Where Have All the Spoons Gone?

You know that black hole where socks disappear? I think there's a black hole for spoons, too!

I started with 48 teaspoons 10 years ago (two 60-piece sets). This is what I have left! I still have plenty of knives, forks and tablespoons!

Where did they go? Well, no one is talking.

The cost of replacing them with the same pattern (now discontinued by Oneida) is over $2.50 each. Ouch and ain't gonna happen!

Fortunately I have a set of my MIL's silver for the holidays, so it's everyday flatware that's the problem.

I have a solution, however!

Vintage spoons!

I picked up 12 from a antique mall I like. I love the old mixed matched look and the fact that they were only 50 cents to a dollar each.

No two are the same, but they have a similar feel. I think they're from the 40s and 50s. I like them so much, I think I'm going back for more. And maybe forks... knives and tablespoons.

Uh oh, I fee a new collection coming on.

I hope there are no black holes in your spoon drawers.

Till later,

~Katherine

Linking to these Parties:

Mockingbird Hill Cottage's My Favorite Thing #30

My Romantic Home Show and Tell Friday

You know that black hole where socks disappear? I think there's a black hole for spoons, too!

I started with 48 teaspoons 10 years ago (two 60-piece sets). This is what I have left! I still have plenty of knives, forks and tablespoons!

Where did they go? Well, no one is talking.

The cost of replacing them with the same pattern (now discontinued by Oneida) is over $2.50 each. Ouch and ain't gonna happen!

Fortunately I have a set of my MIL's silver for the holidays, so it's everyday flatware that's the problem.

I have a solution, however!

Vintage spoons!

I picked up 12 from a antique mall I like. I love the old mixed matched look and the fact that they were only 50 cents to a dollar each.

No two are the same, but they have a similar feel. I think they're from the 40s and 50s. I like them so much, I think I'm going back for more. And maybe forks... knives and tablespoons.

Uh oh, I fee a new collection coming on.

I hope there are no black holes in your spoon drawers.

Till later,

~Katherine

Linking to these Parties:

Mockingbird Hill Cottage's My Favorite Thing #30

My Romantic Home Show and Tell Friday

Morning Pictures | Coming to Life

It feels like Spring is here and things are beginning to come back to life.

Poppies are... well, popping up.

The roses are starting to show their leaves again.

Peach trees are blooming.

Even one of apple trees is showing blossoms.

It's feeling so Spring-like that Hubby is working on the drip systems.

Life is good. Even Maggie Mae says so.

Hope life is blooming in your neck of the woods.

~Katherine

It feels like Spring is here and things are beginning to come back to life.

Poppies are... well, popping up.

The roses are starting to show their leaves again.

Peach trees are blooming.

Even one of apple trees is showing blossoms.

It's feeling so Spring-like that Hubby is working on the drip systems.

Life is good. Even Maggie Mae says so.

Hope life is blooming in your neck of the woods.

~Katherine

Snow Day - Take 3

Wow! It snowed again last night. That's the third time this winter, which is unusual for us.

 

I know a lot of folks around these blogs are "pining" for Spring (sorry!). But not me... yet!

Maybe it's a residual of those 150 mile round-trip days going to my last gig. I'm probably more tired than I realized. 

No, for now, I'm happy to be hunkered down in the kitchen, next to the wood stove, writing on my laptop. 

Spring will be here, soon enough. Even this snow is staying. 

Hope everyone is have a good day... and staying warm if you need to.

Till later...

Katherine

Wow! It snowed again last night. That's the third time this winter, which is unusual for us.

 

I know a lot of folks around these blogs are "pining" for Spring (sorry!). But not me... yet!

Maybe it's a residual of those 150 mile round-trip days going to my last gig. I'm probably more tired than I realized. 

No, for now, I'm happy to be hunkered down in the kitchen, next to the wood stove, writing on my laptop. 

Spring will be here, soon enough. Even this snow is staying. 

Hope everyone is have a good day... and staying warm if you need to.

Till later...

Katherine

3 Strategies for Staying On Track

Now that I'm working from home again, I have to admit... I don't always feel like working. It's too easy to get caught up on a 101 things or spend all afternoon on Pinterest. But between my previous life as a freelance writer and a whole lot of things I took part in during my corporate days (project management, six sigma and such), I've come away with a few strategies to keep me usually... mostly on track.

1.  Write it Down -- But not all if it mind you. If I added everything I should do, my list would be overwelming, so I make a list with the BIG points. And I make it a viewable list. This small whiteboard does the trick.

I also break my day's schedule down my WORK (things that make me money) and NON-WORK (still work, but of the housework variety).

2.  Stay Focused -- That's hard to do sometimes, but I've found using a timer is a big help and breaking my time down into manageable chucks even better.  Some days that might only be for 20 minutes at a time. But those 20 minutes while my timer is ticking away, I'm focused.

The timer also works when I get too focused (or should I say fixated). For me, that's research. I can spend way too much time. Or it works when I want to limit my playing time (like Pinterest).

What works best for me, it's about an 80/20 split. That's is 80% of my time doing what needs to be done and 20% and no work with a little fun stuff thrown in.

3.  Understand a Crash Can Happen -- I just don't beat myself up. Instead, I get to my feet, dust myself off and go at it again. 

After all Coco Channel once said: "Success is often achieved by those who don't know that failure is inevitable."

 Hmm, I wonder if she ever fell on her head!? 

Have a good evening, everyone!

Till later...

Katherine

 

Now that I'm working from home again, I have to admit... I don't always feel like working. It's too easy to get caught up on a 101 things or spend all afternoon on Pinterest. But between my previous life as a freelance writer and a whole lot of things I took part in during my corporate days (project management, six sigma and such), I've come away with a few strategies to keep me usually... mostly on track.

1.  Write it Down -- But not all if it mind you. If I added everything I should do, my list would be overwelming, so I make a list with the BIG points. And I make it a viewable list. This small whiteboard does the trick.

I also break my day's schedule down my WORK (things that make me money) and NON-WORK (still work, but of the housework variety).

2.  Stay Focused -- That's hard to do sometimes, but I've found using a timer is a big help and breaking my time down into manageable chucks even better.  Some days that might only be for 20 minutes at a time. But those 20 minutes while my timer is ticking away, I'm focused.

The timer also works when I get too focused (or should I say fixated). For me, that's research. I can spend way too much time. Or it works when I want to limit my playing time (like Pinterest).

What works best for me, it's about an 80/20 split. That's is 80% of my time doing what needs to be done and 20% and no work with a little fun stuff thrown in.

3.  Understand a Crash Can Happen -- I just don't beat myself up. Instead, I get to my feet, dust myself off and go at it again. 

After all Coco Channel once said: "Success is often achieved by those who don't know that failure is inevitable."

 Hmm, I wonder if she ever fell on her head!? 

Have a good evening, everyone!

Till later...

Katherine

 

He Answered My Question, Yes He Did!

The conversation after Hubby made coffee this morning (sweet). But first the picture of what I found.

Me: Ah, honey, where did all the coffee grounds come from?

Him: I was meaning to ask you about that. How to you stop the coffee grinder?

Me: Well, I usually only grind what I need. See the switch that says 2-4-6-8-12. But if I want to stop it, I just slide the switch to off!

Him: Oh! (pause) You don't pull the cup out to stop it then.

My poor honey, some times I think he's living in the wrong time period. 

Hope you're all having a great Sunday. I'm writing bunches of product articles today and thinking about dinner!

Happy Sunday,

Katherine

The conversation after Hubby made coffee this morning (sweet). But first the picture of what I found.

Me: Ah, honey, where did all the coffee grounds come from?

Him: I was meaning to ask you about that. How to you stop the coffee grinder?

Me: Well, I usually only grind what I need. See the switch that says 2-4-6-8-12. But if I want to stop it, I just slide the switch to off!

Him: Oh! (pause) You don't pull the cup out to stop it then.

My poor honey, some times I think he's living in the wrong time period. 

Hope you're all having a great Sunday. I'm writing bunches of product articles today and thinking about dinner!

Happy Sunday,

Katherine

A Peek Into History in an Old Cookbook

I love old cookbooks. Like this one below. It's just beautiful with it's embossed cover. You don't find books like that today. But it's more than just a pretty cover, it's what's inside. And I'm not talking about old recipes.

I'm not sure where I came across this book. Maybe an old bookstore, but the embossed cover had me. It was published in 1932, the heart of the Great Depression. 

It's filled with frugal recipes that stretch a little meat a loooong way, like this recipe for Chicken Corn-Meal Soup: 6 cups of chicken broth, 1 cup of diced chicken, some onion and diced potato and 1/4 cup of corn meal. Hmm. I guess the corn meal thickens the soup and makes it feel more substantial. 

There are more recipes that sometimes leave me scratching my head. Grape Nut Omelet!

Different. Maybe GrapeNuts add an extra crunch. Or fiber?!? 

While I could browse these old recipes for hours, it's the other little treasures archived inside old cookbooks that I like to discover. 

In this cookbook there were a bunch of treasures. Old handwritten recipes written in the back of the book: Mrs. Schnader's Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake looks worth trying.

Pieces of memorabilia like this 1969 dog sled scene from the Los Angeles Times Travel section. It makes me wonder why it was saved. Was the the lady of house dreaming of travel or was it just something that caught her eye?

The most interesting piece of treasure was a letter  folded inside the book that gives a little insight into the original owner and proof that things never change. Even in 1933, divorce, movie ambitions and family dysfunction prevailed.

I hope there's no dysfunction in your life and all it beautiful on this lovely day. 

Till later, 

Katherine

Linking to:
A Favorite Thing @ Mockingbird Hill Cottage 
Sunny Simple Sunday Link Party @ Sunny Simple Life

I love old cookbooks. Like this one below. It's just beautiful with it's embossed cover. You don't find books like that today. But it's more than just a pretty cover, it's what's inside. And I'm not talking about old recipes.

I'm not sure where I came across this book. Maybe an old bookstore, but the embossed cover had me. It was published in 1932, the heart of the Great Depression. 

It's filled with frugal recipes that stretch a little meat a loooong way, like this recipe for Chicken Corn-Meal Soup: 6 cups of chicken broth, 1 cup of diced chicken, some onion and diced potato and 1/4 cup of corn meal. Hmm. I guess the corn meal thickens the soup and makes it feel more substantial. 

There are more recipes that sometimes leave me scratching my head. Grape Nut Omelet!

Different. Maybe GrapeNuts add an extra crunch. Or fiber?!? 

While I could browse these old recipes for hours, it's the other little treasures archived inside old cookbooks that I like to discover. 

In this cookbook there were a bunch of treasures. Old handwritten recipes written in the back of the book: Mrs. Schnader's Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake looks worth trying.

Pieces of memorabilia like this 1969 dog sled scene from the Los Angeles Times Travel section. It makes me wonder why it was saved. Was the the lady of house dreaming of travel or was it just something that caught her eye?

The most interesting piece of treasure was a letter  folded inside the book that gives a little insight into the original owner and proof that things never change. Even in 1933, divorce, movie ambitions and family dysfunction prevailed.

I hope there's no dysfunction in your life and all it beautiful on this lovely day. 

Till later, 

Katherine

Linking to:
A Favorite Thing @ Mockingbird Hill Cottage 
Sunny Simple Sunday Link Party @ Sunny Simple Life

Snow Day Take 2

Yes, it does snow in Southern California.

At least at 3,600 feet. 

And this isn't even last night's snow. It's the last snow, just a week or so ago. While we do get snow here, it's at most once or twice for the whole winter season. Not twice within 10 days! 

And it's not melting off as usual either. So cold! I'm hunkered around the woodstove trying to get some work done.

Hope you're all keeping warm!

Katherine!

Yes, it does snow in Southern California.

At least at 3,600 feet. 

And this isn't even last night's snow. It's the last snow, just a week or so ago. While we do get snow here, it's at most once or twice for the whole winter season. Not twice within 10 days! 

And it's not melting off as usual either. So cold! I'm hunkered around the woodstove trying to get some work done.

Hope you're all keeping warm!

Katherine!

Time to Fly!

I'm officially unemployed again! I probably should be upset, but I'm not!

No, instead I'm ready to soar!

It was fun and in another life it would have be a dream job, but my six months at the Mouse Factory was just a job. Now it's time to get back to my real life! Yayyy!!

The little guy in the pic is a symbol of how I feel. Isn't he cute? He a solar-powered flying pig. He doesn't really fly, but his wings do flap when he's put in a lighted location. And the brighter the location, the faster his wings flap!

My oldest son gave him to me at Christmas to join my flying pig collection. He's been sitting on the coffee station for a while and this morning as I was photographing him, I started to wonder.... "where is my flying pig collection?"

Moving, rearranging and working has taken it's toll on my poor little collection, but I did find a few of them.

Some were hanging out in chest in the living room. (Hi guys! Sorry I haven't talked to you in a while!)

And another was tucked in a corner on a craft shelf!

But where are the others? Well, that's anyone's guess.I think it's time to find them all and gather them in one location again.

While I'm doing that, hope you're having a wonderful Sunday and are ready to soar, too!

Till later...

Linking to: 

Sunny Simple Life: Sunny Simple Sunday
Mockingbird Hill Cottage: A Favorite Thing

I'm officially unemployed again! I probably should be upset, but I'm not!

No, instead I'm ready to soar!

It was fun and in another life it would have be a dream job, but my six months at the Mouse Factory was just a job. Now it's time to get back to my real life! Yayyy!!

The little guy in the pic is a symbol of how I feel. Isn't he cute? He a solar-powered flying pig. He doesn't really fly, but his wings do flap when he's put in a lighted location. And the brighter the location, the faster his wings flap!

My oldest son gave him to me at Christmas to join my flying pig collection. He's been sitting on the coffee station for a while and this morning as I was photographing him, I started to wonder.... "where is my flying pig collection?"

Moving, rearranging and working has taken it's toll on my poor little collection, but I did find a few of them.

Some were hanging out in chest in the living room. (Hi guys! Sorry I haven't talked to you in a while!)

And another was tucked in a corner on a craft shelf!

But where are the others? Well, that's anyone's guess.I think it's time to find them all and gather them in one location again.

While I'm doing that, hope you're having a wonderful Sunday and are ready to soar, too!

Till later...

Linking to: 

Sunny Simple Life: Sunny Simple Sunday
Mockingbird Hill Cottage: A Favorite Thing

A Pretty Little Pot

The countdown continues. 10 more working days at the Mouse Factory. Then it's home and unemployed... but I'm looking forward to it.

While the drive is horrendous, I do like that I'm only two exits away from Ikea. I've run over there whenever I can. Last Thursday was one of those days. I like browsing there for the ideas. Once and while I come across something I can't resist... and if it fits my budget, it comes home with me, like this pretty little pot.

It's sort of a shabby chic and appeals to my girl side. It's a metal pot with rose decals inside a metal basket. I do think it needs to be roughed up a bit. Maybe a little sand paper, but that will have to wait for a couple of weeks.

A new pot, of course, calls for a plant flowers, so on the way home Friday, I stopped at Walmart. Not a lot to choose from, but this sweet pink Cyclamen will do just fine. It's green and it's growing.

Now I just have a find a new home for it. The kitchen counter just won't do.

Hope you're all enjoying this lovely Sunday afternoon.

Linking to:

Claudia's A Favorite Thing link party at Mockingbird Hill Cottage
The Sunny Simple Sunday Link Party at.. where else, Sunny Simple Life

The countdown continues. 10 more working days at the Mouse Factory. Then it's home and unemployed... but I'm looking forward to it.

While the drive is horrendous, I do like that I'm only two exits away from Ikea. I've run over there whenever I can. Last Thursday was one of those days. I like browsing there for the ideas. Once and while I come across something I can't resist... and if it fits my budget, it comes home with me, like this pretty little pot.

It's sort of a shabby chic and appeals to my girl side. It's a metal pot with rose decals inside a metal basket. I do think it needs to be roughed up a bit. Maybe a little sand paper, but that will have to wait for a couple of weeks.

A new pot, of course, calls for a plant flowers, so on the way home Friday, I stopped at Walmart. Not a lot to choose from, but this sweet pink Cyclamen will do just fine. It's green and it's growing.

Now I just have a find a new home for it. The kitchen counter just won't do.

Hope you're all enjoying this lovely Sunday afternoon.

Linking to:

Claudia's A Favorite Thing link party at Mockingbird Hill Cottage
The Sunny Simple Sunday Link Party at.. where else, Sunny Simple Life

A Dark, But Not So Gloomy Day

While it's not as cold as it has been, it has been wet and a wee bit chilly. Of course, not nearly as cold as our friends back east. I've been hunkered down by the fire and just when the sun comes out and I think I can let the fire die, the sun's gone and it's cold in here again! UGH!

Perfect day for cowboy beans.

I'm not sure why I call it cowboy beans. Maybe because it seems like something a pioneer woman would cook up (sans the crock pot). It's just dry pinto beans, bacon, onions, garlic, red pepper (sweet) and a couple dried chilies. It's starting to smell good, though.

Maggie Mae got me out of the house today for a couple of walks.

I never walk fast enough for her. Everything is dead and dry around here with so little rain. There aren't even any little bits of green spouting. Hubby told me the rain gauge said we got 1.5 inches out of this last rain. That's the most we've gotten at one time this whole season.

It's a dry, dry year, on the heels of several. Fire season is not going to be good this year.

After our second walk, I had to get back to work and finish some Squidoo lenses. I just wrapped up the  seventh one which makes an interesting niche -- alarm clocks. Did you know there are LOTS of types of alarm clocks -- for the elderly, that project on the ceiling, old fashioned Big Ben styles and my favorites, kids clocks. There are enough different styles of clocks that I could add a few more. Maybe I will, but I'm ready to go on to something else.

I'm still on my countdown. 15 more work days and I'm off. I don't know whether to start celebrating or panic!

Oh well, life goes on! And I hope yours is going well.

While it's not as cold as it has been, it has been wet and a wee bit chilly. Of course, not nearly as cold as our friends back east. I've been hunkered down by the fire and just when the sun comes out and I think I can let the fire die, the sun's gone and it's cold in here again! UGH!

Perfect day for cowboy beans.

I'm not sure why I call it cowboy beans. Maybe because it seems like something a pioneer woman would cook up (sans the crock pot). It's just dry pinto beans, bacon, onions, garlic, red pepper (sweet) and a couple dried chilies. It's starting to smell good, though.

Maggie Mae got me out of the house today for a couple of walks.

I never walk fast enough for her. Everything is dead and dry around here with so little rain. There aren't even any little bits of green spouting. Hubby told me the rain gauge said we got 1.5 inches out of this last rain. That's the most we've gotten at one time this whole season.

It's a dry, dry year, on the heels of several. Fire season is not going to be good this year.

After our second walk, I had to get back to work and finish some Squidoo lenses. I just wrapped up the  seventh one which makes an interesting niche -- alarm clocks. Did you know there are LOTS of types of alarm clocks -- for the elderly, that project on the ceiling, old fashioned Big Ben styles and my favorites, kids clocks. There are enough different styles of clocks that I could add a few more. Maybe I will, but I'm ready to go on to something else.

I'm still on my countdown. 15 more work days and I'm off. I don't know whether to start celebrating or panic!

Oh well, life goes on! And I hope yours is going well.

What Have I Been Up To? Or, How Things Change

Well, obviously, not updating this blog!

Sorry about that, but I can say I've been busy. Writing mostly. Some of that for clients, and a lot for me. Since I left the corporate cubicles last June, it's been and interesting time. Back then I thought I'd be able to earn enough writing for online sources to at least pay for my Corba insurance (a big ouch, BTW).

Things have a way of not going according to plans and that's what happened as soon as I left my job. Demand Studios, who I thought I'd be doing a lot of work for, did a big shift. Panda hit the Internet and that caused still another shift on the Internet. And although I found a few other clients, the biggest shift of all was the realization that I don't like writing for other people!

I do, however, like writing for myself and that's where my focus has been these last couple of months. First on Squidoo, where I'm finding a little success. "Little" being the key here, but enough that I think it's possible to earn money. I've also been working on my existing websites to add a little more content (not HMH, unfortunately) and working a a couple new sites. All of that takes a lot of work and takes me away from Home Made Haven.

But I'm back! HMH may not be a "money site" for me, but it does feed the soul. All those decorating, cooking and gardening projects I want to do -- and share -- are important to finding my muse and living a well-rounded life.

So, what's on tap? I still have to do a lot of that writing, but I am making room for a few "fun" projects that I'll be sharing (along with a few other things that are stuck in my camera or on the computer).

1. Finishing my sewing/craft studio (all 27 square feet of it). It's mostly done except for organizing the bookshelves and doing something on a blank wall, but I'll be sharing some of that in the next couple of days.
2. Spring is coming and that means... planting time. While the lack of rain this winter will put a crimp in our gardening plans, I still have intentions of putting in "Kate's Lavender Bath." Stay tuned for that one.
3. I still need to figure out flooring options in all three of the bedrooms and I need to do something with the kitchen.
4. The biggie, though, is my new "library." We're rehabbing a 1947 travel trailer into a place to store my books and moving it closer to the house. That ought to be fun.

While I may have to go back to work this summer (just admin temping), I still try to be out and about a little more around our little community, instead of being this hermit. Hope to see you all soon.

Well, obviously, not updating this blog!

Sorry about that, but I can say I've been busy. Writing mostly. Some of that for clients, and a lot for me. Since I left the corporate cubicles last June, it's been and interesting time. Back then I thought I'd be able to earn enough writing for online sources to at least pay for my Corba insurance (a big ouch, BTW).

Things have a way of not going according to plans and that's what happened as soon as I left my job. Demand Studios, who I thought I'd be doing a lot of work for, did a big shift. Panda hit the Internet and that caused still another shift on the Internet. And although I found a few other clients, the biggest shift of all was the realization that I don't like writing for other people!

I do, however, like writing for myself and that's where my focus has been these last couple of months. First on Squidoo, where I'm finding a little success. "Little" being the key here, but enough that I think it's possible to earn money. I've also been working on my existing websites to add a little more content (not HMH, unfortunately) and working a a couple new sites. All of that takes a lot of work and takes me away from Home Made Haven.

But I'm back! HMH may not be a "money site" for me, but it does feed the soul. All those decorating, cooking and gardening projects I want to do -- and share -- are important to finding my muse and living a well-rounded life.

So, what's on tap? I still have to do a lot of that writing, but I am making room for a few "fun" projects that I'll be sharing (along with a few other things that are stuck in my camera or on the computer).

1. Finishing my sewing/craft studio (all 27 square feet of it). It's mostly done except for organizing the bookshelves and doing something on a blank wall, but I'll be sharing some of that in the next couple of days.
2. Spring is coming and that means... planting time. While the lack of rain this winter will put a crimp in our gardening plans, I still have intentions of putting in "Kate's Lavender Bath." Stay tuned for that one.
3. I still need to figure out flooring options in all three of the bedrooms and I need to do something with the kitchen.
4. The biggie, though, is my new "library." We're rehabbing a 1947 travel trailer into a place to store my books and moving it closer to the house. That ought to be fun.

While I may have to go back to work this summer (just admin temping), I still try to be out and about a little more around our little community, instead of being this hermit. Hope to see you all soon.

Christmas at Home Made Haven

 

Last year this little Charlie Brown tree was our it (with the red Christmas ball that has since been broken). No, it wasn't a sad Christmas, just a hectic one with the house torn up with a building project. Decorating just seemed to get in the way. This year, however...

I think I was making up for last year. I took the advice of Brenda at Cozy Little House and grouped all my trees together. It really does make a statement, so thanks Brenda. I had a lot of fun putting the living room together and had great ambitions to finish the rest of the house, but I have to...

Life sure gets in the way. Shopping, cleaning and of course, work have all piled up and I'm ready for Christmas to be over. 

Does that happen to you? Don't get me wrong. I love Christmas, but it seems the closer I get to it, the more I want it to be over. It's not that I'm tired, it's just...

No, not joy... more like anticipation of what the new year is going to bring.

Will my stocking be stuffed with fun and exciting projects?

Or will my wings get clipped and I'll be forced to head back to the corporate world?

I guess we'll just have to wait and see. In the meantime, have a wonder holiday everyone! And don't forget to...

Merry Christmas and God Bless,

Linking to:

My Romantic Home Show & Tell Friday

 

Last year this little Charlie Brown tree was our it (with the red Christmas ball that has since been broken). No, it wasn't a sad Christmas, just a hectic one with the house torn up with a building project. Decorating just seemed to get in the way. This year, however...

I think I was making up for last year. I took the advice of Brenda at Cozy Little House and grouped all my trees together. It really does make a statement, so thanks Brenda. I had a lot of fun putting the living room together and had great ambitions to finish the rest of the house, but I have to...

Life sure gets in the way. Shopping, cleaning and of course, work have all piled up and I'm ready for Christmas to be over. 

Does that happen to you? Don't get me wrong. I love Christmas, but it seems the closer I get to it, the more I want it to be over. It's not that I'm tired, it's just...

No, not joy... more like anticipation of what the new year is going to bring.

Will my stocking be stuffed with fun and exciting projects?

Or will my wings get clipped and I'll be forced to head back to the corporate world?

I guess we'll just have to wait and see. In the meantime, have a wonder holiday everyone! And don't forget to...

Merry Christmas and God Bless,

Linking to:

My Romantic Home Show & Tell Friday

Happy Halloween

Been AWOL lately... just busy with projects (that pay), slow Internet and a camera that's not cooperating. Anyway, hope everyone has a great -- and safe -- Halloween. Especially you folks back East. Snow, oh my, on Halloween.

Been AWOL lately... just busy with projects (that pay), slow Internet and a camera that's not cooperating. Anyway, hope everyone has a great -- and safe -- Halloween. Especially you folks back East. Snow, oh my, on Halloween.

Does this Mean Fall is Here?

Happy Labor Day, everyone. I guess this means we're at the start of the Fall season. For me, that means my nesting instincts are really kicking in. Maybe it's the anticipation of cooler weather or that the holidays are getting closer, but I have a lot of things around the house I want to get done.

Today's a good day to start making my plans. Although I shared my To Do List already, this one will detail the things I can actually get done. On the top of the list is laying a new laminate floor in the living room. It's my make-do floor because I'm just getting tired of looking at the concrete. Carpeting doesn't work here and as much as I would love hardwood floors, this house takes a lot of hard living. (It would take all of five minutes before the hubby would drag in a stone on the bottom of his boots). Now I have to tell the hubby we're going to be doing this before September end... Honey?!

For the rest of the day, though, it's plotting and planning. Besides my nesting projects, it's time to think about Christmas shopping, too. The girls were over yesterday and I started quizzing them on their Santa lists. They have some mighty big lists! Yikes! I better get busy.

Have a good day everyone... and take some time off to enjoy yourself today!

Happy Labor Day, everyone. I guess this means we're at the start of the Fall season. For me, that means my nesting instincts are really kicking in. Maybe it's the anticipation of cooler weather or that the holidays are getting closer, but I have a lot of things around the house I want to get done.

Today's a good day to start making my plans. Although I shared my To Do List already, this one will detail the things I can actually get done. On the top of the list is laying a new laminate floor in the living room. It's my make-do floor because I'm just getting tired of looking at the concrete. Carpeting doesn't work here and as much as I would love hardwood floors, this house takes a lot of hard living. (It would take all of five minutes before the hubby would drag in a stone on the bottom of his boots). Now I have to tell the hubby we're going to be doing this before September end... Honey?!

For the rest of the day, though, it's plotting and planning. Besides my nesting projects, it's time to think about Christmas shopping, too. The girls were over yesterday and I started quizzing them on their Santa lists. They have some mighty big lists! Yikes! I better get busy.

Have a good day everyone... and take some time off to enjoy yourself today!

Fried Green Tomatoes Breakfast

The hubby reminded me this morning I had a few tomatoes to be picked out in the garden. While I was out there picking the ripe ones, a green one caught my eye. Hmm... how about a friend green tomato for breakfast?

My great grandmother and grandmother -- both from Arkansas -- made fried green tomatoes every summer while I was growing up. The hubby and kids don't get it. Oh well, their loss! Just means more for me ;).

Now my two Southern grandmothers would be appalled that I don't fix 'em right, but I think all that flour and cornmeal just gets in the way. I just like mine fried up in a little olive oil and butter with salt and pepper.

Yes, just right. Now that's the way to start your day.

Oh yeah... just right. I love the tangy, meaty flavor of the tomatoes.

I'm thinking maybe a fried green tomato lunch. How about you? Want to join?

These are the mornings I love. No rush (at least not too much) and a chance to doing something I haven't done in long, long while. When I was working at the "job," I would have grabbed a can of protein drink to slug down while I was make that hour long commute. Maybe my muse isn't so far away after all (at least I'm hoping she close by today because I have lots of product descriptions to write).

Enjoy your day, everyone!

Linking to:

Women Living Well
Wow Us Wednesday

The hubby reminded me this morning I had a few tomatoes to be picked out in the garden. While I was out there picking the ripe ones, a green one caught my eye. Hmm... how about a friend green tomato for breakfast?

My great grandmother and grandmother -- both from Arkansas -- made fried green tomatoes every summer while I was growing up. The hubby and kids don't get it. Oh well, their loss! Just means more for me ;).

Now my two Southern grandmothers would be appalled that I don't fix 'em right, but I think all that flour and cornmeal just gets in the way. I just like mine fried up in a little olive oil and butter with salt and pepper.

Yes, just right. Now that's the way to start your day.

Oh yeah... just right. I love the tangy, meaty flavor of the tomatoes.

I'm thinking maybe a fried green tomato lunch. How about you? Want to join?

These are the mornings I love. No rush (at least not too much) and a chance to doing something I haven't done in long, long while. When I was working at the "job," I would have grabbed a can of protein drink to slug down while I was make that hour long commute. Maybe my muse isn't so far away after all (at least I'm hoping she close by today because I have lots of product descriptions to write).

Enjoy your day, everyone!

Linking to:

Women Living Well
Wow Us Wednesday

Deadlines

Deadlines! I don't worry about no stinking deadlines!

It's good news and bad news...

On one hand I have this great writing gig. It's just right for me and I'm hoping it will turn into an permanent egg in my writing basket...

One the other... I'm already running behind (my fault) and I really want to be out playing!

Wednesday! It'll all be better on Wednesday when I turn this thing in. (that is until the next Wednesday... if I'm lucky).

Okay, take a deep breath... relax... life goes on, one word after another.

Deadlines! I don't worry about no stinking deadlines!

It's good news and bad news...

On one hand I have this great writing gig. It's just right for me and I'm hoping it will turn into an permanent egg in my writing basket...

One the other... I'm already running behind (my fault) and I really want to be out playing!

Wednesday! It'll all be better on Wednesday when I turn this thing in. (that is until the next Wednesday... if I'm lucky).

Okay, take a deep breath... relax... life goes on, one word after another.