on vacation also has skiing in the winter. They have built a roller coaster of sorts there by the ski slope to be used when there is no skiing. The roller coaster is a bit different in that each person sits in a little car of their own and you control how fast you come spiraling down the hill on a track. The car can't come off the track so you can let it go as fast as it will go if you want to, which is what I did. My Dad, Ken and I each got in our own little car and had lots of fun coming down the hill. Here's a picture of my dad coming in at the end of the run.You may remember that we owned a bright blue Toyota FJ Cruiser and back in April we traded it in for a dark gray Nissan Xterra. The Xterra was a nice car and we had no complaints but it was just like so many other cars and it just blended in with all the others. We really missed the FJ so this weekend we traded the Xterra in and got another FJ Cruiser. This time we got a bright yellow one and love having it again. I guess we just need eye catching vehicles! :-)
Ken took this little video yesterday of me driving down the road.


I picked the first tomato off my cherry tomato plant yesterday. There were lots of blossoms but most of them just dried up and fell off, so I felt lucky to get this little one. It may have been small but it tasted delicious. There are a few more blossoms coming along and I'm hoping they turn into tomatoes.
There are three peppers on the pepper plant which are looking good.
Most of you know that I really like ice cream and that my favorite flavor is Weis brand chocolate chip. Well they went ahead and messed up my ice cream. A while back they changed the chips from small ones to large ones. Didn't like the change but got used to it. Now they changed the ice cream flavor and it tastes just like their normal vanilla flavor. The other white ice cream was creamier and I think it didn't have the vanilla flavor added. Anyway it tastes way different than it did, so it is no longer my favorite. Right now my new favorite is Cookies N Cream Chocolate Supreme and when they mess that up by improving it I will go back to my original favorite which is chocolate.

I spent today changing the living room furniture around again. I only last a few months and then need a change. It is a good chance to do that little bit of extra cleaning that needs to be done once in a while too.

Just had to run out and take my sheets in off the line. It has started to rain, which is good because we need the rain.

Not sure what I'll be doing later today but I plan to enjoy what ever it is!
It's nice to be blogging again.
Happyone :-)