Seven Degrees of Separation

I was challenged by my friend Alex Moore to do the following meme. "Come up with seven things about yourself that you are willing to share with whole web. Then tag seven other people to do the same."

Here we go:
1. Even though I grew up in snowy northern Idaho I have never been very good at driving on slick roads. I never drove on slick roads when I was young. I never got a car of my own until I was 21 years old and then I probably always rode with someone else when the roads were slick. I practice every day, but if I ever feel that pull of the car toward the ditch, I panic... even if I am going 20 mph.

2. I have never driven or ridden on recreational vehicles like snowmobiles, four-wheelers, motorcycles, jet skis, etc. I don't know why... I guess I just never was around many people that had them or rode them. My students think I am an alien from another planet when I share that.

3. Another reason my students think I am an alien from another planet is because I have never hunted. My dad didn't hunt, we didn't often have wild meat at our house, and it was just something I have never been interested in. My husband has hunted his whole life and he recently brought home wild meat that I am learning to prepare in different ways.

4. I cooked my first Christmas dinner this year. I have never been at my own home for Christmas since I reached adulthood so when we were snowbound it was a lovely celebration at Christmas with just us and our own new traditions for Christmas.5. I love to wear pins and brooches almost every day. I started it when I taught younger children because they would always notice the lit up Hallmark Christmas tree pin or the Valentine bear. Now I have a big collection of snowman pins. I wear them all winter and each one has special meaning. Even 14-year-olds will comment on my snowmen. I also love heart pins, watering cans and of course my pink ribbon for Breast Cancer Awareness.

6. I love to communicate with people through email, blog comments, and the phone but I still love to write cards and letters and mail them the old-fashioned way. I also love to receive cards and letters in the mail. When I see a colored envelope in the stack of mail with handwriting I recognize it makes me smile.

7. I have slowly developed a deep passion for poetry. My mother read poetry aloud to us growing up, I went through my Rod McKuen phase as a teenager, and then loved to read rhyming funny poems to my students. Somewhere along the way I began to really embrace poetry with more zeal.
I know there are enough of you that want to do your seven degrees of separation, so I won't name names. Just let me know when you do it so I can read it!

What Is Next?

Each day this week people have asked, " What is next?" We have had deep snow, wind, cold temperatures, sunshine, more snow, rain, warmer temperatures, roofs covered with snow, roofs bare of snow, slush, ice, unsanded roads, sanded roads, students covered with snow, students wet from playing King of the Mountain, school starting two hours late, schools in the area closed, a few little leaks in the classrooms, and plenty of temptation to throw snowballs!


Fortunately in my corner of the world it has been a safe week. Our school has been in good shape thanks to lots of hard work by many people over break. Our students are used to being out in snow so boots, heavy coats, and gloves most often come with them to school. The buses have been able to get around after one late start on Monday. I felt students were ready to come back to school and have been attentive all week, even if they are sitting in class in wet clothes after playing outside. After watching the news about other schools around the inland empire, I would say we are most fortunate. What is next? Perhaps next week we will have sunshine and blue skies the whole week.
Ahhh! Bliss.

Best of 2008: Part 4: Favorite Roses

I am a fairly new rose gardener. Thinking roses were high maintenance I never wanted to mess with them. When I moved here I decided to give roses a try. Now we have discovered hardy roses that can grow in many locations around our place and aren't as much work as we thought. My favorite roses change from year to year based on how different varieties perform. Here were my winners from the last blooming season.

a gift a few years ago to JEJ... " Livin' Easy" chosen for the blooms that keep coming and coming!
"Honey Perfume"...a winner for the lovely fragrance that fills the garden when it blooms.
"Golden Showers" was the climber that JEJ picked as his favorite ."Fourth of July "climber is always a colorful addition to our deck garden.
The "Pink Iceberg" won us over for all the buds and blossoms during the growing season.
"The America" was the winner for lasting the longest. We cut this blossom for our Thanksgiving bouquet. Simply amazing.

Best of 2008: Part 3: Keepers from the Recipe Box

photo from Country Home magazine
Here are some of my new or revisted keepers from the recipe box from 2008. I put links at the bottom of the of favorites I have already posted.

I love an overnight egg dish I can pop in the oven in the morning when company is staying. I tried the Greek variation of this casserole and found it yummy!

Cheddar-Bacon Wake-Up Casserole
4 oz. dry french bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (4 cups)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 slices bacon, crisp-cooked, drained, and crumbled, or 1 cup diced cooked ham
2 cups milk
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp. snipped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
1/2 tsp. mustard
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. onion powder In a large bowl toss together the bread cubes, cheddar cheese, and cooked bacon or ham. Divide among six 10-ounce individual casseroles or place all of the mixture in one 2-quart rectangular baking dish. In a medium bowl whisk together milk, eggs, parsley, mustard, pepper, and onion powder. Pour over the bread mixture in the casseroles or dish. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Bake, uncovered, in a 350° oven for 25 to 30 minutes for individual baking casseroles (about 40 minutes for 2-quart dish) or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings. Per serving: 374 cal., 26 g fat (12 g sat. fat), 194 mg chol., 595 mg sodium, 15 g carbo., 1 g fiber, 20 g pro.
Greek Variation: Omit bacon or ham and substitute 6 ounces feta cheese and 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese for the cheddar cheese. Stir 1 cup drained and chopped canned or marinated artichoke hearts, 1/4 cup chopped green onions, and 2 tablespoons chopped kalamata olives (optional) into the bread mixture before putting into casseroles or baking dish. Continue as above.
Mushroom-Sweet Pepper Variation: Cook 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms and 1/4 cup chopped onion in 1 tablespoon hot olive oil over medium heat for 5 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir mushroom mixture and 1/4 cup chopped roasted red sweet pepper into bread mixture before putting into casseroles or baking dish. Continue as above.
Sausage and Provolone Variation: Substitute 1 1/2 cups shredded Provolone or Italian cheese blend for the cheddar and 1 1/2 cups chopped fully cooked turkey Italian sausage links for the bacon. Substitute basil for the parsley.
countryhome.com

Summertime Quencher
This is a refreshing summer sangria-like drink that looks very pretty in the pitcher! It looks a bit lighter in color than this picture illustrates. Feel free to vary the fruit depending on what is in season.
1 lemon
1 orange
1 750-ml bottle white zinfandel wine ( 3 1/4 cups), chilled
2 cups carbonated water or lemon-lime carbonated beverage, chilled
1 unpeeled kiwifruit, sliced
1/4 cup fresh blackberries, raspberries, huckleberries, or other berries
8 dark sweet cherries, pitted
8 fresh strawberries
Cut lemon and orange in half crosswise. Cut one lemon half and one orange half into 1/4 inch-thick- slices. Squeeze juice from remaining halves. Place juice in a 2-quart pitcher. Stir in wine, carbonated beverage, lemon and orange slices, and remaining fruit. Serve over ice. Makes about eight 5-oz. servings. This can be made using juice instead of wine.
photo from A Taste of Home

Festive Crab Cups
A woman at our church brings these whenever we have a "finger food potluck". Many think they are a dessert at first, but then discover the rich flavors.

1/3 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup canned crabmeat, drained, flaked, and cartilage removed
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
1 package (2.1 oz) frozen miniature phyllo tart shells
1/3 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce
In a small bowl combine the cream cheese, crab and onions until well blended. Place the tart shells on an ungreased baking sheet. Drop 1 tablespoon of the crab mixture into each shell. Top each with 1 teaspoon cranberry sauce. Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 15 appetizers.
Taste of Home, Dec. Jan. 2005

other favorites already posted:
Scarlett Autumn Salad and JBelle's Pacific Northwest Cranberry Chutney here.
Williamsburg Orange Cake here.

Best of 2008: Part 2: Keepers From the Photo Album

Inland Empire sky trees in the fog

icicles add texture to the window a quiet spot on Veteran's Day our Garden Valley Church with a new roof, new siding, and a lovely steeple


reflecting on the beauty of Sullivan Lake
Christmas cactus blooming at Thanksgiving
a window hanging from a window here comes the sun... December 2008

the wedding garden in October
Annie and Isabelle saying hello

Best of 2008: Part 1: Best Places to Visit

When a new year begins it is always nice to reflect on the past year and do an inventory of highs and lows, hits and misses, and put together my Best of 2008 lists.

Best Places to Visit in 2008:
Lake Chelan

Our Lake Chelan trip over spring break was exactly what we hoped for. It was quiet at the campground, the scenery was spectacular, the bookstore in Chelan was awesome, and we had wireless at a remote tent trailer! We hope to return to this place when the temperatures are warmer another time.


Litte Pend Oreille Wildlife RefugeThis place was right under our noses for years. The first time we decided to drive there we were amazed that we hadn't discovered it sooner. Once we saw the beauty of the area and free campsites we packed up our tent trailer and off we went to get away for a few days. I think we saw about five other people the whole time we were there.

Priest LakeIt is hard for me to explain how I grew up in northern Idaho and never visited Priest Lake. My parents weren't big on spur-of-the-moment drives or trips so we had a comfort zone of places we always went. That didn't include any location north of Coeur d'Alene.Visiting Priest Lake in the fall was nice. The beach was great for walking, the lodge with a restaurant and gift shop were close to our cabin, and we had lovely drives on the two routes we took to and from. We had thought about going back in the winter until the snow that never seems to end hit our area. Now I am content to stay home and gaze at photographs!

Canyon Creek Campground
We always try to camp here at least once a year. It is close to home, quiet, and perfect for learning more about your camera. I studied camera techniques and found lots of things to experiment with on this camping trip. Best of 2008 to be continued....