Just 3 Things | #15

I've been doing a lot of reading during the last few days. I've read blog posts, eBooks, hard copy books, cookbooks, online newspapers and magazines, social media posts, and all manner of things. When one is snowed in, reading is one of the very best things in the world to do in my opinion. Plus, I can get away from the television a little bit. Away from westerns playing end on end. Away from programs that I really, really dislike and didn't even like when they were fresh offerings each week. Away from horrible commercials about life insurance, AARP, and other old people needs. Away from the horrible newscasts that show senseless murders and political messes.

When I've talked to folks in phone conversations, we've talked about reading and books. I talked to a friend whose third grade son finished up a book and had to do a book report and we talked about how his teacher seems to be doing her best to kill her students' love of reading. Requiring them to all read a mystery. Requiring them to write a written book report. Requiring them to create a cereal box something-or-other related to their book. Requiring them to take an AR test about the book. Why wouldn't she just let them read and have a conversation about it or write a short review for their friends? Why can't she request that they keep a list of books they've read and ask them to read a different genre from the last book they read and let them choose the genre? I'm so glad I don't have a student in her class!

Another conversation was with my son regarding the books the granddaughter is reading. She's a second grader and has read about all of the Dogman books. He said, "It is so bad that we can hardly find one she hasn't already read." I just chuckled and told him I'm just glad she's reading. He said that she's also gotten on a kick for reading the I Survived... series. She's not your typical second grade girl, I guess.

Then, I had a cousin who listens to audiobooks and asked me to give her a summary or preview of Wuthering Heights. I did and guided her to something that is a more contemporary and interesting read in my opinion. See, that's what real readers do. We don't make cereal box projects or write reports. We summarize, preview, suggest, discuss, share our favorite parts, and recommend or critique. So, today I decided I'd start this post with what I've been reading. Cereal box project might come later. We shall see...

- What I've Been Reading -

I'm finishing up another Mary Kay Andrews book, Savannah Blues. It is that southern voice that makes me keep coming back to read something that is sort of light-hearted by Andrews. The names of the characters are such southern names and her descriptions of them are so spot-on that one can just see these folks standing right in front of us when we are reading. 

I chuckled the entire time I read the selection about the main character, Eloise (Weezie), meeting up with an old friend, Merijoy, in the grocery store:

Merijoy had a big bag of red bell peppers in her hand. She dropped them into a shopping cart loaded with children, and enveloped me in a bony, Dior-scented hug. 

"Sugar," she gushed. "How awful for you. I have been beside myself with worry. Are you all right?"

Before I could answer, she turned to her shopping cart full of kids. All of them had white-blond hair and huge brown eyes."

"Renee," she cooed. "Sweetheart. Don't give Rodney jalapeno peppers, darlin'. They'll burn his little mouth."

Renee looked to be preschool age, maybe five. Her long, tanned legs were jammed intot he compartment of the cart where I usually set my purse. Her face was smeared with what appeared to be either blood or the filling of the raspberry doughnut she was waving with one hand. 

The lower section of the cart housed a slightly younger, boy-type version of Renee, who looked to be about four. Rodney, I assumed, since he was holding a partially chewed jalapeno pepper in his hand and howling loud enough to wake the dead.

There were two more children in the cart, too, a pair of twin toddlers, a boy and girl, clad in look-alike yellow sunsuits. "Mommy we're hungry," they chirped.

In one smooth motion, Merijoy snatched the pepper out of the screaming child's hand and flung it to the ground. She reached down into the cart and twisted the top off a plastic jug of Hawaiian Punch and held it to the child's lips. He stopped screaming and gurgled it down. In the next second, she'd opened a box of animal crackers and handed them to all the children.

"All set?" she asked. The children, who strongly resembled a nestful of baby starlings, sucked contentedly on their cookies.

I mean, I sort of felt like I was standing right in the local grocery store witnessing the experience and smiling! Andrews just seems to write like a southern woman thinks and it is so relatable to us fellow southerners.

- What I've Been Loving -

One thing is for sure. When we are snowed in, we tend to eat well. There are fewer distractions and one or the other of us has plenty of time for cooking. With our last grocery delivery I had ordered some chicken thighs. I cooked those Sunday and stirred up some white bean chicken chili and chicken and dressing. I just opened canned beans and used a package of pre-mixed seasoning to add to the chicken and chicken broth. The seasoning was a wee bit spicy for us but I added a bit of sugar and some sour cream and I really liked it. 

I used this recipe for the chicken and dressing. Since it made a 9x13" casserole size, I divided that into two 8x8" dishes and froze half. I made cream-style corn and cooked some green beans and on Monday night we had one of those southern comfort food meals that the Mister really likes.

Tuesday night was Taco Tuesday. I had sort of gotten in the habit of running errands on Tuesday and picking up tacos or some sort of Mexican food for lunch or dinner. Since we were snowed in, I browned ground beef and added taco seasoning. I had noticed some beef and bean burritos while assembling the grocery order and added those to the list. So, we had a gourmet Taco Tuesday. I shredded lettuce. We added shredded cheese and sour cream and some queso blanco  to some taco shells and it was delicious. 

Wednesday I made some cheese potato soup and a tossed salad. I warmed and cubed up some left-over chicken tenders to add to the top of the salad. That was another comfort food meal. 

Thursday's menu plan was steak and biscuits and fries. I still miss that menu item that was taken off Cracker Barrel's menu years ago. A local restaurant in Nashville also served great steak and biscuits and fries when I was a young girl. So, it has been a favorite menu item for me for a long time. However, we are low on frozen biscuits and I didn't want to make some from scratch. So, the menu was modified and we had chili dogs and cheese tots. Easy and greasy. Mike thought this was the best meal for the week, I think. (See me rolling my eyes?)

The Mister has been frying sausage or bacon and eggs and cooking biscuits for breakfast. I have been eating yogurt to offset the side effects of taking the antibiotics last week and add some probiotics back into my system. I did bake some muffins and have eating a small muffin or two each morning with my fruit and yogurt. I had made cranberry orange muffins last week and baked chocolate chip muffins this week.

Since I am coughing less and feeling better, I have started back on my stretching and exercising routine. I'm not walking on the walk pad or riding the stationary bicycle, yet. If I keep cooking and eating like this, though, I will have to add that to my morning routine and may need to add an evening session as well just so I can continue to fit into even my soft pants!

- What I've Been Watching -

We accidentally clicked on a series on Amazon Prime and just stayed with it and it has really been one of those series that has us sitting on the edge of our seats. Shades of Blue with Jennifer Lopez. I would not classify it as family watching at all but it has been an interesting watch. Several times the Mister and I have looked at one another and said, "I didn't see that coming!"

The reviews are high and I can see that others mentioned the suspense and surprise at the plot lines. The description on Amazon Prime says, "In a steamy new drama, the iconic Jennifer Lopez stars as sexy New York detective (and single mother) Harlee Santos, who fell in with a tight-knit group of dirty cops, taking bribes and protection money that she uses to provide the best life for her honest and talented daughter." It also says, "Complex moral choices captivate viewers," and that is quite truthful. I must admit, there are times when I have turned my head away due to the graphic nature but it has been an interesting watch. We are amidst Season 2 at this point. The Mister asked me last night if I thought there were people out there who are that violent and crooked. I gave him the look and asked him if he had read any news headlines besides weather-related ones lately.

Well, that just about wraps up this wintery week. It has been a good one even though we have sort of been snowed in. (I didn't mind staying in but the Mister had to get out and putter around.) I also got a message from my daughter-in-law late yesterday afternoon that their power has been restored. So, after five days, all seems right with the world again. We hope the same is happening in your world. Get ready, though. If you live near us, we have been informed of a weather advisory for the next three days and the possibility of more precipitation midweek next week. 

We are ever grateful for those first responders, those who have been supporting the power line and clean-up crews, and those who have continued on through the slippery and cold weather. We are thankful for their hard work and dedication.

Just 3 Things | #14

We are bracing for a BIG weather event and I'd be willing to bet most everybody I know is doing the same - no matter where they live, it is probably going to hit them in some way. Our trucks and machinery are full of fuel. There is plenty of hay laid by for the animals and we have heat sources to protect their water sources. We have plenty of food in the cupboard and in the fridges. Our prescription meds have been filled. So, we feel ready for whatever hits. Right now the meteorologists are predicting that we will start with freezing rain of some sort - either pelleted ice or rain that freezes after it hits. We would prefer the pelleted version, of course. Then, it is anticipated that we will get snow atop that. Here in the south, that can be problematic for folks who must get out and go about their lives and work. For us, it is just an inconvenience - I hope. What's the weather like where you are?

- What I've Been Working On -

Finally. Finally. I got the all the Christmas decorations packed up and stored away. The little kitchen tree came down a couple of days ago. (This was a planned and somewhat organized disassembly of the tree that had fallen three different times since it was first put up.) Yesterday, I felt fairly normal and decided that I had completely recovered from the creeping crud that has been lurking around here. So, I took down the big Christmas tree that Lydia and Luci had helped me to put up and decorate. I tried to organize ornaments as I took them off the tree - sort of. Upon completion, I told myself that next year I need to do a better job and have a better system. I also made note that I've got to figure out a better way for the kitchen tree before next year. I hope I remember that and my intentions to scout for a good organizational method for storing ornaments of all shapes and sizes and bead garlands and all of the things that go on the two trees. I also have plans for scouting out a better option for the kitchen tree. Another thing I did was go round the house and pick up all the twigs and bits of faux greenery and berries that I had tucked here and there and boxed those up. The little blue wagon that Mike insisted he needed last year was really handy. I could fill the tubs and boxes that I have for different decorative elements and stack those into the wagon and pull it to the basement entrance. It is so much easier than trying to trek up and down the stairs while toting tubs and boxes of stuff. A couple of wagon loads and I was done. I was also mindful of where I stashed the items I used for holiday decor this year and made a mental note that I need to take some time and go through all the decor I have and weed some things out.

By the end of the two trips out the back door and down to the storage room downstairs, I was puffing and gasping and coughing. So, normal is not the state I think of when all that is going on. However, I feel so very much better than I have felt at any other time during the month of January that I am sticking to my guns and saying that I'm recovered!

- What I've Been Watching -

We have been watching mindless television. We have streamed a couple of series using Amazon Prime and those have been a good change from the sappy movies of last week. Crossing Jordan with Jill Hennessey is one of the series that has captivated us. I recall watching an episode or two when it was on mainstream television but it has been an interesting series for seeing how things were during that time in our country and for seeing how technology has changed. It is not too gory or too predictable. So, Mike and I have made conjectures from time to time when there was a crime and chuckled with satisfaction when we were correct and raised eyebrows when we were not.

What I've really enjoyed watching has been college basketball - in particular, SEC basketball. I've watched men's games and women's games.  Of course, around here our blood runs orange for The University of Tennessee. It was good to see the different teams acknowledging the impact Pat Head Summit had on women's basketball. I always love to see the interviews with different people who were players she coached or folks who coached with her. They all seem to support the fact that she was a coach who was devoted to the betterment of the players, to the betterment of the sport, and to the attitude and devotion of putting in the work to be a part of a winning team. While watching those interviews, I often thought about how far things have come since she was a player; how far things have come since she began coaching at a very young age, and the number of young women she really made a direct difference for. I also wonder how the new NIL situation would have impacted they way she thought and how she managed her players and the game. 

- What I've Been Reading -

This week I did some serious reading. His Truth Is Marching On by John Lewis.  There were so many memories the book stirred for me and so many impactful statements within those pages. I think I am most moved by Lewis's afterword. Perhaps the most important paragraph of all said, 

"There are forces today in America trying to divide people along racial lines. There are forces today that are still preaching hate and division. There are forces today that want us to return to the old ways, to lose ground, to take our eyes off the prize. It makes me sad, for we don’t want to go back. We want to go forward and create one community—one America."

Yet, Lewis still encouraged hope, 

"We chose community once, in the 1960s, and I believe we can choose community once more...the means by which America redeemed part of her soul then can guide us now. When you see something you believe is unfair or unjust, you have to say so. Silence is not the answer. So much of what makes America truly great is hanging in the balance."

Many of us are asking what we can do to make a difference. Lewis's response:

"How to march forward? We all can study our history and thus learn what has worked in the past and therefore might just work in the present and in the future. We all can be trained to find our way or to get in the way. The teaching of individuals like James Lawson, Gandhi, and Dr. King lift us. They move us, and they tell us over and over again if another person can do just that, if another generation can get in the way or get in what I call good trouble, necessary trouble, I, too, can do something. I, too, can get in trouble for the greater good."

 

I don't know that I am doing much more than airing how I believe injustice is taking place or sharing my perspective on the current state of our world with those who have no choice but to listen to me. However, when the opportunity presents itself, I certainly have intentions of getting in the way or getting in good trouble.

I hope the snowmageddon doesn't bring big trouble for folks. I do hope it allows folks to take a bit of time. To take a breath. To enjoy the beauty of nature. To take a break from the demands of living in a positive way. Be safe out there and stay warm!

Start Dancing!

Last year I discovered 24 Hours of Happy and shared it with everybody I could think of who really needed to have a little Happy.

I still go back and visit it when I need a little bit of Happy from time to time.

I've been known to sing off-key at the top of my lungs hum along and dance around in my kitchen numerous times.

Sometimes it will be grooving to Happy or showing homage to Trace Adkin's disgraceful song.

MoTown music is always a hit with me as I think there is NO BETTER MUSIC MADE than that.

Right after we married, Mike and I shocked his son, Stephen, as we sang and danced along with Elton John on a classic number.  (I guess I bring out the best in folks, huh?)

I think it might be sort of a tradition in my family to dance around in the kitchen.

I remember Mama teaching me to do the twist with Chubby Checker or Elvis right there in our farmhouse kitchen when I was a skinny girl growing up.

Bridgette has been caught in the act and even had her moves posted online for the world to share.  We are dancing vacuumers as a family, too, I guess.  I know that her skinny girls dance along in the kitchen, too.  Continue the family tradition, girl!  She sent me a link the other day to a wonderful blog post that encourages dancing in the kitchen.  Looking at the vinyl floor the author was heating up with her moves took me back to the days when my own children were skinny munchkins growing up.  We would dance around in our kitchen on a floor exactly like that one and share so much joy.

Then, my journey down memory lane took me to high school dances I used to chaperon when I was sponsoring student government in my early educator years.  Some kid would always dare another to ask me to dance and of course I would oblige.  They would buzz about it in the hallways the next week and giggle behind their hands as we passed in the hall.

One of my colleagues shared a post about a young lad dancing out his Happy at the recent NCAA basketball warm-up music this past week and I just smiled and admired his moves.  He reminded me of my middle school teaching days.  We would have school dances for those adolescents and at first nobody would dance.  Then, I would coerce some kid into being my partner and we would get out there and shake a leg.  They were never surprised at my crazy dancing because I always told them how I loved to dance when we were in class.  At first they were a little skeptical and there was some eye rolling.  Then, they might hear music playing in my classroom during my planning time.  I always claim my favorite music is LOUD.  Next, they might notice me swaying or barely containing a little jig while music was playing and they were taking a benchmark assessment or exam.  So, when I broke out and busted a move or two at a basketball game during warm-ups or half-time, they simply rolled their eyes and giggled.

Mike and I often will turn up our old-school stereo and put in CDs or just let the radio blare out and do a little dancing right in our den or kitchen.  It makes us laugh and gives us a good excuse to hold one another close and sway around, if nothing else.  (We call it belly-rubbing-music.)  But, just the other night Mike and I were crashed in the den watching TV when a healthcare commercial came on.  It featured a couple who are built a little bit like us and they were recreating the Dirty Dancing lift and had a bit of a mishap.  In unison, Mike and I looked at one another and said, "That could be us!"

I don't know why we don't just set aside a time to simply do some silly dancing at times.  It brings out the Happy in most everybody somehow.  Life is too short not to enjoy it.  So, come on, do it.  Dance like nobody is watching and just look at how your soul is lifted and so are your spirits!

I'm turning on a little Uptown Funk and cranking up the volume right this minute.  After that will come a little Aretha, wanna join me?

Trying Something New

Sometimes I feel like I get into a rut.  I don't know what makes me do it.  I find I wear the same three outfits in a rotation or I prepare the same handful of meals in a rotation.  Isn't it nice sometimes to just shake things up?

Well, I had gotten a little bit tired of being in my menu/recipe rut.  So, I started recording Paula Deen's cooking shows and The Pioneer Woman Cooks.  I also started following The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond's, blog.  I also started pinning almost every recipe I thought would be remotely easy and sinfully delicious on Pinterest.  I also started clipping recipes for my ZipList recipe collection.  The next thing I did was go back through all this amalgamation of ideas I had collected.  Then, I made a list of things I wanted to try first - well all the main dishes, anyway.

(As you can see, at one point I got this list confused with my grocery list!)

Of course I first wanted to try all those chocolaty, gooey, delicious desserts first!  But, I forced myself to only look for something to spice up the meal part of our menu.

Then, I began to access those online recipes I had pinned and clipped and bookmarked and we have been shaking things up around here.  The good news is, Mike even commented that he liked the way we have been eating lately!

The first thing I tried was something that claimed to be lower in calories and looked simple and tasty.

You can find the recipe for Yummy Honey Chicken Kabobs HERE.

I made those Chicken Kabobs and they were indeed Yummy!  We at them over a rice pilaf and had a side of fresh pineapple chunks and it was a delicious, lower calorie meal for us.

The next thing I tried was Baked Cheesy Chicken Chimichangas.  See, I was sticking to the lower calorie version of one of our favorites.  Aren't you proud of me?  I was.  They did indeed turn out to be tasty and in some ways better than that you could get at a restaurant - You know except I did the grocery shopping for ingredients instead of somebody else and I did the cooking instead of somebody else and I did the clean-up instead of somebody else.  You can find the Chimichanga recipe I adapted HERE and my version HERE.

To celebrate Father's Day and honor Mike and my Daddy, I tried Loaded Nachos with home-made Pico de Gallo and we had a Nacho buffet for everybody to enjoy.  I used The Pioneer Woman's recipe and you can find that HERE.  It was an easy feast for a crowd and seemed to be gobbled up with gusto by everybody!  Plus, there were leftovers that Mike and I had the next day.

Doesn't this chunky Pico de Gallo look delicious?  It was!

Even after that we still had leftovers.  Now, I LOVE leftovers but Mike is good for one revisit but rarely any more after that.  So, I took the beef and bean filling and created Chimichangas by adapting the other new recipe.  You can find my newly adapted recipe HERE.

I'll share some more of what we have been trying that is new in later posts.  Or, you can go to Recipes Out of the Blue if you just cannot wait.

Kitchen Projects

During these bleak, wet, grey, shivery winter months I have tackled a few simple projects.  The first one started with Mike getting one of his wishes.

Nope, this wasn't what he said he was wishing for but...

(Doesn't Toby look like is is asking me if I can believe the size of that thing?)

Since we have lived here together, Mike has wanted a television in the kitchen.  He wanted it so that he could see the morning news while we are preparing and eating breakfast.  (He probably also wanted it in the mornings for company beyond my grumbly grunts.  I've never claimed to be a morning person.)  He also likes to have the TV on while we are cooking dinner to get the evening news.  Lately, he has been propped up between the chair back and the island to watch programs we have recorded and doze.  (He has been working long hours and 6-7 days per week and is tired when he comes in the door and collapses into a chair.)

I like having the news in the morning - especially the weather prediction.  I enjoy having the food channel on when I'm cooking dinner, too.  It was also great to have when we hosted the Super Bowl gathering.  Some of the crowd could graze the snacks and keep up with the play action.

When we first starting talking about having a TV in the kitchen, I envisioned a small one on the wall between the counter top and upper cabinets.  I saw something small and unobtrusive.  I thought it would be like a little picture on the wall.  Mike's vision was of something angled in the corner between the window and the china cupboard.  He saw something rather large hovering on an arm extending from the ceiling.  We fussed argued rationally discussed our concepts.  Then, one day Mike sought out Bryan and Jessica's advice - thinking Bryan would have a similar mindset to his and would be a strong influence over me.  Without hesitation - I mean, barely after Mike posed the question, Jessica suggested a thirty-two-inch mounted on the wall almost exactly where Mike wanted it.  I really don't even think she broke stride in her eating!  So much for gender support and girls sticking together and all that jazz.

So, we wound up buying a new (larger) television for the den and moving the one in that room to the kitchen.  See that reasonably sized television 32-inch screen television set sitting atop the antique dresser at the end of the room?  Well it was replaced by one that is more than ten inches larger in size that was in the photo at the opening of this post.  Major differences were made in both rooms of our house!

Where did the television pictured above wind up?  See the end wall in the picture below?  That became the home for it.

Interestingly, one of Mike's concerns was that he wanted to keep the decorative plates on the wall somehow.  So, there were a few little decorative moves that had to take place. 

 After the television was mounted, I decided I needed a large piece of artwork on the other side of the china cupboard to balance things out.  So, I trekked out to the local Goodwill, antique, and consignment shops in search of something large but fitting.  I could find nothing that was within my budget, blended with the rest of the country farmhouse kitchen decor, and fit into my spot.  (I know - that is a tough set of criterion to meet!)  I did get an idea or two, though.  I saw a couple of tin signs that would have worked but were a bit pricey.  I also saw a couple of pastoral prints that would have worked but were not within my budget.  I saw a few things that didn't seem to fit the spot.  The idea propelled me home to concoct my own solution.

Last summer my friend, Angela, and I stumbled across a wonderful clearance area in her local Hobby Lobby - some things were 90% off!  I got a couple of frames - one had a nice print and glass and one was just a bare frame with the thin wood back piece.  The empty frame came in handy for my new project. 

I dug around in my sewing room and found an old flour sack that I had been given years ago when I was still just a girl.  It was the year the Opryland Hotel first opened for business (when it was right beside the theme park Opryland).  Our state Holstein Association was serving as hosts for the national convention.  I was one of the folks who was responsible for working with the hotel to coordinate things like banquets.  So, at the end of one of those long days when I was winding through the innards of the hotel and working out some updates with the chef for one of the next day's banquets, he handed me an empty flour sack.  After all these years, it has become a beautiful art piece in my kitchen!

It seems to balance out the wall and it provides quite a conversation piece.  It required a bit of work for me to get it into the frame and looking like a piece of art work.  (That will be the topic for a future post.)  I'm also wondering if I should put a piece of glass over it to protect it...

Here is how the finished end wall of the kitchen looks now:

If you are wondering what happened to the other plates, well they are still hanging out.  I'll show their new roost in a future post!  What do you think?  Do the two sides of the wall look balanced?

Pondering a TV

Mike has been wanting a TV in the kitchen for almost a year now.  I have grown to agree that it would be a nice thing to have - a luxury we could enjoy. 

First we had the dilemma of where would be the best place to put it.  Well, the best place to put it would not really make it easy to watch when we are spending time in there!  Mike, of course, had a strong idea of where he wants it before he even brought up the subject with me.  So, the location is already decided.  Plus, he already has in mind who he wants to install the whole shebang!

I am going to have to move around some of my decorative plates.  I've also pondered the idea of where the box which brings the satellite programming in should go.  I think Mike wants to have it installed and look sort of like one in a hospital room looks.  You know with that big black metal arm/bracket/pedestal thingy?  He is very utilitarian but that is not really the look I want in my kitchen. 

So, I have been doing some investigating and pondering.  Not only do we need to deal with the box which brings the programming in from the satellite, we will also have to deal with the mounting bracket and the cords.  I don't want a jumble like what I have behind the cabinet where the TV in the den sits.  It looks sort of like this before image from House of Hepworths:


They solved the problem as you can read in their blog. 


So, I have been searching and looking and pinning ideas and tutorials on Pinterest.  The folks over at Gus and Lula have a good tutorial for framing and hiding their TV above the mantel.  I don't really want to disguise mine - just make it look finished and tidy.  I also noticed what they did over at The Harpster Home and thought that looked promising.  High Definition Framing has a simplistic idea for framing the TV.  I think I like the polished and finished look of how Full of Great Ideas framed their TV.  All of these still leave me with the need for a place to store the satellite box, though. 

 

Basically, the TV will go where that blue box is drawn near the window.  So, I guess I could put the box atop the china cabinet. 

I've also been looking into something that has been advertised on TV pretty heavily lately.  It is offered by Direct TV and is a box which will allow users to DVR up to five programs at a time.  Of course that is something we would rarely need since we don't watch that much TV.  The new and shiny box is called a Genie and with other TVs in the house, users could simply add a Mini Genie to have the same capabilities as the main TV.  After calling the Direct TV folks, I learned that the Mini Genie is about the same size as a paperback book.  I like that idea.  Maybe it won't be so hard to locate the control box after all...

Does anybody have ideas or suggestions for my dilemma? 

Plus, what is the deal with Blogger lately?  I cannot resize my photos!