Recycled Plant Markers...

My sister, the one I hang out with a lot is a Gardener. I swear she could plant a rock and it would grow. She is mostly into flowers but she also has a small vegetable garden. Her flower garden covers the entire backside and one side of her house, its beautiful when in bloom. She also has small gardens out and about all over her yard. I'll have to get pictures next Spring/Summer when its in bloom. I don't even know how she remembers all the kinds of flowers she has as there are so many.
She's been looking for an expensive way to mark all her flowers for awhile now. Plant markers are expensive, especially when you need as many as she needs. We searched around but didn't really find anything affordable so we did what lots of people do these days and went to Pinterest. We found a few different ideas there and being the recycler that she is, she chose markers that were made from tin can lids. She had the lids and hangers, I had the number and letter punch sets and some sharpies for another project...that I'll get around to someday.
We were all set, had everything we needed so we got started on the plant markers. We practiced first, we've never used the punch sets before and just for the record its not as easy as it seems. I told her to write us a list of flower names so that we'd know what we were putting on the markers and she got so frustrated (because of all the flowers she has) that she couldn't remember all the names. Why do flowers have such strange names anyway? She got a short list together and we started punching, some of the abbreviations she chose made me LOL but I just went with it and punched the names she chose. We worked on them for most of the day and once she matches them up with all the labels from her flowers I'm sure we will have many more to make. She likes them, we think they are sort of rustic looking. We also like the sound they make when the wind blows them against the hanger. I'm happy that we got some practice with the punch sets, now I know what to expect when I get around to my project.

Here we are punching away. Deuce (my Bichon) did not like it, its very loud. It would probably be better to do this outdoors.

 

 

Here they are outside. A few of my favorites.

Kind of Halloweenish!

See what I mean by the abbreviations.

 

 

 

Fall Break Pie Baking...

My sister and I went to an orchard about a week ago to pick up apples for pie making, I also purchased some gourds, and acorn squash and a caramel apple. Man was that caramel apple good, the husband and I shared it.
So for the last week I've been trying to find time to make some French Apple pies, I make a few every year and share them with some family members. Last week I had the pleasure of spending a day with my Grandson while he is on Fall break. I ask him if he wanted to help me make pies, not only was he willing to help but he also wanted to make a Pecan pie all by himself. He has always loved helping me in the kitchen, I cherish this recipe card that he wrote for me a few years ago.
We spent the entire afternoon in the kitchen baking pies, five in all. My kitchen looked like a bomb had exploded by the time we were finished, flour on the floor, sticky apple juice...everywhere mixed with sugar and spices. Good messy baking fun, I love it, especially when I get to bake with my Grandbabies.
He made his Pecan pie first, I just got all the ingredients together for him. He kept reminding me that he wanted to make it...all by himself!

 

We cut it while it was piping hot, he couldn't wait to try a slice topped with ice cream...of course!

 

 

Next we got busy making 4 French Apple pies. He helped me the entire time. I use a recipe from a Betty Crocker cookbook that I've had for years. As you can see from all the splatters on the page, its a well used recipe. No passed down recipes, my Mom was not a baker! :(

 

 

 

We cored, sliced, and peeled the apples, added spices and mixed up the filling, one pie at a time. He spooned the apple filling into the shells. I love the tongue, he's really concentrating here. 

 

 

It look good just like this

 

But we still need to add the French topping. I mixed it up, he took the picture.

 

 

Fresh from the oven, French Apple pies.

 

 

We always top our slice with a bit of ice cream but I've

heard that cheese in good on Apple pie. Probably not

French Apple but regular Apple pie.

Have you ever tried it?

 

Photo Friday And Moments Of The Week...

These little hands have been helping me in the kitchen since they were about 3 years old. They belong to my Grandson. He will be turning 11 years old soon and I'm so happy that he still enjoys spending time in the kitchen with me, his Nana!

 

 

 

Ummm...Confused Moment!

 

I stopped at a McDonalds for a drink and an ice cream cone. The young man behind the counter said to me "Our ice cream machine is broken but we have coffee." How is that even close to ice cream...beats me! I'm still wonder what he must have been thinking.

 

 

Hoping for a quite weekend. Enjoy yours!



 

Covered Bridge Festival...

One of the reasons I love Autumn in Indiana is because there all so many Festivals. My sister and I have picked our favorites from our many years of going and now we only attend a few each year. On Saturday my sister, my daughter and I hit the road bright and early to beat the long line of traffic waiting to get into the Covered Bridge Festival. It turns out that we arrived 1.5 hours early and had to sit in the car to wait for things to open up. My daughter (being the city girl that she is) could not believe all the stars that were out in the country sky. She just kept looking at them and saying "WOW" look at all those stars. Because it takes most of the day to make it through one area, each year we choose a different area to go to, this year we chose Mansfield. I only snapped a couple of phone pictures even though I had my Rebel with me. There were just to many people in the way, everywhere, all the time! I even failed to get one of the three of us together. :(

Mansfield Covered Bridge
People/Unknown

This year while at the Festival I tried something new...I had my palm read. I've wanted to do this the last couple of years and since they weren't busy I thought why not! I really don't know much about palm reading but I did what she told me at the beginning, which was to close my eyes, rub my hands together in a circular motion and think about something I've been wanting for awhile. After that, she read my palm. My hands are always cold so I really wonder if she just wanted me to warm them up before she started my reading. I won't go into all the details of what she told me but one good thing was that I have a very long life line. I haven't yet but I know I will google 'Palm Reading" to do a bit of research. The pictures below were taken by my daughter, at least she captured this for me. Thanks, Charlie!



Have you ever had your palm read, had a tarot reading or a physic reading?

I'd love to hear others opinions on these things. No reason, just curious.  

 



Photo Friday And Moments Of The Week...

My little Deuce (he's a Bichon Frise) turned 12 this month. I wonder if I've ever told the story of how I got him for a Christmas present and how he got his name. I'll have to check past posts to see.
He goes to a groomer once a month but he also gets bathed at home weekly 1) because he is white and 2) I take him to work with me and lets just say a warehouse is not the cleanest place for a white dog. He LOVES to be bathed and when I ask him if he is ready for a bath, he walks into the bathroom and hops onto the side of the tub waiting for me to lift him in. Yesterday he had his weekly bath and I had my phone close so I snapped a picture of him as he was getting out of the tub. He said it would be OK if I show you all as long as he is covered. Silly dog!

 

 

 

 

 

Radio Fail Moment...

I was on my way to work Tuesday morning when they came on the radio and said "Pedestrian hit on (a road I travel to work on) Emergency vehicles blocking all lanes, please use a different route." Well, I was about a minute from the area they were talking about so because I wasn't at a good spot for turning around, I proceeded in that direction. And guess what, there wasn't anything going on......at all! Oh and after I passed that spot, they said it again! What! Not that I wanted to see a hit pedestrian but really people...get your facts straight!

Fun weekend plans here, hope you enjoy yours!



The Lumineers Rescheduled...

Last Saturday evening we had plans to attend the Lumineers concert. It was going to be an outdoor concert but on Friday we learned that it would be rescheduled to Monday evening because of the rainy forecast...that lasted all weekend!!! Good thing they rescheduled! They also furnished beach chairs which was nice because the ground was saturated from all the rain. By the time the concert was over it was a muddy mess. My boots are still caked with mud!
Not knowing that they would allow cameras in, I left the Rebel at home and took my phone with me. Little did I know that the band would come out into the crowd and play on a small stage just a few feet from where we were sitting. Unfortunately, I had two big, mean looking security guys in front of me, my daughter managed to squeeze in front of them before they got all pushy! LOL
I only managed a few decent pictures but I wanted to document that the husband and I went to this concert on a MONDAY evening! People this almost never happens, us out on a Monday...WHAT!!!
Folk music at its finest! We had a Great time!

The Lumineers, October 2013
 

Riley Days And A Rainy Weekend...

My sister and I headed out early Saturday morning for Riley Days, hoping to beat the rain. When we arrived some of the booths were opening and it wasn't busy at all. I think a lot of people stayed away because of the rain forecast. But we timed it perfect and left just minutes before it started to rain.

This is the statue of James Whitcomb Riley that
sits in front of the Courthouse.

 





My sister and I with the very busy, mixed up sign.
 

 

I had the best homemade noodles served over mashed potatoes for lunch.
The were even nice enough to serve me before they added chicken.
And YES! I ate every bite!

 

The leaves are just beginning to change but I
did find this pretty tree.

And this is what it did off and on for the remainder of the weekend.
 Mostly ON!
 

 

 Are you a fan of rainy weather? Me, not so much!