Sister Day

Today was Impromtu Sister Day.

We headed to my Lynchburg Sister's pool home to

eat and swim.

First, there was tuna noodle casserole (I'll share a tutorial later), limas, and green beans.

Doesn't this plate look yummy???

My Lynchburg Sister has a way with making things look lovely...even the rolls.

After lunch and a brief rain shower, the pool was ready for us.

Then, there was swimming, lounging, and lots of talking.

It is so nice that the four of us have the summer off from work.

Sorry Nashville Brother that you missed the fun.  Somebody has to work during the summer.  We can only imagine that you are very very busy right now.  We will cook for you another day.

Summer Knitting

Summer for me means time for knitting!!!

This is the dishcloth I almost finished today while waiting on my children at the dentist.

These three dishcloths I finished a few days ago.  I love this pattern.  I have it memorized,

which makes it very relaxing to knit.

These three will soon appear on my shelf at Candy's Memories on our local square.

Happy Summer.

Happy Knitting.

I Saw God Today

My husband and I often take walks late in the evening along the roadside in front of our Big Woods.

These are photos that I took during a recent walk.

This is the remains of a dandelion puff that had been blown away by the wind.

These trees were blooming everywhere along the side of the roadway.

Beautiful moon...

Beautiful moon II...

This is the end of our trip. 
This is my husband's machine sitting on a trailer in front of our woods.

Thank you dear God for the beauty of this day.

Thank you for the freedoms that we share on this Memorial Day.

Summer Sunday Fun Read

I thought we would take a break today from our usual Sunday Fun Read for kids and talk about a book for us ladies to enjoy over the summer.  I am so...so...excited to have purchased a copy of this book just yesterday.

     Ree Drummond began a blog a few years ago about leaving her city life to marry a rancher in Oklahoma.  It features some of her favorite recipes.  You can find her blog, http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/, listed in my favorites's section.  The recipes are wonderful; easy to read and follow.  She has more than just recipes included in her blog.  There are funny stories, lessons on photography, and discussions of family life.

Ree recently turned parts of her blog into a new book, The Pioneer Woman Cooks.  I have been wanting this book for quite some time, but just hadn't gotten around to purchasing one.  After receiving a gift card to one of our local book stores...I knew this book would now be mine.  I have only begun to read the first few pages, and I love it.

The pictures are wonderful, the recipes are tempting, and the stories are fun to read.  If you get a chance to purchase a copy for yourself, you won't be sorry. 

I am even thinking with all of this time on my hands this summer, I may even be able to try out some of the recipes.  I'd love to start with the homemade cinnamon rolls.  Yum.

Five Flavor Pound Cake

There are some recipes that are just too good to be true.

This is one of those recipes.

I got this recipe from a dear dear older lady that I knew during my childhood.

She was a wonderful cook, and I have several of her recipes.

You will need:

1 stick oleo, softened     1/2 cup solid Crisco

3 cups sugar         1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sweet milk         5 eggs, beaten

3 cups plain flour     1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon coconut flavoring

1 teaspoon rum flavoring

1 teaspoon butter flavoring

1 teaspoon lemon flavoring

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and prepare a bunt cake pan.

I greased my pan with Crisco...next time I will oil my pan like the recipe says.

Cream oleo, crisco, sugar, and salt.

Beat eggs to lemon color; add to shortening and sugar mixture.

Add flour and baking powder, alternately with milk.

Add the flavorings and mix.

Bake in oiled tube pan at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.

Let set in pan 10 minutes after cooking.

Remove from pan and punch several holes in cake with ice pick.  Pour glaze over cake while hot.

Glaze:

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon coconut flavoring

1 teaspoon butter flavoring

1 teaspoon lemon flavoring

1 teaspoon rum flavoring

1 teaspoon almond flavoring

1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine sugar and water and bring to boil. Remove from heat and add all flavorings.  Put on cake while hot.

Serve plain

or

with strawberries

or

with cool whip

or

any other way you choose.

Sometimes when I make this cake I vary the flavorings.

I might leave out the rum and use butter&nut instead.

There are endless possibilities...you can add more of your favorite flavors.

Enjoy!!!

Serenity...School's Out for the Summer

The most wonderful thing I have learned from Attic24 is the art of putting flowers by my bedside.  They offer such peace, such calmness, such serenity.

And oh what serenity we shall have for the next few weeks...

because...

school is officially out for the summer.

I love this feeling at the beginning of summer.

Life has been so incredibly busy, and then suddenly it all stops.

Then, the summer looms before you with endless possibilities.

We often worry about the chance that we might get bored, and then the next thing we know, it is time for the first day of school.

I stopped and picked the beautiful roses in the picture above on my way home this afternoon from the side of the road.  We have wild roses growing everywhere this time of year along the country road sides.  I always know it is time for my Lynchburg sister's anniversary when I see these roses, because she actually used them to decorate for her outdoor wedding.  Wild roses and queenanne's lace made for a beautiful wedding.

It was a great school year.

I taught an exceptionally smart and respectful Sixth grade.

Tomorrow, my own kids and I will sleep late and then go swimming.

Happy summer.

What's In the Tree???

Would you believe that our dog, Annie, was looking at a groundhog in the tree???

See...

Here it is...

Here is a different shot...

It was about 25 feet up the tree from the ground. 

We first saw the dog looking at it around 4:00. 

We left the house and returned about four hours later, and it was still in the same spot in the tree.

The next day it was gone.

Who knew a groundhog could climb a tree?