Sunday, July 29, 2012

Blues and BBQ

What a great weekend.  Yesterday was our 2nd Annual Blue Collar Blues and BBQ Festival.
The weather finally broke.  Who would have ever thought 90 degrees would be a pleasant day?

The weather was great, the music was sensational and the food was even better.  Thanks to all who participated, volunteered and who just came out to enjoy. 








So today I slept in NO alarm clock, yippee, and in the mail when I arrived home last night was my DVD of The Thornbirds; so today is an all day jammie day watching a marathon of The Thornbirds now the only thing that could make today better would be to have some of the fabulous BBQ from yesterday!

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Maybe not so different

You know how every older generation ( I hate to admit that I'm now the older generation) thinks the kids nowadays are so different that we can't relate. You know how they wear their hair, how they dress  - (OK I'll admit it I DON'T get the whole saggy pants thing either) or even how they spend their time.

We hear on the news about how some kid sat for hours playing an online game and a blood clot formed.  Well I kinda get that, as unfortunate as it is.  I myself can get engrossed in something and become  oblivious to anything else especially time! I'm like a crazy person when I start looking up things on youtube - One thing leads to another and before you know it -it's 3 am and I have to be up in 3 hours.  Why do I do this to myself?

Just like earlier this evening I was talking to my sister Sandy about the Thornbirds - (I love Richard Chamberlain) It started out innocently enough I asked if she had the DVD - she has an amazing collection almost everything except The Thornbirds so I went to amazon - (that was an ordeal - me and my passwords, but that's another story for another time.) I finally purchased it - then I started looking up TV mini series - my all time favorite is Bare Essence but of course it's not on DVD or available at all - OK out there, who ever can make this happen please make this happen!  Almost every single made for TV mini series good or bad is available but this one.  That's a crime!

So I thought - if I can't buy it maybe it's on youtube.
Eureka!!  It's there - great I'll just watch the first part. Well after a marathon of every episode in one single sitting I can barely walk.  As I hobbled to the frig, because what else would I be doing at 3 in  the morning other than raiding the refrigerator, walking like Quasimodo I'm thinking I might as well watch something else sleep is over rated anyway, AND if I go to sleep now I'll never get up on time - so youtube don't fail me now - Maybe I'll watch the original Salem's Lot!



Monday, July 23, 2012

That's just not right!

What a day!  The temperature keeps climbing with no relief  in sight.  I feel like I should do a rain dance but with my luck it wouldn't rain until Saturday.  So I'm putting it out there now.  Yes we need rain BUT not on Saturday.  Saturday is the Blues Festival that Alfresco Productions (My not for profit for the ARTS) is putting on.

This is the second annual and it should be a hum dinger!  So, today in this sweltering heat I ran around organizing a few things for that along with the regular stuff that I always have to do on Mondays for my restaurant.

I thought it would be neat to have aprons for all of my friends to wear that are helping me with the event.   I found these red aprons with "Made in America" embroidered in blue on the pocket.

Great I thought these are perfect "Made in America"  what's more American than a "Blue Collar Blues and BBQ Festival" - so I bought one for everyone.

I like themed events and I really like aprons - perhaps another obsession like shoes and purses.
I actually know an amazing seamstress named Sandy who makes themed aprons for me all the time -you'll be able to see some of them soon on the Souperwoman page; but for now I'm running short on time so I saw these and bought them.

When I got them home I noticed that the "Made in America" aprons where made in China.  Now that's just not right - talk about an oxymoron -  I knew I should have called Sandy!

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Every girls dream

Isn't it most girls dream to meet their very own knight in shinning armor?  Well that's just what happened to me today.  Now before you get all excited for me it wasn't one of those romantic moments where our eyes met from across the room, or I was a damsel in distress and he saved me. 

It was more like... "Hey Brenda - I'm getting rid of Malachi" shouted my neighbor from across the street, "Do you want him?"

Malachi? I thought, what's a Malachi?

My neighbor said, "It's something that I've had for awhile and it's time to get rid of it, so I thought you might want it."

You've probably heard me explain how I end up with so many, (how do I say this delicately) interesting things.  This is  a perfect example.

Malachi
Knight of the Enchanted Cottage
Defender of Truth and Loyalty
             Meet Malachi... 
Knight of the Enchanted Cottage 
Defender of Truth and Loyalty


I think he'll make an excellent addition to
The Garden Gate.

You never know he may even make an appearance in one of the children's books.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

What do you get?...

What do you get when you combine watermelon with tomato?  An amazing summer salad.  No that's not a joke!  With the fresh tomatoes and watermelon that are now available you really need to try this.  In the words of Souperwoman  "It's super fast and super easy"
This is all you need...

6 cups of seeded watermelon cubes    1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 cups of diced tomatoes                    1/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons of sugar                           1/2 cup diced red onion
1 teaspoon of salt                            
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
                Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, toss to coat.
                                       Let stand 15 minutes before serving.  Even better the next day.









For a nice twist add
fresh basil and feta cheese! 



And speaking of Souperwoman -
More episodes coming soon!

Monday, July 9, 2012

I'm glad someone thought ahead

When you're a kid you don't really think about saving things like toys, drawings you know just regular every day stuff, at least I didn't.  As I've gotten older and more sentimental I think about all of the things I wish I would have put away.  Boy am I glad my parents thought about some of that stuff.

Two of my all time favorites were a giant doll and a peddle car firetruck!

Thanks to Mom and Dad I have them today

Here are pictures when I first got them and pictures of them today tucked in the decor of my home.





 Thanks Mom and Dad!

Saturday, July 7, 2012

I like peanut butter on my peanut butter

To say I like peanut butter is an understatement.  I actually devoted one whole chapter in my cookbook to that super food.  Like that chapter reads...
Peanut Butter - To me it's a food group!

There's nothing better than late at night watching a great movie and eating a PBJ with an ice cold glass of milk!

So this cookie certainly will hit that spot!

I'm sure you can use your favorite cookie recipe but this is the one I use


 PBJ Cookies
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
   1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
   1/2 teaspoon baking soda
   1/4 teaspoon salt
   1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
   1/3 cup of butter flavored Crisco
   3 tablespoons milk
   1 egg yolk
   1 teaspoon vanilla
   grape jelly

Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl.  Cut in peanut butter and shortening.
Combine milk, egg yolk, and vanilla in a small bowl.  Beat with fork until well blended.  Add to flour mixture.  Beat on low speed with mixer until well blended. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Roll dough out on floured surface to about 1/8 inch thick.  Cut with desired cookie cutter.  Place half of the cut out on a greased baking sheet.  Place about 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of jelly on cookie (amount of jelly depends on the size of the cookie).  Top with remaining cookie cut outs.  Press edges together with a fork.  Prick the top of the cookie with a toothpick.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 - 11 minutes.  Do not overbake.  Remove cookies to rack to cool






You can use any type of cutter that you like.  I think using animal cutters would be really cute

They would look like giant animals crackers for the kids!

Friday, July 6, 2012

I'm very excited

After dealing with the copyright attorney and the publishing company my first children's book should be here within a week.  The first book to come out is actually the fourth book written.  After I had finished writing the three chapter books from the series; a friend suggested that I take a character from that series and introduce it in an early reader book. 

So, that's what I did! - "Daisy Gets Lost" is the first book.

In this book the readers will meet Daisy and her best friend Bea

Bea of course is the main character from The Adventures of Bea Whimsy and The Enchanted Cottage.  The first book from that series "The Great Treasure Hunt" is coming out next!

While I'm waiting for Daisy's book to come from the publishing company; I'm creating a giant book 18x24 to take to the schools to read. I can remember being read to in kindergarten.  I loved looking at the pictures.  So, I thought it would be great to have the book really - really big for all of the kids to see.















I'm finishing the binding on the super-duper giant Daisy book today.  I can't wait for my first reading at the school.




And I'm very excited to see my first children's book actually published!



Wednesday, July 4, 2012

What a way to spend the day

Sleeping till I wake up - NO alarm clocks!
A great BBQ with my family
Watching a marathon of The Twilight Zone

What a way to spend the day! 
To me it doesn't get much better than that.

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Please Stand By

I remember as a little girl when there were problems with the TV a target looking picture came on the screen with the words Please Stand By... We are experiencing technical difficulties.

Well I think I need to wear that around my neck.  Like Bill England says... Here your sign.

I swear I have this magnetic force surrounding me that zaps any and every electronic device I have.

For days that crazy little circle was just spinning on my computer - Of course I still don't know why!

But at least it's working now! So from time to time you may just see a post from me that simply says... Please Stand By -  You'll know what that means.