patchwork perspective

for you

noreply@blogger.com (debi) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 21:28:00 +0000

"Today may there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us."
Unknown

noreply@blogger.com (debi) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:48:00 +0000

my new obsession

click on the above button and you'll see why.

SOOOO Fun

Side to die for

noreply@blogger.com (debi) — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 16:46:00 +0000

I love, love, love avocados, but it never occured to me to cook them let alone FRY them. This recipe is Awesome!!
Avocado Fries
Courtesy of Karly at "Buns in My Oven""

Avocado Friesrecipe from Dine & Dish

2 firm-ripe avocados, sliced into 1/2 inch thick wedges
canola oil for frying
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cups panko

Pour oil to a depth of 1 1/2 inches in a medium skillet. Heat oil to 375 degrees.

Pour the flour and salt into a shallow dish. Add the eggs to another shallow dish, and the panko crumbs to a third dish.

Dredge the avocado wedges in the flour, then the eggs, and finally the panko. Fry in batches for 30 to 60 seconds, turning over halfway through. Drain on a paper towel lined plate. Place on a baking sheet in a 200 degree oven to keep warm while frying the rest of the avocados. Season with more salt to taste.

THE way to walk down the aisle

noreply@blogger.com (debi) — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 03:48:00 +0000

Oh yeah, I would definitely get up at 1 am to watch the Royal Wedding if it was going to be this entertaining!

middle age

noreply@blogger.com (debi) — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 23:53:00 +0000

Update on Barn For Sale

noreply@blogger.com (debi) — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 02:56:00 +0000

I knew I should have done the research on the barn for sale with the fixer up house. I found out after a click or two that the 3 acre property features a 5378 sq.ft. newer custom home (behind the barn) the barn and no mention of the fixer upper house even though there was a picture. Listed for $969,000, it is no longer on my wish list.

See original post at http://debisphotoblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/for-sale.html

tried it loved it

noreply@blogger.com (debi) — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 21:19:00 +0000

today is a perfect day for this recipe, copied it from one of my favorite blogs The Pioneer Woman

Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

Prep Time: 45 Minutes | Cook Time: 30 Minutes | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 8

Ingredients

1 whole Cut Up Fryer Chicken

1 stick 1/2 Cup Butter

16 ounces, weight White Mushrooms, Sliced

¼ cups Dry White Wine

Kosher Salt And Pepper

¼ cups Flour

2 cups Chicken Broth (reserved From Chicken Or Canned)

1-½ cup Whole Milk

¼ cups (additional) Dry White Wine

1 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

1 cup Whole Black Olives, Chopped

1 teaspoon Kosher Salt, Or To Taste

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Extra Cheese, For Sprinkling

1 pound Thin Spaghetti

Preparation Instructions

Place chicken in a pot of water and boil on medium-low heat for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and allow to cool slightly. Keep broth in pot.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet. Throw in mushrooms, add 1/4 cup white wine, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until liquid has totally evaporated. Remove mushrooms from skillet. Set aside.

Bring broth to a boil. Break spaghetti into thirds (shorter pieces). Add spaghetti pieces to boiling broth and cook. Drain when al dente. Remove meat from bones and shred until you have 2-plus cups of shredded chicken.

Return large skillet to medium-low heat. Add 6 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle flour over butter, whisking to combine. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes. Pour in 2 cups broth and whisk to combine. Pour in milk, additional 1/4 cup wine, salt and pepper to taste, then cook and bubble until thick. Turn off heat, add Parmesan cheese, and stir.

Add mushrooms, chicken, and chopped olives. Stir to combine and check seasonings. Add cooked spaghetti and stir.

Turn into a 9 x 13 casserole pan. Bake at 350 degrees or until golden brown and bubbly. Serve with salad and warm, crusty bread.

mama's ride

noreply@blogger.com (debi) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 19:05:00 +0000

can you believe it? this is the thing that impressed me the most on my trip to Ikea, a sweet PINK truck in the parking garage. In my house full of men and men in training, this would definitely be mama's truck, no one else would dream of driving it let alone ride as passenger...I can only dream. Do you think the owner has matching boots, purse, earrings? I would.

Kirstie - You ROCK!!!

noreply@blogger.com (debi) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 15:46:00 +0000

60 years young, big women, you go girl!!!!

Journey

noreply@blogger.com (debi) — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 23:04:00 +0000

Yesterday marked the 39th year anniversary of our journey that I liken to backpacking in the wilderness. Never really knowing where we were headed, but confident the Lord would show us the way. Carrying our baggage on our backs, over hills and through valleys, in the cold, the storms, the heat and sunshine. We've had six young companions join us along the way for a time, some then departed to take their own journey. Looking forward to the rest of the journey, praying for balmy weather, level trails and gentle comaraderie.

1-1-11

noreply@blogger.com (debi) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 20:19:00 +0000

There is something about a repeating number in a date that grabs attention. We will have several this year:
besides today 1-1-11 we will have 1-11-11 and 11-1-11 and 11-11-11. Not to mention 11:11 twice on each date. What will this mean? Probably something to somebody but to me... just a time and date.

Butternut Squash Lasagna with Caramelized Onions

noreply@blogger.com (debi) — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 23:34:00 +0000

I fell in food love with this at the Skylark Hidden Cafe in Bellingham. Since they wouldn't give me the recipe I found this one and it is pretty darn good too, even if I had to cook it myself.

1 large butternut squash (about 1-1/2 to 2 pounds)
1 tsp. kosher salt or sea salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
3 medium-to-large yellow onions, sliced into rings
pinch of sugar
1 pound lasagna noodles (regular, no boil or refrigerated)
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
2 cups 2% milk, heated in the microwave 1-2 minutes until warm, but not boiling
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Peel butternut squash, slice in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut into 1-inch chunks. Toss 
squash with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, kosher salt and black pepper. Spread out in an even layer on a 
half sheet pan or a Mario Batali pizza pan if you have one (the Batali pan 
is an excellent tool for roasting vegetables). Roast 35-45 minutes, turning once or twice, until 
butternut squash is browned and fork-tender. Remove from oven and turn the oven temperature 
down to 350 degrees.
Meanwhile, heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and 
saute 1-2 minutes until the onions start to soften. Add the pinch of sugar and reduce heat to 
medium-low. Continue cooking onions until they become very soft and golden brown, stirring 
occasionally, about 20 minutes. Set aside.

If you're using regular lasagna noodles, prepare them according to package directions. Drain, 
but do not rinse.

In a 3 quart saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook 2 minutes. Add the milk all at once, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Let the sauce cook about 5 minutes, until it coats the back of a spoon. Transfer the butternut squash to a food processor. Add the ricotta cheese and nutmeg. Process until smooth. 
To assemble the lasagna, spray a 9 x 13 pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place about 1/4 cup of the white sauce on the bottom of the pan. Top with enough lasagna noodles to cover (it doesn't matter if you have to cut the noodles to fit). Top with half of the caramelized onions, then half of the butternut squash mixture and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. Top with another layer of sauce, then the noodles, the remaining caramelized onions, butternut squash mixture and the rest of the Parmesan cheese. Finish off with a layer of noodles, the rest of the sauce and the mozzarella  cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 1 hour. Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes. Allow the lasagna to rest at least 20 minutes (30 minutes is even better) before serving.

Serves 10.

Per serving: 441 calories, 22 g fat (11 g saturated), 83 mg cholesterol, 41 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 22 g protein, 131% Vitamin A, 24% Vitamin C, 54% calcium, 14 % iron

Read more at Suite101: Butternut Squash Lasagna: A vegetarian lasagna recipe that's worthy 
of serving to company.link to original recipe

an iBand Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (debi) — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 23:40:00 +0000

What a great reason to get an iPad for Christmas, or a few!! Hubby doesn't agree. :-( . Enjoy it!

T-day and my little pies

noreply@blogger.com (debi) — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 16:12:00 +0000

Happy Day After Thanksgiving. I refuse to call it Black Friday, I'm not a shopper and ... I'm not going to go there today, I'm in a good mood. Anyway, Thanksgiving was wonderful here, so much so that I totally forgot to take pictures. Tommy, our previously "pet" turkey was delicious, all the sides perfect, and my little pies were a hit. everyone got their own and they ate every last morsel. It snowed all day long, and the G-kids had a ball, making snowmen and then tackling them flat. After dinner they had a snowball fight with the neighbors G-kids. Fun times!

Sorry..forgot to post this right away so...5 days later!?

Little Pies

noreply@blogger.com (debi) — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 16:32:00 +0000

I came across this recipe and am going to try it. I think the G-kids will really enjoy having their own pie for thanksgiving, on second thought the adults will probably like it too. If you try it let me know the results, I'll post the comments from my family. see the recipe here

Lists

noreply@blogger.com (debi) — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 00:58:00 +0000

After agonizing for several weeks about posting lists..I've come up with a list to define how I feel about lists:
1. I hate lists
2. no one really cares about my lists
3. lists are, in reality, pretty boring
4. random lists serve no purpose
5. I'll not post another list on this blog (after this really dumb one)
SO There!

only 100 years

noreply@blogger.com (debi) — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 23:14:00 +0000

an e-mail too interesting not to pass along:

1910 Ford Model R

THE YEAR IS 1910

One hundred years ago.

What a difference a century makes!
Here are some statistics for the Year 1910:

************ ********* ************

The average life expectancy for men was 47 years.

Fuel for this car was sold in drug stores only.

Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.

Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.

There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles of paved roads.

The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.

The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower !

The average US wage in 1910 was 22 cents per hour.

The average US worker made between $200 and $400 per year.

A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year,
A dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.

More than 95 percent of all births took place at HOME.

Ninety percent of all Doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION!

Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which

Were condemned in the press AND the government as 'substandard.'

Sugar cost four cents a pound.

Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.

Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.

Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.

Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason.

The Five leading causes of death were:

1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke

The American flag had 45 stars.

The population of Las Vegas , Nevada , was only 30!

Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn't been invented yet.

There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.

Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write and

Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.

Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores.

Back then pharmacists said, 'Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind,

Regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health'

( Shocking? DUH! )

Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.

There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE U.S.A. !

I am now going to forward this to someone else without typing it myself.
From there, it will be sent to others all over the WORLD - all in a matter of seconds!

Try to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years.

IT STAGGERS THE MIND

List # 3 - Jobs You've Had

noreply@blogger.com (debi) — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 15:54:00 +0000

This list thing is starting to feel like a job. I rarely put this much information out about myself, but since hardly anyone reads this I guess doing it for myself is OK . Again inspired by by www.yesandyes.org and the book Listography Journal: Your Life in Lists

1. File clerk - actually worked for my dad alphabetizing his customer records stored on cards with punched holes in them, very pre, pre computer database stuff.
2. Babysitter - Of course, oldest of 5 and only girl.
3. Waitress
4. Assistant to the assistant manager in a totally upscale department store, designer salon department. Never got out from the back room but did get to try on all the new samples that came in my size.
5. File clerk - for a then monopoly, I was just a number.
6. Wife and mother - don't let anyone kid you that his isn't a JOB. No pay, lots of benefits and very rewarding but a job none the less.
7. Switchboard operator
8. Customer service - department store
9. Direct Sales - nice name for Tupperware, and Avon pusher
10. Bank Teller
11.Real estate agent - Loved this job, mostly the "caravan" weekly visits to the companies new listings.
12. Small business bookkeeper
13. Self employed bookkeeper
14. Online retail shop owner
15. Fill in secretary/office support

Now why can't I find a job?
What about you?

Skywatch Friday - Waning Moon

noreply@blogger.com (debi) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 00:31:00 +0000

List 2

noreply@blogger.com (debi) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 22:00:00 +0000

Another list inspired by www.yesandyes.org and the book Listography Journal: Your Life in Lists .
Places you've lived:
1. my parents home - the typical 60's built tri-level suburban family home. Lisle, Illinois
2. honeymoon cottage - actually a single wide mobile outside of the Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas.
3. cozy furnished apartment - the building probably pre-dated the Civil War, I'm sure the furniture was older than WWI, the neighbors were "southern" crazy, the wildlife (cockroaches) unbearable. Shreveport, Louisiana
4. family apartment - one kiddo, 2 bedrooms in this nondescript but wildlife free apartment complex. Shreveport, Louisiana
5. Moving on up - kiddo 2, three bedroom rambler, in a neighborhood of young families moving in and out as per Air Force transfers. down side, B52's nearby on standby (end of Vietnam) Bossier City, Louisiana
6. my parents home - veerry short lived
7. Swinging Singles Apartment - we, married with 2 little kids. inexpensive sub-let with a great view of a lake and tiny ski hill. Lisle, Illinois
8. Our first purchased home - 1920's standard well built 2 story with tons of oak woodwork, floors, real plaster walls, postage stamp lot....15 years and 4 kids didn't wear this beauty out. rapidly changing neighborhood in Aurora Illinois.
9.Temporary rental - The leaking roof, suspicious mold, mini kitchen, and barely room to breath bedrooms, did not detract from the gorgeous area we transplanted our selves into. Bellingham Washington
10. The end of the road - No foreseeable plans to move from our acre with views. nestled in a valley with our small orchard, veggie gardens and chickens, pretty close to living the dream. Deming Washington

Where have you lived?

List 1

noreply@blogger.com (debi) — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 22:36:00 +0000

In honor of the nasty rainy weather, my ribcage aching, mind fogging, whine inducing cold and a moment of lucidity, I thought I'd post a list. I unashamedly stole this idea from a blog I follow, seemed like a good one so here we go.

Pets I've had

Goldfish and or turtles, I really can't remember which but I do remember that the snails added to the bowl for cleaning purposes were a fascination until watching them made me throw up. Nice
Misty the big stupid cuddly dog. She was the only one that understood my teenage angst.
Daisy the cat. Not being a cat family, this stray stole out hearts and peed all over the house, think she was really a he and was acting out on it's name choice. Prematurely met a car he/she didn't like.
Tina as in Ike and.. Our first pet as a married couple. She was a stray white terrier that someone had penned "Devil" on her tummy, this may have been why she was a stray. She turned out to be a good dog when the kids came along, and only behaved like her first name when she was required to obey.
Sandy the Golden Retriever. Best pet at our house award! Kid pillow, jogging buddy, fierce sounding watch dog, best friend. She would retrieve anything including basketballs, fire crackers and an o.l.d deer carcass. She died too soon of lymphoma at 16.
Butch Chuckins aka Butchy. Part Lab part Retriever, part scaredy cat. Sweet and loveable a great companion for Sandy. Would follow anyone anywhere, we had to go get him from the elementary school once or twice and when our kids were getting less interested in pets he adopted the neighbor girl and let her dress him up in all kinds of humiliating clothes. He was a talker and would greet us each morning with a WHOOwhoo whoo. But scared?? he was terrified of water, even walk towards the hose and he was gone, he left the fire crackers to Sandy and found any tiny spot he could crawl into at the first bang. Miss him greatly, He lived with us for 12 years.
Fiona and Rebel the cats. We were petless (except for the fun filled Tiger, dessert gehko) and the boys begged for cats and as luck would have it a friend had a litter. We came home with Fiona a blue cream calico and a year later same momma had another litter and we were begged to nurse the runt, she wouldn't eat and mom had disappeared (likely dead) We took her and another for her company, she hated the formula wanted to chew the nipple not suck and we were worried. Finally we were feeding the other cats some peices of cheddar that we were grating and Rebel ate it and the rest is FAT CAT history. Saved by Cheese. Sister cat LC lives with our granddaughter.
too many chickens to count and thats alright cause they aren't my pets and 1 turkey, all are entertaining to watch but touch (pet) them? NOT ME.

just for fun I made this word cloud. check out http://www.wordle.net to make your own.

drama

noreply@blogger.com (debi) — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 23:26:00 +0000

I love a theatrical sky what can be more spectacular?

for more beautiful skies from around the world:

how dare you wake me!

noreply@blogger.com (debi) — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 19:11:00 +0000

its only fair to wake her from her nap - she wakes us all several times during the night, I'm sure, for fun.

SOCC 9/4

noreply@blogger.com (debi) — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 03:05:00 +0000

silhouette of the grapes on grape leaf

Sky Watch Friday #8

noreply@blogger.com (debi) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 23:58:00 +0000