South of Purple

New year...new coffee love.

2012-01-01T12:54:00.000-05:00

Yummy Iced Coffee recipe

I love Lucy!

2011-12-07T09:32:00.000-05:00

NI 066 b

2011-08-28T12:16:00.003-04:00

NI 066 b
Originally uploaded by mmaammbr

NI 066 a

2011-08-28T12:16:00.001-04:00

NI 066 a
Originally uploaded by mmaammbr

Maters!!!!

2011-07-20T17:06:00.001-04:00

Tomorrow or Friday depending on when these ripen up I will can some salsa! These are from the last 4 days and we have been eating at least 2 a day for lunch!

Last week I made 13 half-pints of spicy tomato jam...it tastes like spicy ketchup that's spreadable and I made mine really hot. It IS so good....

I hope spaghetti sauce is next week!

I LOVE TOMATOES!!!!!!

I can't fudge.

2011-06-15T13:01:00.001-04:00

When I was a kid my dad got off work at 3pm and he would be home when my brother and I got home from school. At least once a week, he would make his special fudge for us before Mom got home. He was a chocoholic like me. He called his fudge 'spoon fudge' because you had to eat it with a spoon...he didn't use the candy thermometer or the soft-ball method...he let it boil for 5 minutes and then added butter and vanilla, let it cool and poured it into a pyrex and refridgerated it...then we would get spoons of it and go outside!

My favorite kind is a little grainy and crunchy...but I have been trying for 3 weeks to make it grainy or regular.
I. CAN. NOT.   It's driving me crazy....so I am going to make some more ...already tried this morning and it did not work...sigh.

Any suggestions?  I don't have a candy thermometer, it's on my gift list for when the family needs ideas because I can't find one when I am out. and I apparently don't do the soft-ball stage right either...HELP ME.

WOO HOO!!!   I have finally made perfect fudge! I can make it my way (crunchy-ish, and everybody else's way (smooth and velvety). The KEY for me was a candy thermometer. I am so happy, I made some last night at 10:30! Only other advice besides the candy thermometer is 'don't make it if it's going to rain or is raining'. Here's the original old-fashioned recipe.

Hershey's Old Fashioned Rich Chocolate Fudge

3 cups sugar
2/3 cup cocoa
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Line 8 or 9 inch square pan with foil; butter foil.
In large heavy saucepan stir together first three ingredients; stir in milk, with a wooden spoon*.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a full rolling boil.
Boil without stirring, to 234 degrees F on a candy thermometer (or until syrup, when dropped in very cold water forms a soft ball which flattens when removed from water). Bulb of candy thermometer should not rest on bottom of pan. (This can take 20-30 minutes).
Remove from heat. Add butter & vanilla.
DO NOT STIR! Cool at room temperature to 110 degrees F (lukewarm). (This can take 2 to 2-1/2 hours).
Beat with wooden spoon until fudge thickens & loses some of its gloss. (This can take 15-20 minutes. It really works best if you have someone to 'tag-team' with.) It starts to look more like frosting than a thick syrup when it is ready.
Quickly spread into prepared pan; cool.
Cut into squares.
Store wrapped loosely in foil in the refrigerator.
*it is very important not to use a wire whisk or the fudge will not set up. Also just stir gently, even though the cocoa will stay floating on top, it will mix in as the mixture heats up.

Sometimes I wouldn't let this cool and I would pour it straight into the pan and pop into fridge....LOVE!

Certifiable.....

2011-06-11T09:21:00.001-04:00

With all of Zach's sicknesses that caused so many absences this year, he chose not to graduate and to go and make up his classes in the fall...so, on the one hand, yay, my last baby boy will stay home with me for a little longer and on the other hand, "what is wrong with YOU?" (keeps going through my head!). He is a very confident and different child and I really am learning 'following the beat of your own drummer'....love the kiddo though and he will be fine on his terms.

Patrick has been home from Afghanistan for a few months now and he's having so much fun with his daughters and wifey....and the bunnies have been busy...WE ARE PREGGO AGAIN....maybe we will get a boy (I already dreamed it was so...so there)!

Jamey and Mike are also doing their own thing and being uber independent. I miss little boys...but they have to grow up and away.

Lucy is the action in the house...such a toddler dog...gets into everything and spoiled rotten and she makes Kim smile a lot....love that dog!!!

I have loads of projects started, as usual...and finding the space and time is getting harder...I thought I was supposed to have more time in this part of life...HA!

God is answering prayer!

2011-02-20T12:51:00.002-05:00

PATRICK is OUT of Afghanistan and on his way to the US!!!!!! WOO-HOO!!!!!

SNOW DAY!

2011-01-10T11:03:00.000-05:00

When Lucy and I get tired of playing in the snow...I will post crafty stuff.

Our new puppy!

2011-01-06T13:19:00.000-05:00

She's 4 months old and we named her Lucy Fur. (hehe)

Fab Fall and Happy Halloween

2010-10-28T21:42:00.000-04:00

Grandfather Mountain

2010-08-23T08:56:00.001-04:00

what a view!

ymmy bears

Mile-high swinging bridge - doesn't look so scary from this angle, huh?

easy girl...the boy was waiting on his food

Crafts in EVERY room!!!

Need a sewing machine?????

2010-08-20T08:05:00.000-04:00

TheMotherLoad

I hope the person who gets these ...shares!!!!

Touting my town

2010-08-11T17:59:00.001-04:00

I can't believe I've lived here 6 years and not checked out the Carousel! Kim and I both thought it would be an old and rundown type of park with an old and rundown type of merry-go-round...BOY, were we WRONG! We had a few hours Sunday to go check out some things to do when the grandgirls come back in September and we found some great stuff all within 8 miles of us! I'll show you the carousel and when they visit I'll show you some more fun things to do.

Shelby, NC Carousel and train

Cannot wait till they get here!!!!

Fabulousness

2010-08-11T09:48:00.000-04:00

Beautiful woman...I LOVE the wrinkles!

This is how I feel today!!

2010-07-22T10:48:00.000-04:00

Thanks Jess!

Fluffer Notter

2010-07-19T21:56:00.001-04:00

My little sewing project today was to try and make some washable covers for my Swiffer handles. The inspiration came from here Reusable Swiffer Duster Cloth Tutorial and I don't usually follow directions word for word but I did with these because they looked so good. This is what hers looks like....

....and this is what mine look like....hmm

I haven't dusted with them, I will do that in the morning...I know they will work just fine (I need to clip ravelly strings off of them)...I just want to know how she got hers so FLUFFY!!!!

UPDATE: They work great!!

Craftbits love!

2010-07-18T08:59:00.001-04:00

I love Craftbits website and they have a new Household Cleaner section, go look at all the cool stuff you can make and do....love that it's all in one place and I can just look it up immediately! There is also a Win Soap for a Year contest!!!!

RIP

2010-07-17T11:11:00.001-04:00

Last week, a young woman I knew and worked with was killed by her boyfriend, not only did he take her life and that of 3 of her children (one unborn), he also took his own. He did leave one survivor, Destiny, who is fighting for her life in the hospital (update, she is doing better, Thank you God!) Tracy was one of the sweetest people I have ever met and she adored her children. I have seen, been near, and helped people I know with abuse, but none have ever ended in death. I am at such a loss as to what I think and feel, this will take some time sorting out. Please pray for Destiny, she has a destiny, possibly divine. The Story

Last week I also lost my dearly beloved Keera. My grandbabies and Patrick and Stephanie came to spend a week with us. Keera was really sick the day before they came and and I realized this was her time. I had been hoping it wouldn't come. Ever. The most awesome vet I have ever had came to my house and helped her painlessly go to her new home (over the Rainbow Bridge). I was with family in my house all week and yesterday was the first day I was alone and feeling the full effect of my Keera being gone.

Oh you know you need one....

2010-05-26T11:21:00.002-04:00

I found a delightful crafty sewy blog yesterday and she's having a great giveaway too...go enter...
Bitter Betty Blogs ...it's for an IRON...yep, an iron and yep we all need a GOOD one...and mine spits brown stuff at me so I hope I win it...but you can all try...

I FOUND my camera...Daft husband swore he last saw it beside my computer, Daft wife believed him, Daft wife went through EVERY craft area and EVERY room and EVERY car (but his) and EVERY outdoor area 3 times in 4 days to make sure she didn't just 'lay' it somewhere for a minute, Daft wife decided to order one and was telling Daft husband about it Monday night and Daft husband said y'know ...it could be in my jeep...Not-Daft son #3 went to check jeep and ...came in with camera...I am no longer daft, but Daft Husband will remain DAFT (funny word and I way over-used it...lol)

The twins will be here Thursday evening and I get them all to myself for at least 4 days with no parental units attached to them...I LOVE it when I get them alone...Patrick is in CA and Steph is visiting her family w/o any children...too bad in-laws, they are mine this week!

I have to go finish up a whale I was making for a swap...mine seemed to keep coming out too small so I have some graduated sizes going on right now...then I will have to get all the pins and scissors put away, they are way too fascinating for two 2-yo's!

...for Mother's Day I got a Kenmore blender and a coffee-maker (in red that matches my Kitchen-Aid stuff), and I was told that another gift was on the horizon...well.. I got it Monday...he found a Featherweight 221 for me....and the pic is really bad , it's dusty and will be going to a lady I know that refurbishes them and she thinks it was a great deal, it does sew and sews well!!...the Husband did an awesome thing (he's still DAFT), and I so love it! and him!

Bad pic but when it's shined up and perfect, I'll repost!

Did 'blogger' change stuff?

~sigh~

2010-05-21T08:11:00.000-04:00

My house is in complete disarray (my new fav word)...and just found out the grandbabies are coming to stay with me...and I lost my camera either in my house or someone swiped it, cannot remember where i saw it after Sunday...crap, cannot afford a new camera! BBL

Tom Lehrer - Send the Marines - now on DVD

2010-05-02T13:12:00.000-04:00

Days aren't long enough!

2010-03-31T09:58:00.008-04:00

We are getting into the 70' and 80's this week...it's lovely out there. I was going to do some sewing, but wouldn't you know...the grands are coming, in fact, I think the whole family will be here this weekend...YAY...but...I will have to clean and re-arrange and I had started a tiny sorting project that is now full blown...if the rains stays away i will be taking every sewing and crafty thing out of my house and putting it in the back yard...then going through each and every box and trying to get this stuff down to HALF it's size...I know right. Will post pics when I get it all out there...tomorrow afternoon is the goal...kinda like CLEAN HOUSE style, stay pile, go pile, give pile!

I went to the lake for a few days...and I have been doing a little hiking and I have a pic I took that I cannot get out of my mind! I KNOW there is something to be 'made' with this thing (water-logged stump)...and I want to bring it home with me...I really do have a problem....maybe a Hoarder's appearance is in order.
Here's a pansy from Kim's flowers ...

and Mike's and his 'new' car...hope this one lasts longer...

...and a fabric Fish Post Card I made for a swap...so fun!

Talk about the last minute!

2010-03-30T18:26:00.003-04:00

It's been a year and my PIF (Pay It Forward) goes out tomorrow...I sent one before Christmas and one I could never get an address for the person it was to go to...maybe Carol will still email me her address!

Kasia, I bet you didn't think yours was coming did you? I don't know how long it takes to get there...but it goes out tomorrow to you!

well. Barb told me....

2010-03-30T15:40:00.003-04:00

...that Alice is having a giveaway (uh, more like 3) to celebrate her 200th post...please go visit her and enter! I love all the uber-talented bloggers on here...and I see so many awesome ideas and make so many fabulous friends...don't anyone stop blogging and sharing.