A Special Friend Tweety

Her BFF Diane surprising her on her birthday.

On the first day of school in sixth grade at Sunnyside School I met Tweety. That was a nickname she had. From that day on we have been friends. Our paths went separate ways, we lived in different places, but when we both retired at the same time we both ended up back in Kellogg. 

Tweety is away from home recovering from surgery. I look forward to the day we can laugh until we can't stop again. I spent some time remembering many fun memories this evening. I can't wait for her to read this post. I love ya girl.

Chris hosted a special birthday party with a special guest Diane.

                                                We hope to celebrate her birthday again soon.

We will miss her at our book club this week.

I am ready to recreate this photo on my front porch. We both love decorating for fall.

This was a really fun craft day at Tweety's house.

;

Teresa and I are ready for another Craft Hag day.

My dog Riley can't wait for her to visit again.

It's Raining, It's Pouring!

 After all the hot, dry weather and smoky skies it was such a treat to have rain this evening. I loved the sound and smell of the rain. I even enjoyed getting soaked as I ran to my car. What I didn't like was the sound of thunder and the sight of lightning

When I got home I dried off, grabbed a blanket, and sat and listened to the rain. It has been a long time since I enjoyed a good rainstorm. I started remembering what I love to do during a rainstorm.

Like a child I love to jump through puddles with rain boots while holding a polka dot umbrella.

In a rainstorm I love a hot cup of strong coffee, soft music, a good book, Riley, me, and a soft blanket in a chair in the She Shed.

I always love to walk on an ocean beach in a rainstorm.

I loved to take my first selfie with my sweetie while getting soaked with those grocery store rain ponchos.

While camping I loved sitting inside the RV, listening to the rain on the roof while playing Phase 10 and drinking red beers.

What do you like to do during a rainstorm?

 

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The Food Combinations That Still Satisfy

 In every household families have always had unique combinations of food that are always eaten together. Those food combos often carry on into the next generation. Some of our food combinations were passed down from the generation before. Many were discovered by the menus for hot lunch at school.  I can explain some combinations, but others have just been eaten together for over fifty years.

The standard for many lunch tables is tomato soup with a toasted cheese sandwich. Why? I think it is because they taste good together. In doing a bit of  research I learned it was started after WWII with hot lunch programs at schools.

When I make a BLT, I love a little pile of potato chips on the side. 

When I eat chicken noodle soup, it is always with crackers.

Another combination that originated with the hot lunch program was chili with cinnamon rolls. The savory and sweet combination can't be beat. I always love making this in the fall when the weather cools. Sunnyside School chili and cinnamon rolls were a very popular lunch when I was in grade school. We could smell the rolls baking all the way in the stairs in our classrooms.

When I was a child if we had pork chops, we had applesauce on the side. I still serve pork chops with some type of apple dish. Pork roast always tastes better with applesauce also.

Yes, when we had weiners we often had hot dogs. The more popular combination was weiners and sauerkraut. My husband wasn't crazy about the vinegar in sauerkraut so steamed cabbage worked well also.

One of my all time favorite comfort foods is meatloaf. The best combination with meatloaf is a baked potato and green beans. Now that is a complete, delicious meal.

Whether at Grandma Woolum's or our house at 516 when fried chicken was served there was always mashed potatoes and gravy and a vegetable, usually corn or green beans. Sometimes if there was extra gravy Dad took a slice of bread and poured the extra gravy over it and ate it, He called it Missouri Pudding.

Oh and chocolate makes everything better!

What are your favorite food combinations?

I Am Afraid Of ....

 I was taking to someone the other day about things we are afraid of.  Some of the things I am afraid of may seem a bit silly to others.

I am afraid of not finding my car. I know, I should remember where I parked my car. I should be able to hit the emergency button on my fob, but I sometimes just stand in the crowded parking lot and think every white car is mine. 

I am afraid of dropping something in a place I can't get it back. I think about manholes, grates, an outhouse, or a crack in the sidewalk. I don't know why I am afraid of this. It has never happened to me, but I just always think my wallet, keys, money, something is going to fall in a place and  I will never get it back.

I am also afraid of my car not starting when I am at some remote place at night. I think I heard too many of those scary stories in my youth of the the guy with the hook on his arm that was left dangling on the car door handle.

I am always afraid I will come up to a small group of people I have known my whole life and won't remember any of their names.

Things that many people are afraid of like spiders and snakes don't bother me as much as a doll sitting on a shelf looking like she is watching me. Especially if her name is "Talking Tina".

When I am up to the checker at the grocery store with a cart full of groceries and five people are behind me in line I am sometimes afraid I will discover I forgot my wallet.

 I am afraid of getting lost while driving in the woods. Even in the daylight, even when someone else is driving I am always afraid when I am lost. There are people who say, "Oh, this will be a fun adventure. Who knows where we will end up. " while  I am breaking out in a cold sweat. 

What are you afraid of?

Summer Cocktails: Keepers From the Recipe Box

Have you ever had a day that a cocktail sounds pretty good at Happy Hour time. Me too. Today I am sharing some of my refreshing summer cocktails. Cheers!

If you have fresh mint growing like crazy in your garden, this drink is the one for you. It is so tasty and refreshing. You can find the recipe here:

https://thewanderlustkitchen.com/how-to-make-a-whiskey-smash/

Are you serving cocktails for a crowd? Here is a perfect Sangria that is perfect for a hot day, especially if you have a big crop of cucumbers from the garden. You can find the recipe here:

https://www.bhg.com/recipe/cucumber-sangria/?utm_source=pinterest.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=social-share-recipe&utm_content=20210708&utm_term=RU202715

Who doesn't love a fresh lemonade on a hot summer day in August? This drink combines fruits and mint for another summer drink to enjoy on the deck during Happy Hour. Here is the recipe:

https://www.honeyandlime.co/vodka-mint-lemonade-cocktail-summer-party-drink/

Of course, all these drinks can be just as delicious without liquor. Cheers!

August: The Summer's Last Stand

 

Our August has been hot, smoky, and dry. What is amazing is there is still beauty every day amid our extreme weather and the fires surrounding us. Here are some images I have captured  

that illustrate the beauty of August.

first sunflower

Riley running in the grass

lily in the evening

garden bouquet

 

garden flowers

a clear day along the river

sunset and smoke

lighting up the yard