Chocolate and Marmalade Tea

Crocheting Away!

2012-01-26T15:12:00.001-08:00

So I've taken up crocheting...and I've turned into a mad crocheting woman! It all started before Christmas, really. I wanted to make handmade gifts. I love homemade gifts that are given to me..I just think they are a little more special than store bought gifts because love and hard work went into making them. Soooo....I started off with those infinity scarves that are so popular now and crocheted three to give as gifts to the girls in my family.

Of course, being a Gemini and acquiring ADD at an older age, I get bored quickly so I had to change it up a little. I started crocheting these darling wrist warmers. :)

It's a little hard to have yarn around with cats. Lol! But you know I can't deny 'em!

Happy Thursday!

Create a MySpace Playlist at MixPod.com

My five dollar find....

2012-01-17T00:10:00.000-08:00

I love it. Don't you? Thank God for "inexpensive" antique stores. :)

What is your vision for 2012?

2012-01-05T15:30:00.001-08:00

First off, Happy New Year, everyone! I am so glad 2011 is over with. I am thankful for so many things that had happened this past year but this year seemed to have more struggles than others. One of my biggest struggles was losing Mocha, as you well know. It's still hard for me to look at pictures or talk about her without crying.

HOWEVER, one of my goals (I don't like saying New Year's resolution because when I say that I never stick to it) is to look at the positive side of things. I am thankful for all that I have in my life and appreciate these gifts everyday. :) So, what will be will be and for now, I take things day by day and try to be the happiest I can be everyday.

Anyhoo, I'm rambling. To start out the new year, my girlfriend and I decided to get together and create vision boards. Have you seen those? It's where you cut things out of magazines, pictures, words, or whatever it is you want to put on it that will reflect what you want in your life and that's what we did. We had a nice quiet and fun evening putting these together along with munchies and a bottle of wine. Quincy and Emma are in disagreement since I convinced her to bring Sage, her puppy (well big puppy) over. Needless to say, Emma spent the evening under the bed but Quincy, well I'm a little impressed. He stood his ground with Sage and would not budge..hissed a little...raised his back a little....went poof with his fur and Sage actually left him alone. I think she may have been afraid a bit. Lol! It was very funny to watch. Quincy and Emma have been around dogs before but not one this big. Sage is such a puppy herself, I knew things would be okay.

I am so proud of Quincy though! He stood up for what he believed in and didn't run in fear. We need to take advice from him for the New Year, right? I, myself, am taking his advice and taking a risk this year on something big but I will have to wait to tell you. I'll have to see how it turns out first. If it's successful, I'll tell ya. If not, maybe you'll forget I said anything. ;)

Hope you all had a wonderful celebration and like me, start 2012 off with only positive thoughts!

xoxo

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-22T20:29:00.000-08:00

Picture Courtesy of Country Living Magazine

Just stopping in to wish you all a wonderful holiday! I am headed to California again. I have been so busy lately and I have been a horrible blogger...but after the New Year it will be another story! I promise! I miss you all so much. My New Years resolution will to be more organized and set aside an amount of time to blog every week.

Hope you all have a cozy holiday with family and friends. See you soon!

While cleaning up the garden....

2011-11-17T23:31:00.001-08:00

I picked some fresh rosemary to dry but then I had another idea. :)

Voila! A fresh Rosemary wreath. :)

It made the kitchen smell so good!

Hope you're all having a wonderful week! I just bought my tickets to fly home to California for Thanksgiving! I can't wait because I am always missing my family and I am so thankful for my family during this holiday season. :)

Still here....

2011-11-07T20:46:00.001-08:00

We've just been healing from our loss of Miss Mocha...and being sick for weeks on end. Quincy and Emma have taken wonderful care of me. :) The kitties have even gone through a change since Mocha has been gone. Quincy went through a bit of a depression and became VERY needy with mommy for weeks after. Emma on the other hand turned into the happiest little kitten you'd ever seen. She plays now and runs around like a happy go lucky cat. Lol! Mocha and Emma never really got along so I think Emma is probably happy she is the alpha female now. I, on the other hand, still tear up to this day. Even yesterday, driving to work, it hit me without warning and I sobbed in the car while driving. I know this will take time but life goes on! We have pretty much gotten back to a normal schedule and I will be posting more. I have missed you all and I'm so sorry I haven't visited you more often!

I hope you are all doing wonderful and not sick like me! This past weekend I literally watched The Hallmark channel ALL weekend long. You know, those holiday movies that make us all have the warm fuzzies and wish life could really be like those movies? Well, I watched them all twice now. I'm waiting for the new ones next weekend but I probably don't plan on watching them twice. Oh who knows, maybe I will. I love weekends home, especially on cold rainy days where I can snuggle in with the kitties and drink a hot cup of tea in bed with my favorite chocolate croissant from Trader Joes. :) xoxo

Goodbye My Sweet Mocha (1996-2011)

2011-09-25T20:39:00.000-07:00

I am crying as I write this post. Mocha's beautiful soul went to kitty Heaven on Saturday morning. After a two year battle with IBD, she gave up her fight. She had such tenacity and stubbornness about life that she truly was my other half since I am the same. It's hard to put into words what she brought into my life. She saw so many transitions of my own life and followed me wherever my road went and stood by my side without a single word of judgment. She only gave me love and acceptance. She was a part of my soul.

I was so fortunate to have her come into my life at 7 weeks old and to think that I almost turned her away. God had a plan when he gave me that little push to take her in even after I had picked another kitten out to take home with me. When that young pet store attendant begged me to take the screaming ball of fur because no one else would, it broke my heart. The words "no one else will take her" was the deciding factor for me. So, fleas and all, I brought her home to my little studio apartment that I had after my divorce and we bonded from that moment on.

No words can explain what it feels like to lose one of our fur babies. They don't judge, they don't hurt purposefully and all they want from us is love and to be taken care of. I did the best I could as her mother and I only pray she is now in a field of all the food she wants and all the furry friends to play with.

I love you, Mocha. There will always be a hole in my heart that can never be filled with the love that you gave me. It will take me a very long time to get used to not doing the things I do when I see you....to not hear that little meow saying hello to me and especially to no longer feel you kneading on my stomach for your own comfort. It will be hard but I hear time heals all wounds so until it does, I will hold your memories in my heart now and forever.

Rest in peace my sweet baby.

Despite the short summer we had....

2011-09-23T11:54:00.000-07:00

The tomatoes turned out beautiful! I really was never a fan of fresh tomatoes but as I grew older my taste has somewhat changed. Isn't it funny how our tastes change throughout our lives? Why is that? I still am not crazy about the big beef steak tomatoes but these tiny little sweet tomatoes are so perfectly sweet and easy to just pop into my mouth. When I harvest, at least half of them end up in my mouth before I bring them in. :)

Herb Window

2011-09-21T23:21:00.000-07:00

Remember the "fern" window I painted similar to this several years ago? Well, I'm starting my herb window. :) I found some old windows in a sweet little antique shop near the tea house my girlfriends and I have tea at. I'm having tea on Saturday, so I may pick some more up.

P.S. Can you send prayers for my little Mocha. She's been doing so well, even through her ups and downs, but the last few days she has been a little down and has lost weight. She has rallied for the last two years and despite visits to the vets, no one has been able to pin point what her underlying problem has been with her IBD. I realize our little fur babies don't live forever but if it's not her time, she could use some prayers. Thank you, everyone!

Romantic Earrings

2011-09-14T01:48:00.001-07:00

My favorite statement piece. I always feel so beautiful and feminine when I wear my vintage, black chandelier earrings. I have several pair now but I'm always on the lookout for more to add to my collection!

Do you have a favorite piece of jewelry?

Update in a Nutshell

2011-09-07T21:10:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! Sorry I went on haitus for awhile but summer was so busy! In fact, I'm still in busy mode. Traveling, crafting, growing and tending to a garden, traveling some more but somehow the summer FLEW by and just now, JUST now we are getting some summer weather at 90+ degrees. I'm not complaining.

Anyhoo....here's a quick update!

Buying cats their own drinking fountain...

Amazing finds that I could possibly craft on my own?

A weekend in Seattle!

Great food at the coast!

Craft night with the girls!

Still going on therapeutic horse rides. :)

And this weekend another trip to California (home) to watch my niece in one of her biggest horse jumping competitions. The whole family will be there so I'm really excited we will all be together again!

Hope you all had a great summer! I'll promise to not stay away for so long. I was just having too much fun! :)

Remember Decoupaging?

2011-07-27T11:21:00.001-07:00

I haven't done it in years! My girlfriend and I had a craft night, complete with Mojitos (since summer finally decided to come) and I made this fun frame! I used magazines, dried herbs and flowers from my little garden and good 'ol Mod Podge!

I want to do more now!

Yep, it was Quincy that I was walking...

2011-07-15T19:40:00.001-07:00

Isn't this a sweet photo? Look at how curious he is, all big eyed and bushy tailed. Normally we take walks around eleven or midnight...but this day I thought I would try and take him for a walk to the mailbox which is only a few yards away AND during the lighter hours. He was being so brave and I proudly walked him like dog. We reached the mailbox and I proceeded to open it up. He sat like a good boy..... eyes humongous at the different sounds during the day until...that one little leaf rustled by him and then...it was like the world had ended!

Quincy jumped so high and backed out of his leash. I didn't even know what hit me. Mail was flying everywhere, my hand now carrying an empty leash. Quincy was like a blur! I was like a blur running after him like a crazy cat lady screaming out his name, running as fast as I could after him (oh my God, I hope no one saw me). Thankfully Quincy ran straight for the condo door and tried to scratch a hole through it to get in. Lol! When I came upon him he got a little scared and ran the other direction but as fast as he turned around I opened the door and he darted in and up the stairs!

Phew! That was enough for five hair raising minutes, we both had to rest the entire afternoon after that but we survived. :)

So much for looking fashionably trendy walking my cat. I'm not doing that again for a long time.

Crazy Cat Lady?

2011-07-13T00:23:00.000-07:00

Maybe? Who do you think has bravely learned how to walk on a leash? Granted, they are midnight strolls when no one is around and no cars can be heard or seen but...I might just be the crazy cat lady now.

I will try to get some shots of our late night excursions into the wild. :)

Flowers, flowers and more flowers!

2011-07-11T23:03:00.001-07:00

My friend, Susan, and I went to the Oregon Gardens, one of our favorite places to visit and relax. They have a cute little gift shop, plants for sale and a tram that takes you around the 80 some acres of botanical gardens. Visit their website to really get an idea of how many gardens there!

Artichokes!

Have no clue what flower this is. Anyone know? Let me in on it please!

The beautiful iris.

The dainty foxglove...

The vibrant lily!

The mesmerizing maple!

The luscious lavender

Summer has been amazing so far! I'm going through my pictures from Montana and will report back!

Introducing the Enchanted Chicks!

2011-07-04T20:34:00.000-07:00

Okay, time to let the cat out of the bag (no pun intended). If you've noticed I haven't been posting a lot lately. I've been focusing on something so much more exciting! Here it is......introducing The Enchanted Chicks blog! Click here!

If you want to learn to live life filled with enchantment, join me and three other Chicks on our journey to living and breathing an Enchanted Life. We hope you will too! Follow us!

Off to Montana for a few days!

2011-06-25T00:30:00.000-07:00

To meet sis and family for a fun filled trip of horseback riding, good food, great family time and more! Emma is going to be a good sport and make sure everything is taken care of at home. Even her little dolphin buddy. Don't you love it when kitties let you do anything to them? :) She even cleaned the little dolphin key chain.

When I get back I have an announcement to make on a grand introduction of *something* but I can't tell right now. :) I'm so excited. It's been in the works for sometime now but until then you will have to hang on tight! :)

Hurry It's Lovely Up Here!

2011-06-14T23:22:00.001-07:00

I'm not just the crazy cat lady, you know? I'm the crazy plant lady. I actually sing this song to my plants and flowers (okay, I whisper sing it because my neighbors will think I'm nuts). I really think it has helped them grow. Seriously! I've memorized every word. :)

My favorite actress, Barbra...from a great old movie called On a Clear Day You Can See Forever!

Weekend ramblings...

2011-06-11T09:18:00.000-07:00

So as I was having breakfast this morning on my deck....

I noticed something really creepy invading my peppermint. I seriously thought the body snatchers were coming to get me. Alas, it's just that darn spittle bug...

But my lavender is doing great....

And I promised myself NO MORE but look at those eyes....and no I am not taking her. :) A new kitten at the shelter reminds me so much of my Mocha when she was little. She's only 3 1/2 weeks old and fits in the palm of my hand. Cuteness overload, right? *sigh*

Have a great weekend!

Atrium Green

2011-06-08T13:57:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite movies is Green Card with Andie McDowell and Gerard Depardieu. Have you seen it? The movie has the most beautiful atrium/conservatory that I've dreamed of having...so I decided to compile some images that will be in my dream book. The rooms are all airy and mainly adorned with the colors green and white. How much more refreshing can one get with decorating?

Happy Hump Day!

Scenes of Summer...

2011-06-06T13:43:00.000-07:00

Well, it feels like summer anyway. :)

Fresh strawberries and lime...

And a cat with a partial haircut. He got tired of hearing the scissors go snip, snip and proceeded to try to kill my hand.

A little fun, a little growth and a good breakfast

2011-06-05T12:00:00.000-07:00

A great ride with the boys...

Watching the strawberries come up....

And a little cilantro, parmesan scrambled eggs...

Equals a great weekend! Hope you're having one too. :)

Stevia and weekend activities

2011-06-01T00:55:00.000-07:00

First off, I wanted to post this weekend but had issues with my blogger account and couldn't. Grrrr..it was very frustrating but I finally figured it out this evening. I hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend and thanked all our veterans, active duty soldiers and heroes who gave and are giving their lives to protect our great nation.

I've been looking for a Stevia plant everywhere and I found it at the chicken festival held by the cat shelter this past weekend! We had so many great vendors there and very fanciful chickens. You know, the ones with the big mops on their heads. I love those chickens. We even found a home for a chicken that was given up to the shelter. As soon as we brought the cute little bugger out someone offered to give him a home with their other chickens. I love happy endings. Anyway, I digress. So, one of the vendors was a local lavender farm and, of course, they brought some hen and chicks (the plant) and several other herbs. There was a single Stevia plant that had my name all over it. :)

Stevia is known as the natural sweetener with ZERO calories. The plant itself is from the daisy family. The Native Americans in Paraguay have used Stevia for hundreds and hundreds of years not only for it's natural sweetness but for it's medicinal properties as well such as controlling high blood pressure and diabetes..mainly through the lack of calories. Stevia has also been widely used in Japan over the last three decades.

You can find more info here on Stevia's website. The best part about Stevia is....it's all natural.

Anyway, a few fun pictures to share from this weekend...

The cute little chicken that got adopted...

My deck is turning green! Guess who sits on the ground?

My newest Hen and Chicks plant (middle). It looks like a lotus flower. :)

And just a little artwork I made for the chicken festival. It sold! All proceeds going to the cat shelter. :)

Little morning fun with Quincy...

2011-05-22T19:01:00.000-07:00

As soon as I woke up I knew I had to tease him. He sleeps at the end of my bed where all the down fluff is like a a big fluff king. A very short video...and I cut off the part where I dropped the camera and had to give him big fat kisses on his belly! :)

Hope you had a wonderful weekend!

Homemade Pop Tarts

2011-05-19T18:07:00.001-07:00

Everyone is making homemade pop tarts! So, since I love being a follower...I joined in and made some fabulous chocolate pop tarts. Truth be told I was really craving something sweet one morning and since I didn't have my good 'ol standby of Pillsbury's Orange Danish Rolls, I decided to search the internet for something that would satisfy my sugar craving. There were so many recipes to try out there on the internet but I ended up going with King Arthur's recipe here.

My favorite part...

Ready for the sun tan bed...

I did end up washing the second batch with some egg-white and sprinkling a little sugar on top before baking. They were SO yummy and my tummy was satisfied.

My bleeding heart....

2011-05-11T11:27:00.000-07:00

She's blooming ever so beautifully on my deck. :)

Happy Mother's Day Mom!

2011-05-08T12:24:00.000-07:00

First of all, I'm alive! Just barely. I've been sick for two weeks and seriously, how much nose "stuff" can one have in one's body? Blech! I'm feeling a little more human though.

I have so much catching up to do including two trips, one with my sweetie and one with my mom and brother. Oh and a few garden updates as well!

But this post is for mom today. Mom, you are the best mother any girl could ever ask for. Thank you for being encouraging, for being strong for me and teaching me to be strong, to have a good heart, for giving me your beautiful genes, for teaching me how it's important to be young and positive on the inside and most of all...for being my best friend. I love you mom. I even like sharing your colds. ;) Lol!

She used to always sing this song to us kids. I'll never forget.

XOXO

Homemade Granola!

2011-04-16T16:28:00.000-07:00

Where has time gone?! I swear the older I get the faster time flies. About a week ago my best friend, Susan and I made tons and tons (and I mean tons) of homemade gluten-free granola bars. What we did was find a basic recipe and made variations with the goodies that we added. It was so much fun and by the end we were having a grand 'ole time and drinking some wine. We ended up with tropical granola bars, cherry almond granola bars, Almond Joy granola bars, and even one called TMW granola bars (Too Much Wine granola bars).

OMG these dried cherries were to die for! I could eat them just as a snack alone!

Time for wine...

The wine miraculously gave me super fast stirring powers!

And voila...the yummy, hearty, gooey goodness...

And our basic granola recipe:

Dry ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Gluten Free Rolled Oats

1/2 cup Gluten Free Oat Flour

Any filling you desire!

Wet ingredients:

1/4 cup Molasses

1/4 cup Honey

1/4 cup Peanut Butter

2 Tb Fruit Juice (your choice

1 Tb Vegetable Oil

Okay so Susan is the mad scientist when it comes to recipes and tweaking and changing and perfecting. So, she figured out that for this recipe we use 3c + 3 tbs dry ingredients to 3/4c + 3tbs wet ingredients. So, whatever is in the list of dry ingredients, just make sure it equals the 3c + 3 tbs and whatever wet ingredients you desire make sure it equals 3/4c + 3 tbs. Does that make sense? :)

Anyway, it worked for us! They were delicious...and now I have one hundred pounds of granola to last me the year. When the wine started flowing, we couldn't stop making. LOL!

P.S. Sorry about the spacing issues on this post. I get so frustrated with pictures and spacing. Am I the only one with this problem or am I the only one that doesn't know the secret? :)

Mr. Quincy is a calendar pinup!

2011-04-06T11:30:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Ms. Kitty and daddy Egmont, Quincy won the photo contest hosted by Ms. Kitty and dad over at A Cat's Golden Years! We are so proud of Mr. Quincy. He is finally a star. Lol! Every three months Ms. Kitty has a calendar contest. We find it very fun and a great way of getting to know the other kitties out there! This month, Quincy is Mr. April. He is also in the company of some very gorgeous kitties! Neytiri and Maui. These beauties are making Quincy look very good. :) Feel free to swing by all these kitty blogs and you are sure to get your PURRRR ON! If you want to download the calendar, go over to Ms. Kitty and her dad Egmont's blog and they will have a link! By the way, Ms. Kitty recently had a golden birthday very close to Quincy's birthday. She is a beautiful young 17 year old. Swing over and checkout the beautiful golden eyes she sports. Thank you Ms. Kitty and Daddy Egmont for hosting a wonderful contest!!

Fashion tidbit of the week. A little of everything...

2011-04-04T18:51:00.000-07:00

Wear a statement piece that stands out like my hot pink watch. Layering it with feminine bracelets creates a funky, sporty, yet dainty look. Like I said, I'm a Gemini, so for those who can't make up their mind like me, why not combine it all?

Container Beets

2011-04-01T01:04:00.000-07:00

Yep, this is the new addition to my container garden this Spring. Beautiful, aren't they? I love beets and I thought this Spring I will plant something new and exciting in my deck garden. I'm starting my Spring cleaning, including the deck, and have my list of veggies and herbs I want to grow. I thought they could use a new friend. :) So, here's to new friends and a new victim for my palate!

Got any new friends in your garden this Spring?

The sweetest find ever!

2011-03-28T23:44:00.000-07:00

If you love the smell of lemon poundcake....

Then you MUST try out this candle from Walmart. It's inexpensive but has the smell of any high-end rival!! It made my entire room smell like I was cooking lemon poundcake all day. :) In fact, time for me to swing back by. This one is almost gone.

Birthday Pictures!

2011-03-23T11:52:00.000-07:00

Well the party turned out great! Quincy and Oliver finally saw each other after two years (they saw each other once before since being separated). No hissing took place just alot of sniffing. Lol! We all had a great time except Quincy had to slap the dogs a few times but he TOLD THEM! Lol! Emma was also there but I couldn't get any good pictures with her. She actually handled the dogs alot better than Quincy. She didn't even care they were around.

You kinda smell familiar...

Awww...come on Quincy, it's your birthday. Smile!

Everybody wears hats! Michelle loves torturing the poor things. Lol!

Seriously Auntie 'Shelle...you are humiliating me.

Dinah was a good little sport!

Caity had a little too much to drink.

You're going to wear this hat whether you like it or not.

And not sure if I've ever shown you the boys' father. This is Tux. One of their creators. Lol.

Happy Hump Day!

Happy Birthday Quincy and Oliver!

2011-03-17T11:14:00.000-07:00

Today's a very special birthday. The boys are 4 years old! Where did the time go? We are having a special birthday at Oliver's home. Wondering if Quincy will recognize Oliver after all this time. I'll let ya guys know and show you my war wounds afterwards. Lol!

All in attendance, me, Susan, my best friend, Janet, our best friend neighbor of Susan's, Caity, Janey (mommy and daughter Cairn terriers), Nick, Oliver's older brother, Dinah, Janet's sweet Beagle and Quincy and Emma! We will leave Mocha home. She would hate me for rocking her world if I brought her. Lol!

Even a few party favors for everyone...

I'll let you all know how it is. Until then...happy birthday you beautiful Irish boys! We love you! Oh and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Prayers for Japan

2011-03-13T12:50:00.000-07:00

What an emotional week. When I heard the news about Japan I was still up when it happened. I was in shock....stunned....the magnitude of it all. I couldn't even comprehend what the people in Japan were feeling. This personally hit home for me though. My grandmother lives in Japan. We have many family friends in Japan as well. I didn't know how far my grandmother was from where it happened so I was hysterical and called my mom right away. She reassured me that grandma was 500 miles away so I was relieved. My mother also heard from all her friends saying they were okay. However, it didn't give me any relief for everyone else who was affected by this terrible tragedy!

Please continue to pray for everyone in Japan.

Sunday Afternoon and A Special Gift

2011-03-06T14:53:00.000-08:00

This is what my Sunday usually looks like. :) My special indulgences....

But today I got a gift that was even more special. One of my youngest volunteers at the cat shelter, Payton, made this especially for me. She comes with her mom because she loves cats so much. It made my heart melt when she walked up to me and told me she made this for me. It's hanging on my wall now. :) Thank you sweet Payton.

Hope you're all having a relaxing Sunday afternoon like me. xo

This weather....

2011-03-03T11:58:00.000-08:00

It's just making us want to yawn and sleep all the time. Where are you Spring? Oh but we love sleeping too. :)

I Heart This Outfit

2011-02-26T18:04:00.000-08:00

I think I can replicate it for a kajillion dollars less than what this probably cost. ;)

Craving Banana Muffins...

2011-02-19T11:52:00.001-08:00

So I had a few bananas that needed to be used ASAP. Soooo....off I went to do a search on the internet for the best banana muffin ever. Then I realized, holy mackerel there are A LOT of recipes out there. I was successful though! I found THE yummiest muffin recipe from this blog....Cat Can Cook. Of course I find it on a blog that references a cat. I adore her cat logo. :) These are DE-licious. I also have a little secret. I like leaving my bananas in chunks and not really beat them down until they look like mashed potatoes. That way, you get a surprise when you bite into them!

Hope you try 'em! I'm going to package some up to bring to my sweetie. Enjoy and have a great weekend everyone!

A Stylish Award!!

2011-02-14T13:59:00.000-08:00

We have been given an award by the wonderful and beautiful Miss Kitty over at A Cat's Golden Years. Miss Kitty has the most wonderful blog. It tells of Miss Kitty's golden years and my Mocha can relate. :) The kitties here always enjoy making new blogging friends. :) Please swing by and give Miss Kitty some kitty hugs and checkout the most beautiful golden eyes! We all want to give a big hugs and a huge thank you for awarding us this fabulous and stylish award!!

Now the Stylish Blogger Award asks the receiver to share seven things with my followers, seven things they may not be aware of. I am going to do a couple of these for each of the kitties. :)

First we will present Mr. Quincy.

1. When I first saw Quincy he was 4 months old and it was at a cat show. He was a show kitten and I fell in love with him at first sight. His show name was "Red Fred" but I didn't bring him home until a week later and drove three hours away to get him because I couldn't stop thinking about him. :)

2. Quincy was born on St. Patricks Day! He is the perfect little red head indeed!

Miss Mocha:

1. I bought Miss Mocha in Costa Mesa, California 15 years ago. I bought her at Petsmart during their adoption day. I had intended to purchase this adorable tabby kitten since the last tabby I had stayed with my ex husband after our divorce. :( Fortunately, a store attendant brought me this screaming ball of fur and fleas and begged me to take her because no one wanted her. You know me, being a soft heart and all..I succumbed to her blue eyes and screaming cries. Lol!

2. Mocha has had her battles with IBD. She is the strongest kitty I know as far as resilience and determination. A few times we thought we were going to lose her but she always bounces back! She has the strongest zest for life of any cat I know. :)

Last but not least, Miss Emma:

1. Little Miss Emma has a strange injury on her right back leg. When she was very young, only about 6 months old, she jumped off an outside chair that had a cushion on it and the cushion caught on her nail. She twisted her poor little foot and it has healed funny ever since. Now her leg bends both directions! Oh and she loves sleeping. :) Mommy is going to have to get Emma to start exercising a little though. ;)

2. Emma eats too much but she has the sweetest demeanor. She is never too feisty, always very sweet. She cleans Mr. Quincy ever chance she gets because she doesn't think he cleans himself all that well.

The last question I will leave to me. Something you may not know about me. Hmmm....besides looking at home decorating and crafting blogs, I adore fashion style blogs. I love fashion and makeup and all things girly!

Botanical Facelift

2011-01-31T22:52:00.001-08:00

I got bored. I looked at the wall and one of my rustic window decors. I looked at the website in front of me. I began printing....and printing...and printing...and now my ink cartridges are low..and printing and printing.

Finally, voila. Ahhhh...much better than empty little windows. :)

My first black eye

2011-01-29T21:31:00.000-08:00

And Sir Aragon (aka Ari) gave it to me. What a nice boy. I was haltering him up, facing the right direction, doing everything right and wham! He decided to shake his head right when I swung the halter around his neck and his head smacked me right in the face...specifically my eye area. I'm pretty sure I recall seeing stars. I can't believe I'm going to show you these pictures. My hair is a mess and I have no makeup on but since we've all been close for awhile I feel like I can share anything!

This is the day it happened. The swelling took a couple of days to go down.

About a week later...

It's so funny to see people's reactions when they see a woman with a black eye. No one ever asks what happens either. Anyway, I still have the awful color but hopefully by this week I will have a normal eye!

Dreamy

2011-01-25T00:20:00.000-08:00

I'm getting inspired by these little white lights...

Three generations and a new hairstyle

2011-01-19T11:35:00.001-08:00

I love this picture. We took it this past Christmas. Me, mom, sis, brother and my niece..equals three generations.

Holidays are definitely made for photos like this to cherish. :) Also, I tried a new hairstyle for Christmas. Sort of a braid crown. You probably can't see the braid too much with my dark hair but I still love the style. Here's Molly Sims with the same style. :)

Romantic, don't you think?

I want.....

2011-01-17T22:24:00.000-08:00

Herb Chart

2011-01-12T23:18:00.000-08:00

It's coming along great. This is where I left off with it about two weeks ago...and all because I am so disorganized. I lost my black artists marker that I was working with. *sigh* It WILL get done though!

My little secrets....

2011-01-10T22:29:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure why this ran across my mind tonight as I looked at this picture. I'm not sure how I even came across this picture but I stared at it. Stared at her. What was she doing? What was she thinking? What was she hiding? A secret? We all have little secrets we don't like telling everyone but I'm going to start the year clean and tell you a few of mine. Don't ask why. I just thought it brave of me. :)

1. I am deathly afraid of water.

2. I'm a terrible procrastinator.

3. I'm highly unorganized.

4. I often do not finish what I start.

5. I am a daydreamer.

6. I have been suffering from insomnia, sometimes going to bed at 3 a.m.

7. I have to admit this but often love animals more than human beings.

8. I have seeing a therapist in my life.

9. I feel as though something big is on the horizon...something I will accomplish but don't know what it is yet.

10. I have a thing for bad boys (and I have a crush on Mark Wahlberg).

11. Almost all my friends are older than I am.

12. I regret never having children and becoming a full time mom.

13. I sometimes feel like a failure.

14. I never exercise.

15. I love puffed Cheetos.

16. I love Dots.

17. I want to make a quilt someday but am afraid of giving up before it's finished.

18. I wish I lived closer to my family. I miss them everyday.

19. I want to please everyone but know I can't and it hurts me when I can't.

20. I love driving long distances. It gives me time to think (and sing out loud).

What are your secrets?

A Very Proud Auntie!

2010-12-29T00:11:00.000-08:00

So, last week I went home to California for the holidays. It could not have been a more perfect Christmas. The food was great...seeing my family was great, as always, and most of all getting to see my niece's new horse, CJ! I am such a proud Aunt. My niece, who's 12, has been riding horses for some time now. See, she's an English hunter/jumper equestrian rider and she has already acquired MANY ribbons. :) I think I'll be watching Paris in the Olympics one day. ;) Here are a few pictures of my beautiful niece, Paris and her new horse CJ.

She's a natural!

CJ has such great demeanor also. He's a very solid horse!

And I was even able to spend a little time grooming CJ with her while sis mucked out his stall, lol. Guess that's what mother's are for, huh? :) Thanks sis for taking a great picture of us!

More Christmas pictures to come as soon as I get a hold of 'em! Hope you all had a wonderful holiday with your families! :)

Tis the season for sweets, sweets and more sweets!

2010-12-20T23:39:00.000-08:00

I've already given up eating good this month especially with all these goodies! Coreena, Jim's oldest, and I cooked up a storm the other night. She had two parties for school and she wanted to bring alot of goodies to share. I didn't even take a picture of everything. I was too busy stuffing my face and kept forgetting to take pictures and kept forgetting to help too!

Aren't these adorable? Chocolate dipped pretzel sticks sprinkled with crushed candy cane.

Sugared walnuts and chocolate chip pumpkin bread.

Of course we can't forget peppermint bark!

I'm sure after that evening I gained ten pounds. *sigh* I did remember the sugared walnut recipe though! Very easy and very addicting. I warn you!

SUGARED WALNUTS

1 cup sugar

1/2 tbs cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt.

6 tbs half and half.

1 tbs vanilla extract

2-3 cups of whole walnuts

Boil to soft ball stage or 236 degrees all ingredients.. Once you have reached 236 degrees add 1 tbs vanilla extract and quickly mix in 2-3 cups of the whole walnuts. Spread them out on wax paper and cool.

See, you know me....easy is good. :)

Tis the season....

2010-12-08T10:56:00.001-08:00

I think I am back to blogging on a regular basis! :) The last three months I was attending a few classes at the local college including an herb class that I just love! So, much of my spare time was taken up by homework! My last piece of homework is for my herb class. I am currently working on a very large herb chart. I will be painting pictures of each herb I describe in the chart along with the botanical name, uses, etc. I hope it turns out good enough to frame later! I still have to turn it in before the start of winter session. In our last class the instructor brought us all the most delicious topping for vanilla ice cream...a sort of blueberry, orange and lavender compote! It was delicious! Different, I must admit but still VERY good. I'll include the recipe below if anyone is interested. :)

So, I am ready to start baking, crafting and enjoying the holidays!

Until then...a little cozy picture for your enjoyment. I've dressed the townhome with a little holiday cheer. Emma is certainly enjoying laying on the cozy couch by the fire. :)

Here's that delicious ice cream topping recipe! Enjoy! It's so easy to make.

Blueberry Lavender Ice Cream Topping

1 1/2 lbs frozen blueberries
20 stalks of lavender if you still have fresh lavender around - just need the tops of each stalk (the lavender buds) - this can be optional if you don't have access to fresh lavender buds
1 cup of water
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of orange flavored liqueur

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Add sugar and dissolve. Add orange liqueur and bring to a boil again. Add blueberry and lavender buds and return to a boil. Put in refrigerator until cold and serve over ice cream!

How easy is that? :)

Don't you wish life was this easy?

2010-11-30T17:49:00.000-08:00

Although there are a couple of kit kats that I know of that seem to be gaining weight! Now where's that laser light? Lookout guys, here comes drill sergeant mommy.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T11:42:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone in blog-land has a wonderful, cozy, warm and thankful Thanksgiving. As I've grown older I've come to learn Thanksgiving is not just about the turkey, good food and family but remembering to be thankful for what we have. I'm so thankful for my family and friends, a warm house, the love I get from my fur babies and just being alive, happy and well! Sometimes the holidays can bring out the negative in us but life is too short to waste time dwelling on the negatives in life. Just remember, every minute is a minute you will never get back, so enjoy life and make the most of what you DO have.

I'm baking a turkey, my mom's cranberry relish and the stuffing to bring to my best friend's house that will be full of family and friends. I think my turkey is going to be joined by two prime rib roasts and tons and tons of sides and desserts. Yay! We even have snow on the ground still!

Although I wish I were in California with my family, I am thankful I have my family here in Oregon to enjoy with. :) Anyway, I will be home for Christmas so I'm definitely looking forward to that!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Quincy, the lookout boy

2010-11-21T10:16:00.000-08:00

Quincy's favorite place to sit is by the window. He's so curious about the neighbors and why everyone goes in and out of their garages all the time. He wanted to let me know that all the leaves have fallen from the trees and he senses a cold winter around the corner. He's a very good meteorologist you know. He tells me we're supposed to get some flurries this weekend...burrrrr!

Mom, somebody's gotta tell the neighbors snow is coming!

Well I'm fine....I have my winter coat on.

Close that window silly boy! I'm an old lady...I can't take the cold that well anymore! Sheesh! Mom can we throw him out in the cold? Please?

Having some fun before it gets too cold!

2010-11-17T00:06:00.001-08:00

First of all, I want to apologize for the lack of posting lately. I miss posting and I miss my creative spark but I promise, it will all return very soon! In the meantime, my girlfriend Deb and I got a nice ride in last weekend on a rare day that it did not rain. :) You know I always find time for riding. :)

Riding bareback on my boy, Ari! Don't you love his little broomstick tail? Lol! Mind you the bareback riding was done in a small area by the trailer so don't attempt this unless you KNOW your horse!

Deb, Ari's real mom, riding bareback on Magic! Magic is a big boy....probably almost 17 hands now.

I think I've finally adjusted to the time change. When do we spring forward again? ;)

A one hour difference really does make a difference!

2010-11-10T14:36:00.000-08:00

And it's made us all want to do this.

Is it just me or did you get affected by the time change too? I know it's only an hour but getting darker earlier makes me feel like I need to get to bed by 7 p.m.! Ugh.

Life has been crazy busy lately!

2010-11-05T16:32:00.001-07:00

So my girlfriend, Susan and I decided we definitely need these for this winter. Okay, go ahead and laugh. Lol! That day we baked tons of pumpkin bread and these comforting things just topped the evening off!

We got them here if you're interested. :)

Quincy's Favorite Halloween Show Is...

2010-10-24T12:28:00.001-07:00

It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown special. You can see why. His fur is as orange as the pumpkin he sits by. Quincy is convinced the Great Pumpkin exists...and he sits and waits for him every year.

I know he's coming....

You can go back in mom. I'll keep watch and let you know when he arrives!

Investigating the Old Wheeler Hotel

2010-10-22T11:45:00.000-07:00

Our paranormal research team (Paranormal Research of Oregon Foundation) has just landed another investigation! I'm so excited. It will take place next Saturday evening at the Old Wheeler Hotel, a quaint little hotel on the Oregon Coast in Wheeler, Oregon. The hotel was a brothel and pool hall at the turn of the century before becoming a rheumatoid arthritis clinic in the 50's. I interviewed the owners last week and made reservations for our team yesterday! The spirits are said to be very friendly. In fact, in one room the spirit likes to give foot massages and caress your face. Yea, I booked myself in that room. LOL!

Old Wheeler Hotel today.

Circa 1914.

Circa 1950 when it was a rheumatoid arthritis clinic.

You can read more about the history here. I can't tell you how excited our group is. Katie, the current owner has been so accommodating with our group in preparation of our upcoming investigation. Thank you, Katie if you are seeing this post! She tells us it's a very spiritually active hotel with consistent feedback from guests on their "ghostly" experiences.

So this is what I'm doing Halloween weekend. What are you doing? :)

P.S. Okay, I know the song was cheesy but I just had to. ;)

I know I brag about my boy....

2010-10-18T16:14:00.001-07:00

But I had to show you these black and white's I took of Quincy recently.

Innocent looking huh? In all reality, a total brat but I love him. :)

What do you do with a six pound zucchini and so thankful for the rescue of Chilean miners!

2010-10-13T13:21:00.001-07:00

You make LOTS and LOTS of zucchini bread. Different versions of them! Different shapes! Have you ever seen such a big zucchini? My best friend Susan got this from a friend of hers and we made twelve zucchini loaves. I made a few with chocolate chips in them. You know me, gotta have my chocolate fix!

And last, I am so happy that the Chilean miners have finally been rescued! I have been watching every minute of it, crying after each one comes up. *sigh* It just reminds us all to cherish what we have in our lives, kiss those we love everyday and remember, in the day to day of life that we take for granted, we never know when it can come close to being taken away from us. We are all blessed with the families and friends we have. Let's try to show it to them everyday for the rest of our lives. :) xoxo

My very first rose has bloomed....

2010-10-01T12:24:00.001-07:00

Isn't she beautiful? She's called Tahitian Sunset and she smells wonderful!!

Chocolate Chip Cookies and Tear Jerking Movies

2010-09-26T20:34:00.000-07:00

I know I've said this before but THIS is the best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever. I'm constantly looking for the ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe and so I seem to always be on the quest. I stumbled upon this recipe today and decided to give it a go. OH MY GOODNESS!! So far, this is the best! I found it on this wonderful blog called Kaitlin in the Kitchen. Check her out. She has the most amazing, comforting, recipes I've seen. I guarantee you will bite into some soft, chewy goodness when it comes out of the oven!

I decided not to fix the whole batch of cookies and froze the rest of the batch. To do this you simply drop your dough on your cookie sheet as if you're going to pop it into the oven but instead you pop it into the freezer. You can freeze uncovered for an hour to overnight. Once crystals have started forming on the dough balls you can now drop them into a zip lock and freeze until you're ready to use!

Lemme tell you I am so glad I made these cookies tonight because I watched the movie Hachi, A Dog's Tale. I have never bawled so hard in my life!! I mean not just tears rolling down my face....but deep, emotional crying. It's a true story about a dog named Hachiko that took place in Shibuya, Japan. You can read more about the story here. It's a wonderful story of love and loyalty and I warn you a box of tissues isn't enough. :) I had to eat a couple of cookies afterwards while still crying, mind you.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Staying clean the less expensive way!

2010-09-18T18:05:00.001-07:00

Okay, I really didn't know any other way to title this post or maybe the creative side of my vocabulary was on vacation today. Lol! This past week I had to buy a few things that I ran out of, hand soap, shower gel and lotion. Now I'm one of those gals that loves shopping at your fancy bath and body stores in the mall but with the economic crisis going on right now, I just couldn't justify spending a fortune on bath goodies. So, here are a few alternatives and places to go that offer less expensive products but still fancy enough to make you feel good and feel like you spent millions! :)

I bought this shower gel at my local TJ Maxx and aside from the beautiful, romantic design on the label, it smells so refreshing and, I kid you not, lathers JUST as well as any other you buy in a fancy store. I only spent $3.99 for this big bottle. Sorry for the bad lighting. Bathroom lighting is hard to work with.

This may sound familiar if you've gone to those fancy stores in the mall but, yes, it's a knock-off and might I add JUST as good as those other ones and for this humongous bottle I spent $5.99. I bought this at our local Fred Meyer.

Now I swear this hand soap is the best hand soap I have experienced or smelled. Yep, better than any of those you buy in the markets or, let's say it altogether, those fancy stores in the mall. I bought this at TJ Maxx also and spent only $3.99.

So, in these economic hard times, give these less expensive, but just as good, brands a chance. Great places to look are Ross, TJ Maxx, CVS, Fred Meyer and Marshalls. I'm sure these stores are booming with business right now. So, be smart, save money and enjoy great finds like these!

Finally!

2010-09-15T09:03:00.001-07:00

Man I thought my tomatoes were never going to turn red. I hear some homemade salsa calling my name very soon! My tomatoes kinda look like pumpkins. I have no clue what kind of tomatoes I have. My girlfriend, who is a master gardener, sent me home with these tomatoes that weren't doing to well...but the tag was gone so I have no clue what kind it is. Anyone know? :)

I still have babies popping up too!

This is what life is all about per Quincy.

2010-09-11T17:29:00.001-07:00

Relaxing. He looks a little high though. Perhaps too much catnip? Lol!

Ah yes, the kitties are all still doing great. Mocha is even holding her own at almost 14 1/2 with her medical issues.

One little scare recently though. Emma somehow got out and spent the night in a bush only a few condos up from ours. My friend Bryan came and looked everywhere with me at midnight (after looking most of the evening) with no success. That night I had a dream that Emma came home with another cat friend! Arrgghhh!! I was so hoping that wouldn't be true. So the next morning I took another walk calling Emma's name out, combing the bushes and shrubs. All of a sudden, the cat that came home with Emma in my dream popped out of a bush to say hello. Yep, the cat looked exactly the same! We said our hellos and I continued on my way. "Emma!"...."Emma!"....and then a little high pitched squeaky meow came from a very low bush. Out crawled Emma, dusty from laying in the dirt and happy that her mommy found her. I carried her all the way home and let me tell you, she was one happy cat after she got in the door. Good thing mommy saved the day. Now I just have to figure out how the heck she got out. Sometimes the kitties are in the garage exploring and she may have slipped out when I was taking the trash out. Either that or Mocha shoved her out the door without me looking. See, Mocha has had this ongoing scheme of getting rid of Emma and Quincy.

Alls well that ends well, right Emma? She's fine..the food is still here. :)

Adding a little glamour to a simple lampshade!

2010-09-08T23:22:00.000-07:00

So my girlfriend and I decided to meet up at a local fish market to pick out what we wanted to fix for dinner. Of course, this was before we stumbled into the winery next door for some wine tasting, lol. That's when we happened upon this adorable, most irresistible store! As I was amusing myself with their fun and amazing art, I came across this sweet little lampshade. Then I realized it was simply dressed up with a gorgeous ribbon that matched the shade and a brooch! Isn't it amazing how something so simple can bring something alive?

Things have been a bit crazy here lately (in a good way) but they will soon be calm and I will be visiting you all again very soon! Hope you all had a great Labor Day weekend!

Gooseberry Patch Blog!

2010-09-02T09:56:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you have but if you're a slow discoverer like me I wanted to share it with you. I love Gooseberry Patch and everything about it! It's just so full of down home goodness. Whenever I look at anything Gooseberry Patch it makes me want to put on my jean overalls, chew on a piece of grass and kick my legs up in a field of sunflowers.

If you haven't seen their blog, swing on over and peruse your heart out! Just click on the button above and it will take you right over there!

Eat, Pray, Love And Finding the Magic in Between

2010-08-29T23:32:00.000-07:00

I recently saw this movie with my good friend and although I heard mixed reviews on it, I never listen to reviews. So, I saw it. I loved it and I related to Julia Robert's character in the movie so, so much! I'm sure a lot of us, in fact, can relate to her character (or should I say Elizabeth Gilbert). The journey to find yourself can be presently surprising and at the same time scary, especially when having to face your own flaws. Once we do find the happiness within, whether through spirituality or great food (as depicted in the movie) the possiblities become endless! Yea, yea, yea, this is yet another Julia Roberts sappy film but every now and then it can hit at the right time....and for me, this was the right time. So, long film and all, I loved it and I don't care what the critics say! Oh and I am definitely getting the soundtrack. I LOVED the music! What you're hearing is just a taste of it!

Have you seen it? Do tell us your opinion good or bad! :)

Trying to please everyone....

2010-08-24T23:22:00.001-07:00

At a recent get together at my girlfriend's house. I'm holding her adorable granddaughter and trying to pet their sweet dog at the same time. Typical me.

They're just a few of the sweetest things in life. :)

Dreaming in Blue

2010-08-20T12:00:00.000-07:00

You know, I'm not really into blues but when I saw this at Countryliving.com I thought, well, who says I can't change? :) Now, where's my bubble bath? *sigh*

A Princess Riding a Princess

2010-08-16T01:03:00.000-07:00

Okay, funny title huh? Well, it was sort of true. I rode today with my friend Brenda who is a trainer. She'll usually call me when she needs help exercising her horses. Well, today, I rode this girl and her name is Princess, a Paso Fino-Standardbred cross who is a singlefoot registered. Yep, me a princess (sometimes) rode a horse named Princess. How ironic is that? She was a short little girl, only 14.2 so I probably looked funny on her. Lol! For being a small mare, though she had a lot of endurance and love in her despite where she came from. See, she was rescued and brought to Brenda's for a little TLC. :) She had not been ridden in almost a year and for an 11 year old getting her back on the trails was a must! She did great! I hope I get to ride her again soon!!

This is the video of her (since she is for sale now) with Mary riding her at Brenda's outdoor arena.

It's been hot, hot, hot here! Hope you're all staying cool!

My new shag rug...

2010-08-10T21:47:00.000-07:00

What do you think? :)

Walking Bentley and Sachi Update!

2010-08-07T23:01:00.000-07:00

Today was an awesome day. I went over to spend time with Sachi, my good friend who has cancer and who I mentioned in an earlier post. We had a nice lunch at her house with another friend of hers, who I adore now that I've gotten to know her and we just had some fun girly time. Also, I wanted to let you all know that the new round of chemo treatment she is on seems to be doing something positive! They cannot find the original tumor anymore and nothing new has surfaced so that is wonderful news! Her strength is back, she is exercising and taking walks and just looks great all around! I loved seeing her like this. Thank you all for your prayers! They are definitely helping. Prayer is a wonderful thing, isn't it?

I also had the chance to take Mr. Bentley for a walk again. I love our walks together. Today we passed by a small little apple tree and try as I might, I could only find a single green apple. It just hung there all alone...all by itself. It kept screaming for me to pick it but I was afraid that the neighbor would see and Bentley and I would have to go tearing up the street, running from the neighbor. I'm sure Bentley would have tripped me at some point and well...I settled for a picture instead.

Maybe if it's there next time I walk Bentley I'll take it and run! Hope you all are having a great weekend!

If I could.....

2010-08-05T21:05:00.001-07:00

I would adopt every single animal that had the misfortune of suffering, in any form. No animal deserves to suffer without the chance to know true love from us. This story about Joyce brought tears to my eyes but has a happy ending. :)

If I had the means, I would have a sanctuary for homeless and abused fur babies. So if you think about it...the next time you want to bring a furry friend into your life, checkout the shelters first. Please? :)

The Fair Is Here!

2010-08-03T19:25:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday I was able to go to the fair with one of my best friends and have some really good junk food and see the animals. What better of a combination, right? :))

Are you surprised this handsome guy won first place?

These were some of the best curly fries I've ever tasted!

Isn't this corn dog beautiful? Lol! The batter was oh so cakey!

And my friend had this de-licious Philly!

I gotta go fix dinner now! I'm starving! Lol!

I have a secret....

2010-08-02T23:37:00.000-07:00

I finally had my chance to try on a real cowboy hat. Whadda ya'll think?

And I owe it to this handsome cowboy for letting me wear it.

Thanks Urban Cowboy (a true gentleman). ;) Hoping to see that hat and that smile again soon.

Now girls...don't start getting carried away. Lol!

Ahhh...the sweet smell of lavender is in the air!

2010-07-30T15:29:00.000-07:00

My lavender has finally dried and I'm storing it in a jar for future use! There's something about the intoxicating smell of lavender that makes me wanna...oh...what's the word....RELAX. Do you all remember that word or verb I should say. :) Well it definitely relaxed me while I pulled the lavender buds off the sprigs.

Have you ever heard of lavender lemonade? While I haven't tried it yet, I heard about it on the Oprah Winfrey show. Now, ya gotta trust Oprah, right? It sounds refreshing to me so I'm gonna give it a go before the end of summer!

Lavender Lemonade

Ingredients:

•3 cups sugar
•7 sprigs lavender (stems and buds), plus additional for garnish*
•2 cups fresh lemon juice (from about 12 lemons)
•1/2 cup fresh lime juice (from about 5 limes)

Directions:

In a large saucepan, bring one gallon of water and the sugar to a boil. Remove from heat; add 7 lavender sprigs and lemon and lime juices. Cool to room temperature, strain, and chill. Serve on ice, with additional lavender for garnish.

**Recipe courtesy of www.oprahwinfrey.com**

A Gift I Will Cherish Forever

2010-07-29T10:31:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I went to visit my good friend, Sachi (Sue is her given name but all her friends call her by her nickname Sachi...meaning "child of joy" in Japanese). Sachi is my friend who is going through chemo and I have to say she has never looked better! We think this round of chemo is doing a better job! Thank you all for your prayers!! Anyway, she blessed me with a gift I will cherish forever. She gave me her two vintage hats from the 1940's. I was beside myself! You all know how much I love the 40's and that era. I even tried them on. *sigh* The green one has a tag inside of it that says Macy's, New York (even MORE beside myself)!

I will be thinking of the perfect place to display them aside from the times when I'm alone and playing dress-up and pretending I lived in the 40's. Lol!

Thank you SO VERY MUCH, Sachi! I will cherish them forever and ever and ever!!! What a special gift from a very special friend. xo

How Sweet It Is To Be Loved!

2010-07-27T22:57:00.001-07:00

This was too sweet not to grab my iPhone and take a picture. Emma was curled up next to me while I was on the computer and in one swift movement she stretched and tenderly laid her arm across mine. I mean how much sweeter does it get? Oh and I swear my arm isn't really that fat! Pictures lie, I swear! Geez, I lose ten pounds in the last five months and all I get out of it is this picture with a fat arm. Nice.

Also, if you can all send some prayers again for Mocha. She had a bout with an infection and stopped eating for a day and a half. After a vet visit and antibiotics she is eating like a pig again but still very thin. I'm hoping she will put some weight back on. On this visit with a new vet, however, she did not feel a mass like her former vet did but it still could be something more serious than Irritable Bowel Disease. Stabilizing her is all I'm asking for. :) I call her my Energizer bunny. Lol! Thank you!

Perhaps She Came From Hogwarts?

2010-07-26T22:55:00.000-07:00

I recently stumbled upon new blog and I am so happy I did. It's enchantingly called I Hope They Have Pudding. This delightful and whimsical blog is charmingly written by Miss Cellar Door. In reading her new blog and the way she writes, she reminds me of a student that has just left Hogwarts in pursuit of discovering the magic of life! She recently responded to my last post with a delectable recipe of Blueberry Mead, compliments of her Great Aunt Driven. What a wonderful recipe it was, indeed! I urge you to check it out if you have a chance by clicking here. Thank you Miss Cellar Door for gifting me with this recipe and for starting such a great blog! I hope to see a lot more posts in the near future. I thoroughly enjoy your writing!

Another garden surprise!

2010-07-24T10:57:00.000-07:00

And you can imagine I was as blue as Violet from Willy Wonka when I saw it! My first blueberry that has finally turned blue! The big question is, will the others cooperate?

Have a great weekend everyone!

Fresh Sugar Snap Pea Saute!

2010-07-23T10:04:00.000-07:00

After about five days of picking I was able to gather enough of my fresh sugar snap peas off my deck garden to make this wonderful vegetarian saute that my mother taught me while she was here visiting. It doesn't look like much but believe me, it is SO delicious and such a perfect dish for summer!

Fresh picked peas...

And into the frying pan they go. It's very easy. I sauteed diced onions in a little butter and olive oil until brown, then I added the peas (you can use frozen peas) and the sugar snap peas. Add a little salt and pepper and let it cook until done or at least how well done you like them. :)

Then serve over white or brown rice. I used jasmine rice that I bought at Trader Joes.

Enjoy and happy summer eating!

Black and white never looked so good! (bear with me as I redesign my site!)

2010-07-21T10:13:00.001-07:00

I just love setting my camera on black and white or Sepia. It always gives my photos such a classic and timeless look. Recently while pet and house sitting for a wonderful friend of mine I took the opportunity to have a little photo shoot with her fur babies. I loved how some of them turned out. I sent them to her upon her return. So.....Michelle's pet sitting service includes a photo shoot and black and whites of your fur babies. Lol!

A special thanks to Zeus (brown Lab), Cosmo (tan Lab) and Thor (Jack Russell/Shih Tzu - I won't tell you my shortened version of him) for being my furry models of the day!

Morning Time with Quincy and Emma

2010-07-18T10:18:00.000-07:00

Every morning when I get up Quincy and Emma have a ritual. We have to go out on the deck and have some fresh catnip...oh and checkout everything to make sure nothing changed overnight. Lol! Quincy, of course, always has to be the star. :) It looks like I'm ignoring Emma with the catnip but she already had her share that morning. :) Mocha is usually upstairs finishing her breakfast in bed. I'm pathetic, I know. Oh and Mocha is still doing very well by the way! It's been almost five months since the doctor felt she may have had a tumor. If it is one, I am hoping it's a very slow growing one. Then again, maybe she doesn't have one. In any event, she is still demanding with her food, is steady with her weight and runs up the stairs faster than me! :)

Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend! Oh yes, one more thing. Checkout the latest giveaway over at Coastal Sisters. The blog button to the giveaway is on my sidebar to the right below my pinup girl! LuLu is SO talented! At least checkout her website! The button should bring you right over. :)

Do you see it?

2010-07-14T09:40:00.001-07:00

My first eggplant! I'm so proud of myself!! :) Come on baby, keep growing so I can eat you all up!

A true girl....

2010-07-12T17:25:00.000-07:00

Can go from dirty, muddy and worn cowboy boots....

To a lacy white skirt, pink flip flops and silver painted toes.

Any questions? :)

Too hot to blog!

2010-07-07T23:32:00.001-07:00

Okay, so remember when I was complaining about the rain and how I would give anything for sunshine? Well....I asked for it! It's been entirely too hot to blog. Bad excuse, I know. It will be 100 degrees here on Thursday. I cannot complain though. I asked for it. I only wish I could look as good as Marilyn on a hot day. :)

Trying to keep cool! What's the weather like where you're at? I'll be back soon with some regular blog posts. :)

Mason Jar Love Affair

2010-06-30T00:47:00.000-07:00

I've been captivated by the Mason jar lately. I've already stored some dried herbs in a few but I have a few jars left and I'm trying to decide what I'll do next. Hmmm.....a votive candle holder? Fill them with scented candle wax? Maybe some sand from the beach or seashells or perhaps some fresh citrus salt scrub? Fresh flowers? I guess we'll have to see. :)

Saturday's Ride

2010-06-27T08:04:00.000-07:00

I have to say Saturday's ride was one of the prettiest and so relaxing with blue skies and perfect weather! My girlfriend Deb and I took her boys out for a two hour ride through a beautiful park nearby. These pictures say it all. :)

Ari has his donkey ears going. Lol! Probably because he was frustrated I was making him pose with me. :)

We worked our way down to the river only to discover this beautiful scene.

Gotta give props to Magic here. Ari balked at going down to the river so Magic took the lead! Good boy, Magic! Ari followed when he saw that Magic was making it down fine. :)

A girl and her horse....

Recharging with a little river water. :)

A pair of tired feet. :)

Hitting the Trails Today!

2010-06-26T10:22:00.001-07:00

It's supposed to get up to almost 80! Hopefully I'll get some good pictures and will post later. Hope you're all having a great weekend!

A Girls Gotta Have what a Girls Gotta Have!

2010-06-25T11:37:00.000-07:00

Hot pink gardening gloves from my best friend! Thanks, Susan!

I decided to take my gardening shears to Quincy's fur (okay, not really.....they were just grooming scissors). He's a little chopped up right now...but I think I'll have to even it out later. I hope he doesn't end up look like a Mexican hairless cat. I get a little carried away sometimes. :)

He looks a little stunned. I have no idea why? Ooh! I just saw a tuft of fur I missed. Here kitty, kitty!

Huckleberry Ice Cream

2010-06-24T00:10:00.000-07:00

Summer has FINALLY arrived in Oregon and it better not be a tease because I am fixing to make some huckleberry (or blueberry) ice-cream! I found this recipe from Country Living and I have to admit the pretty coloring got my attention first. I mean, what better way to start out the summer than making homemade ice cream. Time to drag out those ice-cream makers!

Photo courtesy of Country Living

Ingredients:

2 cup(s) half-and-half
4 eggs
1/2 cup(s) sugar
1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
1 cup(s) whipping cream
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
2 cup(s) huckleberries, or blueberries, blended with 3/4 cup sugar

Directions:

1 In a medium saucepan, whisk together half-and-half, eggs, sugar, and salt. Place pan over medium- high heat and whisk mixture until bubbly. Strain into a large bowl and cool; then whisk in cream, vanilla, and berries. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.

2. Pour mixture into ice-cream maker; process according to manufacturer instructions.

Enjoy!

It's Not So Complicated to Live in this House

2010-06-22T00:34:00.001-07:00

If you haven't seen the movie It's Complicated yet, I urge you to sit down with a big bowl of popcorn, some iced tea, maybe some homemade chocolate chip cookies and snuggle up on a couch and watch it! I loved this movie! In fact, I love any movie Nancy Meyers directs and of course any movie Meryl Streep is in. I've read several articles and interviews on Nancy Meyers and, although her movies are geared more towards women, I think any man can appreciate her writing and directing talent as well! What stood out to me in all her movies was the decor. The feel of the decor in each movie seemed to fit her characters to a "T." The decor in It's Complicated was warm, inviting, well lived-in and yet classic.

I wish this were me looking at my lovely home. :)

I dream of a garden like this. *sigh*

A well-used potting table.

My favorite part...the kitchen!

The cozy yet quaint courtyard. I'd have little white lights around every vine.

The bathroom. One day I'll have my claw foot tub like this one.

Until then...I keep visualizing. :)

What to do with herbs....

2010-06-20T12:03:00.000-07:00

My herbs have been growing like crazy the last few weeks and I thought I would dry some and put in jars for later use and maybe press some. So.....mint was my first victim. The mint was pressed for almost a month before I put them between glass. :) Add an old frame I roughly painted...a little green paint....

Lookout rosemary and hyssop...here I come.

Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend!

Happy Father's Day to all you wonderful dads and a special happy Father's Day to my step dad and my real dad who is with the angels now. Love you both!

Let the Drying Begin...and an Award!

2010-06-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

I've already started drying my herbs. They are growing like wildflower! I have spearmint and Italian parsley so far. I actually just added a bundle of peppermint to the mix last night. Last month I also pressed a few spearmint leaves and am almost done with a little crafty project. I have one finishing touch and then I'll post it. :)

Also! Lovely Maria at Rainy Day Farm awarded me with a blog award some time ago. Thank you, Maria!!! I am so honored that I am still receiving awards even after being an off and on blogger lately. :) Maria has the cutest farm blog! Her children are adorable and all their animals...well you know how I feel about critters. Check her blog out when you get a chance! You will feel right at home.

This is what I have been instructed to do:

1. Accept and thank the person who sent it to you.
2. List 10 things about yourself.
3. List 5 additional things you don't like.
4. Pass the award on to 10 other bloggers.

Ten things about me.

1. I love watching older reruns of The Golden Girls. I have to watch them almost every night before bed.
2. I have a box on the bed next to my pillow, covered in linens for my oldest cat Mocha. She has to sleep with me every night and yes, her linens get changed several times a week. Quincy and Emma sleep elsewhere. :)
3. I am addicted to YouTube. I am subscribed to so many channels it's not funny. I love makeup channels, soap making channels, NANCY TODAY, meditation channels, horse channels...the list goes on.
4. I secretly have a goal of becoming a best selling author. I've started writing again...now if I can just get past the Prologue. Lol. Oh I'm just gonna say it, Dan Brown look out!
5. I can be very stubborn if I want to be. I call it being free spirited but for some reason others don't see it my way. I'm not always sweet, ya know. ;)
6. I truly believe I lived two past lives. One of them in the late 1800's and the other in the 1940's.

7. I am a terrible procrastinator (hence the late post on the award)

8. I suffer from migraine headaches...and regular headaches.

9. I am definitely a right brain sort of person. I am definitely not academic and it might be because I lose interest or don't apply myself. I may sound academic (or not) but don't let that fool you.

10. I used to manage a Crabtree and Evelyn....and to this day will proclaim that it is my most favorite job of all. :)

Five things I don't like:

1. Abusing animals and children.

2. Lying and cheating.
3. Leaving my cats alone. I try to always get a cat sitter if it's more then one night.
4. Not enough sleep.

5. Highly judgmental people

As usual, I will pass this onto anyone who comments on my post today and feel free to play along!

Birthday at the Farm and Thank You!

2010-06-15T23:20:00.000-07:00

First of all I want to thank everyone for the wonderful well wishes for my birthday. I'm beginning to wonder if I want to celebrate at all. The only changes I am noticing are MORE gray hairs sprouting out of my head and these days I can't seem to catch up. It's like someone poured fertilizer on my head. Ugh! :) What causes gray hairs anyway? I hear it's stress but I'm not sure if that's true. If anyone knows, let me in on it.

The farm my girlfriend and I visited was Geercrest Farms in Silverton, Oregon. The day was perfect and the drive was breathtaking. Geercrest is a working and educational farm open to the public for volunteering. They have also opened up their farm to educating grade school children...how to grow and pick vegetables and teach them how to make wonderful meals out of the vegetables. When we were there a group of kids were cooking away in the farmhouse kitchen...some standing on stools because they were too short to reach the counter. I wish I would have gotten a picture of that but there was alot going on inside and I didn't want to disturb. :)

The pictures are kind of going backwards but oh well. If you've noticed, in my old age I'm less and less of a perfectionist. These days it's more like, eh, close enough. Here's a wonderful view from an adorable little restaurant we ate at for lunch in Silverton. It sat right on the river. I mean how much more relaxing can one get?

Here's my best friend Susan, checking the coop for eggs.

Isn't this Peony just gorgeous?

Mr. Handsome Rooster and his current girlfriend. :)

I caught the owner chopping some wood in the back.

I love this window. This picture was actually taken from the porch looking in. There's a little kitchen sink outside...isn't that cool? I can easily see myself doing dishes on a hot summer night here.

Susan getting ready to go into the chicken coop! I'm sure farmers don't usually have a big smile on their faces when they have to do this everyday. Lol!

Mr. Handsome Rooster insisted I take a picture of just him. He was a bit conceited.

Befriending some baby goats.

I'm getting ready to steal some eggs too and I'm oh so happy about it! :)

Finding more furry friends.

A lone Oak tree.

They heard us coming and were so hospitable they ran to greet us!

Why hello there!

The old farmhouse. I believe it dates back to mid to late 1800's.

Eggshells the kids just cracked for cooking.

Seven, count them, seven eggs and we only came out with a few scars from the pecking attacks! We were so proud of ourselves.

Now this brings back childhood memories of mine. :)

Another furry friend. :)

Baby goats. Aren't they just adorable?

Egg laying in progress. Do not disturb.

Freshly picked celery. Look at those stalks!

Here are some artsy black and white photos I took. :)

Believe it or not, I still have more but I didn't want the post to get too long. I had such a great time that day. We also ran into a place called the Oregon Gardens. 140 or so (I may be wrong on that number) acres of gardens! We are planning to go back and hike some of those acres so I'll leave that for another post. I'll share some of the rest of my farm pictures in another post. :)

Denim, pearls and lace...gotta love it.

2010-06-13T19:37:00.001-07:00

So I was driving in the car the other day going to meet a friend for lunch and I looked down and noticed...man, I love my outfit today. Okay, that sounded just a little conceited but I loved the combination and had to snap a picture. Who can deny denim, pearls and lace as a combination.

Oh and the bracelet I am wearing is one that I made. I was going to setup my Etsy shop and put it in the store but my girlfriend already bought it!

If you see any trash in the background whatsoever in my car, I didn't do it.

P.S. I was parked while I took these pictures. ;)

My Niece is a Star!

2010-06-10T22:13:00.000-07:00

Hi all. Just making this a quick post because I am so, soooooo behind on posting. LIFE! That's all I have to say about that. :) Hope all of you are well and wonderful since I have not even been around to visit.

Anyway, my niece, Paris, is officially a star! Well, at least I think she is. She's is in the 2011 Toyota Sienna commercial that is now airing on The National Geographic channel. I'm so proud of her! I'm always proud of her because she has such wonderful talent...she's a ballerina, an equestrian, a piano player, an actress, great with animals since she has her own dog walking and sitting business and the list goes on! I'm so proud to be her aunt!

Here's the commercial! There's a great close-up spot of her smiling in the car. :) Actually this link will take you directly to YouTube to view it. It seems to be cut-off on the right when I post it here. :(

Click here

I am making life slow down as of this weekend so I can concentrate on my blog and visiting you all. The weather is FINALLY coming around to sunny! I will soon post my award I received (haven't forgotten that) and my farm pictures.

Love to you all!

Happy Birthday to Me!

2010-06-03T09:18:00.000-07:00

Yep....43 years ago today I was born to my mother and father with lots of black monkey hair and a scream no one can compare with. Lol! Yea, yea, yea, I know I chose Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen as my song. I'm allowed to pretend on my birthday. ;)

You will never guess what I am doing today. I am going to work on a farm! Yes, a real life farm. My girlfriend and I are going to Geercrest Farm. I wanted to experience real life farm work so we volunteered to help out and learn and, of course, have a little fun. I can't wait to get dirty!

Will take pictures and post later! Have a great day all!

Cilantro Rice

2010-05-29T22:16:00.000-07:00

My cilantro is growing like crazy so I HAD to make something really quick. I don't know how much quicker you can get than this. Great side dish for any summer meal. There are so many other fabulous cilantro rice dishes, some add lime, some add chiles. I just needed something quick so this is very simple!

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups packed cilantro leaves (about 3 ounces)
3 medium garlic cloves
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup minced yellow onion
2 cups long-grain white rice (or brown rice)
1 tablespoon kosher salt

Directions

Combine two cups of rice with chicken broth and chopped garlic cloves and yellow onion. Bring to boil and turn to simmer for about 30 minutes or until liquid is absorbed completely. Fluff rice when done and add chopped cilantro and a dash of kosher salt. Mix well. Rice will begin to take on flavor of cilantro while it's still hot.

I had my cilantro rice with organic turkey ham and yes, that is mayonnaise on the side. I love dipping my ham in mayonnaise. Is that strange? My, look at all that ham on my plate. I must have been really hungry, lol!

Hope you are all having a wonderful holiday weekend. I also hope you were all able to take a moment to thank all our brave soldiers who made a huge sacrifice for all of us and the freedom that we have today. xoxo