Baking

I have been craving cookies lately.

Not just any cookies. 

No, I have had Grandma Peterson's cookies on the brain.

I have been making them for more years that I can remember, but the last time I made them, they flopped!

They tasted pretty much like they look.

After some deliberation, my daughter and I concluded that I had used to much granulated sugar.

She made chocolate chip cookies the next night, but my craving for these particular cookies was not easily appeased.

Today the cravings returned. 

And since I happen to be having a rare case of "Empty house, all to myself", I decided to get my bake on again.

So with tall thin, and short rounded cooking angels fluttering about, I went to work.

ps, I have become my Grampa, I use rubber bands to close most anything...

Back to the mixing...

Opps! Almost lost the batch on the right, they got a little over done.

Perfection!

I know it's killing you to know...how did I know, there were busy cooking angels helping me?

Well because I asked them to, of course!

I know they were there, because of all the past cooking experiences that came to mind as I worked. And I chuckled again at many of them, teared up at a few of them.

Yes. Today, I put my bake on, along with my apron, and took a wonderful trip down memory lane...

Now let's get some milk and finish the trip, shall we?!

Play discovery

I have been on a discovery adventure of late.

Discoveries about myself, which are always eye opening, sometimes in good ways...and sometimes not so much.
But lets save that thought for a different day, would that be alright?


One of the fun things I am discovering is my love of "i".
As in phone, pad... the apps!
Oh my!

As every child I have ever known, and yes, most definitely myself! I don't know of anyone who hasn't want a horse.

Well, I finally got "My Horse", and a Bangle tiger, and a fish tank, and games with my grand kids...

Technology has almost taken me to my idea of the Jetson's.
And it fits in my pocket or purse.

The fact that I have a growing love of photography, memory making and the like, is only encouraged by some new discoveries.

How might you ask.

Well this is just one of my many new favorite play things...

My skills in drawing, painting and the like, are limited at best.

I love playing at it all. but my real love is photography.

It just warms the cockles of my little heart ot be making photo's, and memories that go hand in hand with them.

I get giddy when I find new editing ideas like these.

So that is where I have been off to these past few days.

Ok.

And in the sand pile ;)



Book Marks

Lambs ears.


I remember hearing stories as I was growing up about this plant.
Things along the lines of, 'If you see lambs ears growing, it's almost a guarantee there would be stinging nettle some place close around.

I still couldn't tell you what it looks like, even standing waist high in it...ask my Honey.


after that, I never went looking for it I can tell you that.


There was another story I heard that told of how the people, mostly women, would use a leaf as a book mark.
I figured that to be something I could try.
I did too.
It retained its soft fuzziness long after it had dried. Never left a mark on any of the pages.
I used it for a pretty long time. Until it started to crack and crumble from age.


Since then I've never replaced it with another leaf...


There have been a stack of various book marks used.
Many still I'm use. 
But the markers I'm having fun with now are 'book worms'...

All The Marbles...

Here it is.
All the marbles...or should I say all the pictures?

I have been being totally intimidated by my iPhone all week end.

All I want to do is to get the pictures I have taken on my phone, over to my desktop computer.
Not a hard thing right?

Not when I'm involved apparently.

My first attempt was-traumatic.

A friend came and helped me get started, then needed to go. It was taking a really long time and neither of us could figure out why.

Well when it eventually finished doing its thing.

HOURS later.

I was horrified to find that it did NOT put any of the pictures from my phone onto my computer, but rather, put ALL the pictures from my computer onto my phone.

I was impressed that it held 11022 pictures.

Be that as it may, I was not impressed that I could not get them to erase off the phone.

So in a panic I set off for the phone store just around the corner, the panic on my face must have been evident. As the woman who was destined to try to help listened to my dilemma, her face frozen into a smile, said, "I have no idea what to do. Let me go ask some one who has been here longer."

Soon everyone was, impressed that it held that many pictures, Wondering, "Why" I have that many on my computer in the first place and living with the understanding that none of us knew what to do to get them off.

When in walks a couple I know, they asked what all the hub-bub was about, nut shell explanation and my friend says, "Oh that's easy".

May I just tell you that those words were music to my ears!

I went home and did as he recommend, with totally different results.

But I got a plan hatched.

I took ALL the pictures from my computer, (by the way the reason I have so many-besides the fact that I love photos, is that I dabble in professional photography). So I took them all and put them into one folder, then transferred them all to my external hard drive, then deleted them from my computer, re-synced the phone and VIOLA! It worked.

In a way.

I still don't know how to get the pictures from my phone to my computer...

So I am emailing them to myself.

So there you go. It's either all the marbles, or I've lost my marbles, one or the tother...

I love going for my country walks!


They are never the same, it's different every time, even coming and going can be down a totally different road that you just came the opposite way on.


Take this morning for instance.

People wave as they pass, you don't get all riled up when you get stuck in big traffic jams. There is generally never any road range along a country road...

There are new little baby's to notice most every day.

This morning, this bald faced heifer had it in her head to play a little hide and seek with me...

it was so funny!

Next along the predetermined path I was trekking came a field of sleepy horses.

I love watching this horse I have named "Freckles". This horse has the best sense of humor!

I have never seen a horse yawn and stretch like a cat so much as Freckles does...Then its back to grazing.

So the days I walk this particular route I always keep my eye's open for the animal's being silly.

Did I mention that I fell off this road the other day?

Yes I did.

Because I was looking at a flock of birds fluttering around in the wreck of a wild rose bush, I happened to take just one wobbly step. That my friends is all it took. My ankle twisted as my foot rolled and then I hurried and  recovered. Of course the first thing I did, was not to swear...I know right? It was a surprise to me too. Next I looked around to be sure that no one saw my fraction of a second stumble, and kept right on going.

I was lucky, nothing was damaged to much, my foot was a little stiff for a day or two.

It didn't stop me from walking.

I enjoy it to much.

I guess exercise really was the answer I was needing right now :)

Keep your eye's open, and your feet on the path...

I'm Back...

I am sorry I have seemingly neglected my blogging.

I have been busier than a one armed wall paper hanger around here!

And I have accomplished a lot of things, while accomplishing nothing at the same time.

I do have pictures of a lot of most of the 'stuff' I have been doing.

And being out side is the biggest and bestest part of all my doings of late. I will get busy and post them, just as soon as I finish editing the photos from a shoot, way back from when I was sick and miserable...

In the meantime, know that I have walking stories to tell you too.

Thank you so very much for your kind patience!

Spring Is Here!

Spring is here!


It crept in slowly, in a surprisingly fast way.

Maybe it was brought in with the last snowstorm, the one that was the biggest of our season. Hidden there amongst the frenzy of big feathery flakes, as they billowed horizontally, until closing in on the ground, as they spiraled in to be deposited.
Thus ending the last snow dance of the season.

Spring crept stealthily in with the melting. Moisture seeped into the now thawed ground. Waking the seeds that had lain dormant these past five months.


The vegetation is not the only thing to awaken with the lengthening days. The thaw has not only dispersed the blanket of white, but has beckoned the plump Robin Redbreast, the sleeping crocus, timid tulip, and apricot blooms. 
But has also been calling to cabin fevered hearts, and winter stored toys. Coaxing us out the doors to bask in the awakening of a world made new.

Of all the splendor, the miracles of life, the most cherished to me, is the awakening of the child within, when the doors and windows are finally thrown open, as is the vat of wonder that is delved into for the first time this Spring... 
know as...

Sidewalk chalk...

Split Seconds

Over this past week end I went to a wonderful program called, "Time Out For Women", sponsered by a large book store affilieated with the religion I am active in.

I had so much fun! While I was having "my cup refilled".

One of the speakers challenged all of us to try this little experiment of "Split Seconds".

What is that?, you may very well be asking, as you are scratch your noggin'.

Well now!

I would be delighted to try to explain it to you!

This is the "Split Second" experment:

So often we think that to make the world a brighter place to be, we need to do some big project, some mammoth undertaking that requires a committee and a zillion volunteers...that we just wish we could do something...

Now, think of this, if you don't mind.

Someone is trying to turn out onto a busy street and you takes a Split Second to slow down or stop so they can get on the road, smile and wave them out. They smile, and maybe you give each other a little wave. Then that person gets to where they are going and passes the little kindness along, by taking a Split Second at a big busy store and holds the door open for another someone, smiles and maybe comment's, "It is beautiful weather out today isn't it?", then goes on their way. That someone when finished shopping, takes a Split Second to smile at the clerk, when the transaction is completed, calls them by name (It's on the little name tag's they sometime's wear),"Thank you Marge, I hope you have a good day", She smiles...

It only takes a Split Second to feel pain, or joy.

We never know what another person is feeling, thinking, or dealing with. What load they may be carring. Maybe they have experienced that Split Second that can be life changing, and needed a smile, a wave out onto the road, a comment that lets them know they were noticed, a sincere 'Thank You' and a kindness from someone...

You get the picture don't you?

You see how one Split Second can blossom and grow? 

So while I am not in a possition to make the whole wide world as beautiful as I wish it were, I can, take a Split Second to share a smile and a kindness...   

Jesus said in Matthew 25:40
..., Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

And Thank You, sincerely, for taking the time to read my blog!


If you are interested in learning more about my religion you can check here. If, you would like to :) 

Birds Of A Feather

Have you ever met people who you seem to fit with like you've known each other forever?
And on top of that you have so many of the same things in common that it is uncanny?


I absolutely love meeting new old friends!
This past week end I, along with a couple of wonderful girlfriends- that means they are friends that are female type of friends.


We loaded into the car and went for a time out, grown up style.
When you do this sort of thing, with friends like this, you can expect a lot of laughing, some crying, and more laughing.


When we arrived at our destination we were greeted by my friends, friend, who became a new to me, old friend!
It was like we has all known each other forever, like we were birds of a feather getting back together!

Blend Baby Blend

We have all had days when we have just wanted to blend in and not be noticed, for what ever reason.
Maybe we have something we don't really want to do, or some place we don't really want to go...then again, we might just need a good rest!

Well I guess even a little pooch needs to find some peace and quiet, if there is no place to soak up some of the delicious heat of the sun shining through a window, what IS a little black puppy to do?

Blend baby, blend!!

The Ladies

February brought us adopting two little dogs, from family member's.
When I say little, they really are little, not so much young. They are two years old now, so by dog standards they are teens at least.
They are Shitzu/Reindeer Chihuahua mix. 

They have been named,Dulce and Cabana, separately, and not real interested in answering to their names. Collectively they have been named, 'little ones' and 'the girls',and most recently 'Ladies'.

This not having a name of their own is not a good thing for anyone or anything, that's just what Tiny Dancer and I think any way. So to remedy that little kink, we have watched them and tried to get names that fit their personalities...
I would like to introduce to you...

Cutie Pie

And Poopsy...

Cutie Pie was named because of her cute personality, and how sweet she is.
Poosy was so named because Tiny Dancer spots where the little dog has hidden behind a couch and "Pooped see!!"...

They are beginning to come to their separate names and they LOVE Tiny Dancer...and going for walks!!

The First Walk...

Today was the day!

I hitched up the little dogs, Cutie Pie & Poopsy (Story behind the name changes are for a later post). Tiny noses to the ground, off we went. Stopping every foot for a closer inspection and calling card leaving...it took a very long time to get half way around the block.They were very good, considering they haven't ever walked on leashes until they came to live with us, they were prancing right along.
Then the man with a big dog came past us. His was pulling  forward, he was leaning heavily backwards, mine were diving for cover behind me, all three were growling and my little killers were barking. I am pretty sure they were throwing out taunts such as, "We can bite you hard on the foot and our mom will save us-wanna see?!" or "this is our walk and you have to go to a different part of the world because we own this one-we are the princess' and can do what we want and we want to bite your feet all over!".  While I'm pretty sure he was saying, "One bite and you two are breakfast appitizers!". The nice man was stronger than his big dog, I managed to lift my two and carry them past, they, never knowing the danger, pranced happily on thier way back home...where they have been asleep since.
I wasn't done, so I went for a walk. One I could actually get some momentum behind. It was a beautiful morning, sings of Spring on the bushes...

This is where I came from...

This is where I was going...

Past childhood memories...

My best friends house.

My Aunt and Uncle's old house (it was my Gramma and Grampa's house before that).

Sign's of yard work were evident at many homes...

As were sign's of children in the hope of Spring sunshine...

Tree's were loaded with pine cones and tiny buds...

The snow is climbing back toward the the mountain tops...

Crocus' are popping up in many yards...

Yes, Spring has decided to make hr apperance, and I have begun to walk.
Both miricles in there own ways...