Bird Houses

The iris in the picture from yesterday are not in my yard as some of you thought.  They are in a neighbors yard down the street.  Wish they were in my yard. : )

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It was warm and cloudy this morning and 62 degrees when I walked.  Went on over to the industrial park in town.  It is nicer than it sounds.  Not many buildings there and plenty of green grass and fields.  That is part of town over there in the distance.

Then walked back to the main road.   Rick was watering the plants at his gas station and I stopped for a little chat.

Then continued walking through town.

Walked around one of the cemeteries, around the loop at the ball park and back home again.
Saw Lisa out running this morning.  Used to see her all the time in the morning but now I usually see her run past my house later in the day.

As always I enjoyed my morning walk.
Walked 5.3 miles.

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I see by your comments on yesterday's post that a couple of you have remembered it was my birthday (the real Memorial Day) today and I thank you for the birthday greetings. 
I certainly don't feel my age but now I'm the age of the Beetle's song.  : )

Ken got home from his get-a-way just before lunch time.  He had a great time.

It's been a pretty sunny day, though we did have a few rain showers this afternoon.  We've spent most of the afternoon sitting out on the porch.  A nice relaxing day.  Plan on going out to eat in a little while.

A happy day to you, my friends.
happyone : )

Birthdays are good for you.

Statistics show that the people who have the most

live the longest.

~ Larry Lorenzoni

Thanks for the comments about the new look of my blog.  Don't usually go with a green color.  Thought it would be nice for a change. 

My pizza

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Up and out this morning as usual for my walk.  60 degrees and sunny as I walked down the main road (opposite direction from HT) up to the Farm Loop.  Just turned left here off the main road.

I saw the same guy from the other day riding his bike and he passed me twice on the loop.  He was the one with the flat tire on his bike.

Here at the dairy farm the little one reaches out beyond the fence to have a taste of something different.  : ) 

Headed back to town down this road.  The pond on the right is the one by the Drane House which I get to walking down from the cemetery which you can see off in the distance on the right.  Can't see the Drane House because it's hidden in the trees.   You can also see the church steeple down in town.  You will probably have to click on the picture to see better.

Walked around town a bit too.  I've always liked this house and thought it was cute and cozy looking.  In fact I took a picture of it and posted it on my blog when we first moved here.  Today I noticed the For Sale sign in the yard. 

A fine walk today and I walked 5.2 miles.

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Before we moved here I always put out the trash on garbage days.  Since we moved here Ken has taken over the job.  Today it was my turn again.

I worked on getting some things marked off on my to do list.  Didn't really get that much done on my list but I did enjoy my day. : )

Walked on over to Sherry's for my hair appointment this afternoon.  It was odd going in the afternoon, I usually make the appointment for the morning.  The sky was getting darker and darker and just as I got home we had a thunder storm, but it didn't last long and I still ate my supper out on the porch.  No rhubarb cobbler this time.  : )

I made a pizza.  As you probably know I usually make the dough and Ken makes the pizza.  He usually makes 2 out of the dough, but I made one pizza with a thicker crust. I made a plain cheese one.

Just in the oven.

Out of the oven, cut and ready to eat.

Though it was pretty good, it was not as good as Ken's pizza, so I'll turn the pizza making back over to him. : )

I started reading the book for my book club but just can't get into it so I'm not going to read it.  It is a book by Quan Barry called She Weeps Each Time You're Born.

I'm finishing up the last book by Debbie Mcomber in the Cedar Cove series and then I'm going to start Dragonfly in Amber which is the second book in the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon.  Hope I like the second one as much as I did the first.

Maybe I'll have some of the rhubarb for my snack but right now I'm leaning towards ice cream.  I would have both and put ice cream ON the rhubarb but I only have chocolate chip mint and don't think it would go very well.

Hope your Friday as been a good one.
A happy day to you.
happyone : )

Youth is happy because it has the ability to see beauty.

Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old.

~ Franz Kafka

Comment Replies:

Thanks Art.  : )

Rhubarb

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Ken left for the men's get a way this morning at 6:00 and I left then too on my walk.  It was 56 degrees.  The sky was a beautiful pink blue when I walked out of the house but by the time I got to where I could take a picture of the sky the colors had already gone.  It was a pretty morning for walking though with s mixture of sun and clouds.

Another walk all around town and the cemeteries once again.  Didn't see any people out walking and there were even fewer cars since I was out earlier than usual.  Nothing out of the ordinary today but good to be out walking.

The other bunny was near the front of the cage today too so I got a picture of him/her before off he went to hide in the back of the hutch.

Found another dime.
Walked 6 miles.

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All the lilacs around town have come and gone but I have some late bloomers in my back yard and they are in full bloom now and the smell is heavenly.   They are at the edge of our not yet done stone patio and with the screen door open the smell wafts into the house.

I've also cut some and put them in an old blue bottle. 

 The library opens in town at 11:00 and I walked over there then, returned a book and checked two more out.  Also borrowing another book from a friend in my book club for next month.  She had it waiting for me at the library so I came home with three books to read.
Left the library and walked on over to the post office to mail off a bill and a card.

Had lunch on the porch and then sat out there longer and started one of the books.

Some of you were wondering what I was going to do with all that rhubarb that Cathy gave me. 

Well first I made  some Sugared Rhubarb Muffins.  This was a brand new recipe I found on line.  I doubled the recipe and will freeze some of them.  I did eat one to see how they turned out (they are delicious) and I've left out another two which I will have for breakfast tomorrow morning.

Sugared Rhubarb Muffins

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/4 cups sugar, divided
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup fat-free milk
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 cup chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb

 

1. In a bowl, combine the flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat the egg, milk and oil. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in rhubarb.
2. Fill paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm. Yield: 1 dozen.

Then I made some Rhubarb Cobbler.  I've had this recipe for years and love it.

Rhubarb Cobbler

For Biscuit Topper
Sift together 1 cup flour, 2 Tablespoons sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Cut in 1/4 cup butter till mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Combine 1/4 cup milk and 1 slightly beaten egg.
Add all at once to dry ingredients, stirring just to moisten.
Set aside.

Rhubarb Filling
Combine 1 cup sugar, 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 Tablespoon each water and butter and 4 cups 1 inch slices rhubarb.
Bring to boil.
Cook and stir 1 minute.

Pour filling into a round 8 inch baking dish.
Immediately spoon on biscuit topper in 6 mounds.
Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.
Serve warm with cream or ice cream.

 Ready for the oven

 Out of the oven

The rest of the rhubarb I'm just going to make the rhubarb part of the cobbler and will freeze it for future cobblers.  I'll do that tomorrow though. 

The Rhubarb came out of the oven around supper time and I know I should have eaten something better for supper but I just couldn't resist eating some and I took some out on the porch and ate it for supper.   If Ken was home I never would have done that. : )

Supper

I'm headed outside now to walk around the yard and do a little weeding till it gets dark.

My snack tonight is going to be a salad.  : )

Hope your day was a happy one.
happyone : )

My life is better with every year of living it.

~ Rachel Maddow

Comment Replies:

Eileen - Oh you wouldn't believe how much better the farm eggs are.  They are fluffier and have such a better taste.  I never much cared for eggs before, now I LOVE scrambled eggs.  : )  I just can't believe the difference. 

Geese

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A warm cloudy morning at 63 degrees this morning when I started out walking and it looked and felt like rain.  Walked straight through town,

and up to the first cemetery and took a couple of loops around it.

 By this time I felt the first few drops of rain so headed back home and picked up my umbrella, but the rain didn't come. Continued over to the second cemetery and then down by the Drane House and walked over to the pond.  That's where I took the top picture of the geese family.  Took these pictures of the geese there too.

Then a light steady rain started on my way over to the ball park and I walked around the loop there, then back around town some more and finally back home again.

A few rabbits were scurrying about the cemeteries, and I watched a couple of killdeers dive bomb a crow that I guess was getting too close to their nest.

Didn't see any people about.

Walked 5.5 miles.

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Tomorrow Ken leaves for his time away with the guys from church in the woods.  Riding ATV's on all the trails, fishing, shooting, relaxing and having some good fellowship and Ken has been busy getting all his stuff together for that.
This morning I baked some chocolate cookies for him to take along.  I used one store bought egg and one of the eggs that Cathy gave us.  Just look at the difference.  The broken yoke is from Cathy.

The sun came out just before lunch time and it's been a beautiful sunny day.
After lunch I weeded the two front gardens down by the street.  I can't believe how fast the weeds spout up.

After weeding I sat out on the porch and finished reading my book.

We've just had supper and now we are off to church.  Ken usually drives but this evening I'm driving us in my car for a change. 

Hope your day was a happy one.
happyone : )

When I was 40, my doctor advised me that a man 

in his 40's shouldn't play tennis.

I heeded his advice carefully and could hardly wait

until I reached 50 to start again.

~ Hugo L Black

Cathy's Place

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54 degrees this morning and sunny when I went for my walk.  The rest of the day as been mostly cloudy and with a couple light rain showers thrown in.

Stayed around town walking up and down all the streets here and around the cemeteries.  This tombstone caught my eye this morning.  : )  You will probably have to click the picture to read it.

I caused quite a ruckus walking down the road at the Drane House by the pond.  There were two geese walking down the middle of the road and I was thinking about taking their picture when out of the long grass in the field about a dozen more geese all flew out honking making their way to the pond.  Two geese families took off running down to the pond, a few swallows started dive bombing me and the horses started neighing. : )

There seemed to be a lot more traffic than usual on the main road through town.  Probably people leaving the lake after the holiday weekend.

Didn't see any other walkers around.
I found a quarter.
Walked 5 miles.

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Cathy asked if I'd like some rhubarb and asparagus to plant in my garden.  She is the woman we pick up and bring to church and gives us the eggs.  I told her I'd love to have some, so this morning we went over to Cathy's place.  She lives on 30 some acres and has two horses, two dogs, cats, hens, and geese.   Cathy not only gave us the asparagus and rhubarb plants but more eggs, a couple different kinds of lilies, and 42 stalks of rhubarb.

Some of her 32 chickens, and I did thank them for the eggs. : )

Here's Blackie.

Geese - the one with the brown on the left is Paulie.

I took a special liking to Ellie, a white Great Dane.  She came just about up to my waist and I could just stand and pet her.  Really cool dog.

It was an enjoyable couple of hours.

When we got home I planted all the plants and then we sat out on the porch and Ken read and I knitted.  

Life is Good.

Hope you had a happy day.

happyone : )

We turn not older with years,

but newer every day.

~ Emily Dickinson

Comment Replies:

Kim - No, I didn't see the piper on my walk.  Across the street from our house is a War Memorial and they were having a ceremony for Memorial Day.  I actually zoomed in and took the pipers picture from my side yard. 

A beautiful sunny day

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The weather has gotten back to normal and it was 50 degrees and sunny this morning when I walked.  It was a beautiful morning and I walked the Farm Loop.
The diary farm is coming up on the left.  Only a few out in the field today.

This new baby and its mom were enjoying the sunshine but when I got close to the fence mom turned and started walking off with baby close by her side.

Passed a couple of bike riders off to the side on the road with a flat tire on one of their bikes.  One rider rode off to get another tire saying, "I'll be right back." and the other started walking his bike.  20 minutes later the one guy was still walking his bike a little ways behind me.  Didn't see them again once I got back to town.

Made a couple of loops around the ball park loop where I saw another walker friend, Rebecca.

I saw a deer and a couple of bunnies.
Walked 5.3 miles.

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Ken went up to Happy Trails this morning while I stayed home and did a couple loads of laundry.  Have to take advantage of these nice sunny days for drying clothes. 

We were invited to a BBQ this afternoon and was asked to bring a dessert.  I made a quick and easy one.  I melted semi sweet chocolate and added some peppermint extract.  Then dipped vanilla wafers in the chocolate and put them on parchment paper to harden. Quick, easy and yummy.

The weather was perfect for the BBQ and we had a great time.  Just got home a little while ago.

I'm off to sit on the porch until it gets dark.

Life is Good.
Hope you found happy moments in your day.
happyone : )

The other day a man asked me what I thought was the best time of my life.

"Why, " I answered without a thought, "now."

~ David Grayson

Sunday

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills,

from whence cometh my help.

My help cometh from the Lord,

which made heaven and earth.

Psalm 121: 1 and 2

Have a blessed Sunday.

God loves you.

happyone : )

Another auction

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This morning there was a light frost and it was 32 degrees.  Not sure about the marigolds I planted.  They aren't looking too good but I'm hoping they will be okay.

My morning routine was a bit different today.  There was an auction at one of the farms up along the Farm Loop where I walk around but it wasn't at any of the farms where I knew the farmer.   The auction started at 9:00 and  Ken left in the truck a little after 8:00.  He wanted to go early to get a good look around.

I decided not to take my morning walk and instead just walk on up to the auction a little bit later.  So I did a few things around the house and then at 9:00 I walked up to the auction and met Ken there.

This too was a man auction with farm equipment and tools but it was all outside so I got to walk around a lot.  I walked down this road on the farm until I came to a gate and then turned around and walked back to the auction place.

There was a rock crusher up for sale which is just want we need.  We wouldn't have to buy any more gravel and could just make our own.  There are millions of rocks all over HT so we'd never run out of rocks.

We didn't get it though because it went for more money than we wanted to spend.  BUT there was a man there who told us he has a rock crusher that he'd like to sell, so we will check out his and maybe get one after all. : )

We got a radial arm saw at a great price and have put it up at HT right by the building site.

Ken also got 6 big chains in various lengths with hooks on the ends for a great price

and this big old saw blade that we just couldn't do without. : )

Saw a friend from church at the auction and Farmer Bill and was there too.  Both of them helped us get the saw and the saw blade in the back of the pickup.  I was most grateful because I didn't have to. : )

We were up at HT for a while this afternoon but didn't do any work on the cabin.  Just dropped off the auction stuff there.

When we came home we made home made pizza for supper and sat out on the porch and ate it.  Stayed out on the porch until it started to get chilly.

It's been another good day.
Hope your day was a happy one.
happyone : )

It's important to have a twinkle in your wrinkle.

~ Unknown

Comment Replies:

RK - I miss all you at knitting too.  Still meeting on Tuesday mornings?  I've found a knitting group here but it is at 7:30 in the morning and I'm out walking then.

Friday

An old barn in West Virginia next to the auction house we went to today.

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A mixture of sun and clouds and no wind on my walk this morning but it was pretty chilly out at 36 degrees.  It was up to 40 when I got back home though and I think it made it up to 60 later in the day. 

I walked straight through town again but this time passed up Sale Barn and walked just passed the turn off to HT, then turned around and went back to town.  

I took a loop around one of the cemeteries and the ball park loop and then back home.  Kathy was walking around the cemetery too and we stopped for a little chat.  

The rhododendron are now blooming all over town.  They are so pretty.  It seems like everyone has some in their yard except for us. 

Saw quite a few bunnies hopping about.  Some in the cemetery and a couple by the ball park.

Walked 4.5 miles.

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My walk was a little shorter than usual because I had to be home by 7:30.  Ken wanted to leave to get to the auction early.  It was the same one he went to a couple of weeks ago with a friend and I wanted to go along too this time.  It was in Terra Alta, West Virginia and about 30 miles from our house.  This is a man auction with mostly tools so it wasn't that great for me but it was in a neat old barn.  I should have taken pictures but didn't think about it at the time. The first part of the auction lasts until about lunch time when they run out of stuff to sell.  Then it starts again at 2:00 but this time they sell cattle which is the part I wanted to watch and I really enjoyed seeing all the animals.

In between the two auctions we took a little ride out to a town called Kingwood and had some lunch and looked around town.  

Ken bought a window at the auction which was a new one and we will be able to use it in the cabin.  Also got a flat of tomato plants.  Gave some to our friend and we got some cabbage plants from him for my garden.

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I've been working on a couple projects.  One is another scarf which is not very far along yet.

The other is a baby blanket made with weave-it squares.  This one I'm making with a thinner yarn than I normally use and it gives it more of a lacy look.  I've had the yarn for a few years.  It was given to me by Robin, a friend in the knitting group I used to go to where I lived before. 

We've had some rain showers this evening and now the sun is out again though it will be setting soon now.  Hope tomorrow it is a little bit warmer.

It's been another good day.

Hope your day was a happy one.

happyone : )

Some people, no matter how old they get,

never lose their beauty,

they merely move it from their faces into their hearts.

~ Martin Buxbaum

Potato Soup

Rain on the Pond

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This morning it was 46 degrees with a light rain that came and went so I took along my umbrella and it went up and down quite a few times.

Started out walking straight through town down the main street.  My house is just behind me.

Continued on and went up Sale Barn Road.  Didn't see any of the cows in the field that I usually see.  They must have been in the woods.

Walked to the end of the road and turned around when I came to the house with the dogs.  Walking along here I saw a Bobolinks flying around, but they were too fast for me to get a picture.

Some pretty little wild flowers growing along the side of the road.

You can see little sprouts of corn starting to grow on most of the farms here now.  I'm sure the farmers like the gentle rain today.

Took a couple loops around the two cemeteries and then back home.
I walked 5 miles.

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We've been home today getting some things done inside.  A rainy day is good for that. : )

It seemed like a good day for soup so I made some Potato Soup.  A new recipe I found on line and one I will add to my own collection of recipes.  We had some homemade bread with it too.

Hearty Potato Soup

• 6 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 6 celery ribs, chopped
• 8 cups water
• 1 onion, chopped
• 6 tablespoons butter, cubed
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1-1/2 cups 2% milk

1. In a Dutch oven, cook the potatoes, carrots and celery in water until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid and setting vegetables aside.
2. In the same pan, saute onion in butter until tender. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Gently stir in cooked vegetables. Add 1 cup or more of reserved cooking liquid until soup is desired consistency. Yield - about 2-1/2 quarts. 
 

As you can see I added some cheddar cheese on top and the next time I make it I will add some garlic in when I cook the onion.  We both liked it and there is left overs for another meal. : )

This evening will be our usual -  ice cream, a little television, reading and knitting.

It been another good day.

Life is Good.

Hope your day was a happy one.

happyone : )

The key to successful aging is to pay as little attention to it as possible.

~ Judith Regan

Comment Replies:

Karen - The crawfish was alive and just a little ways away from a small stream.