Feel Good Friday - I'm Going To Make It One Regardless

I've whined about the cold and the weather for two Fridays now. I'm over it. The weather will not get the best of me.

It really isn't that long until spring, 51 days. I'm trying to decide where to put my herb garden, and what to put in it. The tomato plants are going to be increased by half again. I'm almost out of frozen and canned tomatoes and it's not even February. I need more. Making twice as much of Scotty's Basic Tomato Sauce and Roasted Tomato and Black Bean Soup. That stuff should have a patent.

Remember Edie's Sweet Muffin Mix that was posted on Wednesday of this week? Bake them in mini-muffin tins and little hands just love these.

I received my new tart pan from Williams-Sonoma yesterday. I won a 25.00 gift certificate on Dining With Debbie a few weeks ago. Thank you again Debbie. I haven't decided what I'll use it for first. You know I'll let you know.

Thanks for visiting my world today, of herb gardens, good food, prizes and 75 degree weather, in my mind. While you're visiting stop by The Girl Next Door Grows Up for more Feel Good Friday.

Feel Good Friday - If You Say So!

The mood I'm in is not really conducive to writing my Feel Good Friday. It's 17 degrees outside and everywhere you look there is snow. Not as much as other people have, but more than I want.

I like being outside, sunshine, flowers, green grass, vegetable gardens, visiting with the neighbors, sweet tea in the shade of the trees. taking carrots to Pepper, Candy and Wolf, the donkeys and horse, long walks down the lane with Annie and Mazzy, watching the rabbits and squirrels play. You get the picture.

But what do I have! Below freezing temperatures for what seems like forever, snow on the ground forever, layer upon layer of clothes, plus a down coat, gloves, scarf, boots. I can hardly move. If I were to fall no danger of being hurt I'd bounce right back up. It's 8:00 a.m before you ever see daylight and you better hurry because by 5:30 p.m. it's dark again.

No this is not fun. I can't even cook enough to keep myself entertained. I am counting the days until spring.

I bet I really cheered you up today. Well thanks for stopping by anyway. Maybe it will be 75 degrees by next Friday and my whole attitude will have changed.

Stop by The Girl Next Door Grows Up - Feel Good Friday, I'm sure some of those folks are having a better day.

The good thing is, I do believe winter is half over. I'm having trouble getting excited about that.

Feel Good Friday - Am I Having Fun Yet!

Last week or sometime, my niece had suggested I go to the tanning salon. If nothing else just to get warm. Why hadn't I thought of that! Well let me tell you how that went.

First you shovel the walkway. I do this before I shower, because I will be frozen when I come back in and can jump in the shower to defrost. Now for the getting dressed, two pair of long underwear (the silky kind, in case I'm in an accident), jeans, sweatshirt, socks, that are good for 45 below zero and boots. Now comes the scarf, hat and down coat. I also put those little "hot hands" in my gloves. Of course I have to go to the bathroom now.

I have used the remote starter for my car so it will be toasty warm when I get in. Wrong! The last time I was in the car I turned the heater off when I got out. It doesn't matter I can hardly get in anyway with all the clothes I have on.

I am at the tanning salon. Do you know how long it takes to get all those clothes off? I don't care, I have 15 minutes of pure wonderful heat. I don't care if I look like a lobster when I get out. Absolute heaven!

Have you ever tried to put long underwear on when you are hot and kinda sweaty? It took twice as long to get dressed again. Plus now I'm getting that burning sensation like I might have stayed in too long, and I'm really hot.

I'm out, might as well get a little exercise. There is a Super Wal-Mart in the same shopping center so I thought a good power walk inside, that would be perfect. You know how all the old people do. You don't power walk with that many clothes on, plus everyone looks at you like you're stealing something. I'm going home.

Undressed again. I have never seen a lobster as red as I am. It is jammie time and please don't ask if I'm having a Feel Good Friday.

Feel Good Friday - One Year Later

Can you believe it has been one year today since I posted my first recipe on Beverly's Back Porch. What is even harder to believe is that it was a recipe for Cheesy Dog Treats. Boy, I was certainly going for the extreme gourmet in my collection. It doesn't matter, I still make them twice a month for my little angels, Annie and Mazzy, and their friends. Their best friend, Harper (lab). weighs about 10 times more than they do so that involves making little, little treats and big, big treats. If you really love your doggies you will make some also.

Enough of the dog treats, lets move on.

This is simply a great big THANK YOU to all of you that have taken the time to read and comment on the blog. I truly feel like I know you from reading your posts and consider you all my friends.

I am going to have to single out one person that has been a true inspiration to me this year in the cooking department. For 50 years I have not been able to make yeast breads from scratch. Because of my friend Joyce at OctoberFarm I can now make fabulous bread, No Knead Rosemary, No Knead Rye, Italian, rolls, and on and on. I am a bread maker! It's not all about the bread either. Her recipes are just the best. Plus I'm in love with her dog Teddy. Thank you Joyce, it just feels good being your friend.

Jump on over to The Girl Next Door Grows Up for more Feel Good Fridays.

Hope to see you all for another wonderful year!!!

Feel Good Friday

I almost forgot to write my Feel Good Friday post again this week. It isn't that I don't feel good, it's that I feel sooo good and am so busy, I almost forgot to tell you.

I'm so behind with my baking this year that if I wait long enough it will be too later to worry about. My friend Edie, and I are having a cookie baking day next week so that should help catch me up a little. All we have to do is pick a day when my brother is not coming by or we will still be behind.

Can you believe that one week from today is Christmas Eve. Are you ready? I'm never ready. I hope a lot of you have taken the suggestions of others and made most of your Christmas presents this year. There is nothing that says how much you are loved and appreciated more than a gift someone has taken the time to make. When I'm making a batch of cookies or candy, or baking a loaf of bread I already know who I'm making it for. All that love just jumps right in the mixture.

Try to keep your week as sane as possible and I'll see you next week. Check out The Girl Next Door to see what others are feeling good about this week.

Feel Good Friday - I'm Still Stuffed

Did you have a wonderful Thanksgiving? I had the best Thanksgiving I've had in 10 years. It was just plain fun and the food was fabulous. As you know if you have tried any of Edie/Lucy's recipes from the blog, she is one fine cook. She has promised us more recipes, soon. Her Lemon Chess Pie yesterday was to die for.

Yes Larry (brother) your Deep Fried Turkey was wonderful.

I'm keeping this short today because we are making Turkey Bone Gumbo. Let me know how you like it! It's just another simple way to "feel good".

Let's go over to the The Girl Next Door Grows Up and see what makes other folks "feel good". Plus come back during the week and we'll use up those turkey leftovers. How about a Kentucky Hot Brown!

Feel Good Friday- I Love Blogging

For years I always thought I was a fairly organized person, however since I started my blog, not so much. There always seems to be a thin layer of dust on everything, a load of laundry that needs to be done, closets and drawers that need cleaning out. You get the idea. But that seems so unimportant when I have so much to tell you, that I know you couldn't live without knowing.

It's not so much what I want to tell you, but I want to hear what you are doing also. Who's cooking what today, who's making soap, what are you reading, what have the kids done today, who' s been on vacation. It takes a lot of time to keep up with everyone. I love every minute of it.

We had a terrible wind storm on Tuesday and I lost telephone service which meant no Internet for 12 hours. I was in a panic! Who cares that I was sleeping for 7 of those hours. I was worried I'd miss something.

It makes me feel good knowing you guys are out there sharing your life with me. Slide on over to The Girl Next Door Grows Up for more Feel Good Friday.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and see you next Friday for Turkey Bone Gumbo. Now that will make you feel good.

Feel Good Friday - It's Almost Thanksgiving

How could you not feel good when Thanksgiving is just around the corner. All that wonderful food and all those fabulous leftovers. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, except for my birthday of course.

I really don't like going to someones house for Thanksgiving. You have no leftovers. Even if they send some home with you it's never enough. I want the turkey bones and everything. Save your turkey bones, plus your neighbors, on both sides. I'm going to give you a recipe for Turkey Bone Gumbo after Thanksgiving.

I will post my menu with recipes as time gets closer because I do change my mind a lot. And I love getting a new recipe for the holidays. For example this year I'm making Sweet Potato Pie instead of Pumpkin. It's not a new idea, it's just new for me to change.

This week I attended a fresh wreath making class. I'm not at all crafty so I think they were glad when I finished my wreath and got the hell out of there. I'm sure I heard lots of sighs. Some people have no sense of humor. It really is beautiful, especially since it only cost $5.00. That's without the bow and stuff.

It was 75 degrees at my house yesterday and I actually washed a few windows, yes, me, clean. I got a late start so I didn't have to do many.

That's all the Feel Good from my house this week, for more visit The Girl Next Door Grows Up.

Feel Good Friday - Some People Do Believe Me!

When I posted My True Ghost Story on Halloween, I was very reluctant. Years ago when I would tell people the stories their usual reaction was the "eye rolling", so finally I stopped talking about it. The day before Halloween a friend, Burton Stapp, reminded me of the stories and suggested I write about them. Burton knew the stories were true because he had lived in the house before me, and I'm sure he has his own stories.

Anyway it was nice to get several comments that indicated people did believe me. We never know what's real or not until you have experienced something.

I'm really at a loss this week with nothing to can or freeze except a cake or two for the holidays. But I have to get started on cookie dough soon.

Yes, I'm even going to start my cookbook this winter. Just what the world needs,one more cookbook!

More Feel Good Friday can be found at The Girl Next Door Grows Up. Check it out!

Feel Good Friday - I'm So Spoiled

Yesterday I'm thinking, what can I write about for Feel Good Friday? Then guess what comes in the mail! The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook. My sweet, wonderful niece Angie, The Jammie Girl has sent me a new cookbook. I'm so excited I don't know what to make first. Over 300 recipes. The book was written by Beth Hensperger, who also wrote The Bread Bible. If you own a bread maker or are thinking about owning one you need this book. Unbelievable! It even has recipes for making jams, preserves, and chutneys in the bread machine.

I know not everyone gets as excited as I do about a new recipe or cookbook, but that's just the way I am. If you had as many vegetables and fruits to preserve every year as I do you would be looking for new ideas too. I hate to see food wasted. Plus, my food never gets recalled.

I'm starting to feel bad now because my friend David still has green tomatoes and I have not one place left to store them, freeze them or can them, and thank you God we have a freeze warning tonight.

Life is good, enjoy it. See you tomorrow, probably for a green tomato recipe.

Feel Good Friday - What A Great Week!

My week started out with a bang! Have you been ask for your autograph? I was on Monday. I'm in my least favorite store on earth and this little girl, about 5-6, came up to me and ask for my autograph. I was so shocked I ask why. She said her Nanna said I was famous because my picture was on the computer. This happened in Paris, okay so it was Paris, Ky. Her Nanna happened to be a friend of a friend who checks out my blog from time to time. How fun was that. I sure hope I don't have to hire a bodyguard. I was really grateful I didn't have my jammies on under my coat like I did when the picture was taken.

Now you know how much I love October Farm with Jaz and Teddy and she has the most fabulous give-aways. I won her Amish Basket from last week and received it on Tuesday. This sweet person is on vacation and is dragging this big box around with her to mail to the lucky winner. Me.

This basket is stuffed full of great stuff; 2 books on the Amish, a green leaf shaped dish, I'm using it as a spoon rest, hot buttered rum mix, maple candy,rocky road fudge, apple caramel crunch coffee, pumpkin jellies,pumpkin candle, pumpkin poop (corn candy), plus something else but I ate it and can't remember.

I'm going to read all the other Feel Good Friday post on The Girl Next Door Grows Up and see if anyone else has had as great a week as I have. I bet not!

Feel Good Friday - Who Says

Well we all know how I feel about cleaning. Comes right after ironing sheets. It's not going to happen, or so I thought. I have used the leaving the vacumn and cleaning supplies in the middle of the floor, leaving get well cards, from myself, all over the house. But the jig is up and I've been caught.

My friend Judy, little miss Martha Stewart, stopped in the other day and had the nerve to say, "Where did you get all the get well cards. You haven't been sick." Crap. Do you know she totally cleans her refrigerator once a week!

So, for the pass week I've been cleaning, windows, baseboards, two inches of dust off everything. No one has the nerve to come around me for fear of beening put to work, or having me snap their head off.

Tuesday was interesting. I decided to use the pressure washer on the patio and outside windows. I really should have known not to do this. Ten minutes into this and I'm soaking wet, clothes, hair, shoes, everything, laughing my butt off. Then I forgot to put the window down that my little Mazzy doggie likes to lay in and totally blew her right out of the window. Thank heavens she wasn't hurt. But if we ever have a hurricane in Kentucky she will know what to expect.

Yes, I feel good today, mainly because I'm not cleanin' nothin'.

More Feel Good Friday at The Girl Next Door Grows Up. Check it out.

Feel Good Friday- Where Is My Life Going?

Maybe if I try being depressed the time will not go so fast. Nah, to much good stuff going on to be depressed.

A little update on the results of our church auction. Unbelievable is the only word that comes to mind. People were spending money like crazy. $100.00 for a pound of Bourbon Balls, 2100.00 for a quilt, 37.50 for a pint of my Roasted Tomato and Black Bean Soup, actually that Scotty's soup. $375.00 for a yard decoration of dried up corn stalks, with pumpkin and squash around it. It really was beautiful. People were buying Jam Cakes like they were never going to get another one as long as they live.

It was a perfect day, beautiful weather and all. Our total was right at $9,000.00 dollars. We were all very happy at church on Sunday. It wasn't all about the money. It was everyone working together and having fun, seeing people you haven't seen since last year or longer. Some people I hadn't seen since I was a kid. Old boyfriends from the third grade.

Some guys is introducing me to people I went to grade school with and I didn't even know who he was.

I was so busy visiting I missed 4 items I wanted to bid on. Yes, I live in a wonderful little country community that I wouldn't take anything for. Old Union Christian Church's Lords Auction has been going on each year since 1947. I know this how...because Louise(92) told me so.

Yes I feel good just being a small part of this.

For more Feel Good Friday please visit The Girl Next Door Grows Up.

Feel Good Friday - How Could That Be

I have a friend that always says, "It's Friday and then it's Friday". That is certainly the way this week has been. Remember last week we packed up my friend Linda for her move. Which went great and she is doing great. This week I helped a friend of a friend pack on Wednesday. I wonder if Mayflower Moving and Storage needs any help. I am over the moving business. I'm back to cooking and blogging.

This week we are getting ready for our annual church auction. We call it The Lord's Auction. The church has held this auction every year for 60 years. There will be so many cakes, pies, candy, quilts, shawls, crafts, country hams, home canned vegetables, pickles and preserves, etc. you will not know what to buy first. The Jam Cakes always seem to bring the most money in the food department. I have seen them bring $200.00 for one cake. I wish everyone of you could come. We always seem to have a picture perfect fall day. Everyone is outside eating hot dogs and pimento cheese sandwiches.

This year my contributions will be Apple Cakes In a Jar, Roasted Tomato and Black Bean Soup, Tomato Preserves, Blackberry Cobbler and Peach and Blueberry Cobbler.

Each year the item that I look forward to most is Mr. Fuller's Creamed Candy. Mr Fuller was my first Sunday School teacher. He is in his 80's and still makes the best candy there is, among other things.

It just makes me feel good to be able to be a part of all these wonderful old traditions. Wish you were all here. If you have time stop by.

More Feel Good Friday at The Girl Next Door Grows Up.

Feel Good Friday - Amazing

I'm saying amazing because it really should not have been a "feel good" week. Last Sunday my friend Linda called to tell me her husband of 47 years had passed away, suddenly. Ed (64) had had a bad heart for several years but still managed to work and do what needed to be done. Linda you may remember is a breast cancer survivor of less than a year. Plus they were in the process of downsizing and moving to a smaller home.

So this week she has had to bury her husband and pack and move from a home of 25 years, going through all that stuff that we all accumulate and still not lose her mind. All of this basically in 6 days. When asked how she's doing, she just has a little smile and says, "God doesn't give us more than we can handle."

I think my faith is strong, but I'm not sure it compares to Linda's. I feel good today because I have such a wonderful friend.

I hope I stop and think about her week the next time I'm whinny about how busy I am or have a case of the "Poor Me's".

More Feel Good Friday can be found at The Girl Next Door Grows Up, please stop by.

Feel Good Friday - And I Really Do

Thank you all so much for your get well wishes last week. I got more sympathy from you guys than from some of my family. Not unusual, I think it's a guy thing. Anyway I'm back to normal, as normal as I can be.

It really was a little "touch and go" there for a few days. Got my flu shot on Wednesday, came down with the cold/flu thing on Thursday. Had a big knot on my arm from that. And on Saturday while walking the puppies a big walnut fell out of a tree in the yard and smacked me on the top of the head. Now I had a knot on the arm and on on the head. Both hurt like hell.

People kept bringing me stuff to can, tomatoes, green beans, pears. It was just too much, so I went to bed. I have also discovered the reason children need a nap. They don't get tired and grumpy. I need a nap everyday for the same reason. So everyday at 2:00 I'm taking a nap. So if you happen to call between 2:00 and 3:00 the only thing I can say is God have mercy on your soul. I am not a happy camper if you wake me up for any reason.

So my advise to everyone is "Take a Nap Every Day" and visit Feel Good Friday every week. See you next week.

Feel Good Friday - Not So Much

I don't feel so hot, actually I feel very hot, but it's from a fever. I have a word of warning here so pay attention. This early flu thing that is going around is very contagious from blogging. My niece, Angie, had it last week end and I have it now. I have not seen her or even talked to her on the phone, just on her blog. I probably shouldn't even be telling you this I could be spreading this around now. So if you stop reading I'll understand.

Sometimes it's nice to be sick for a few days. Take a shower and put your jammies on and hang a sign on the door that says "I Have The Flu - Go Away!"

Before "flu bug" appeared I was having a really good week. My birthday slipped right over into September. Randy, my nephew, gave me a wonderful new bread maker. So, be prepared for lots of bread recipes later. A fabulous new cook book from my sister, Sandy, in California arrived also. You will be hearing lots about this one. It is a Michael Chiarello's The Tra Vigne Cook Book. Don't you just love him. There is a Grilled Flank Steak with Roasted Peppers in Tomato Sauce that I'm dying to make. But for today I think I'll be defrosting chicken soup.

Check out other Feel Good Fridays, they are probably having a better day than I am. See you next week.

Feel Good Friday

What is it about getting your hair did, yes I said did, that makes you feel so good?
Well that's what I did yesterday. I bet I hadn't bothered getting a haircut in 2 months or longer. If a piece starts to look a little strange I just snip it off with the manicure scissors. The next thing you know instead of a sleek short bob I have a punk rock haircut. Thanks to my sweet Mary with the golden scissors I am back to sleek, cute and feelin' good.

Next week I think I'll get a pedicure. Is there anything more wonderful than having someone massage your feet and legs, clip your toenails and then paint them some god awful color. I love it.

When I worked all this stuff was just part of the regular maintenance program each month like working out three times a week. It is so nice to be old and not have people expect all that stuff of you.

I dated a guy once that would go with me for pedicures sometimes and he would also get one. When it was time to choose a color he would have them paint each nail a different color. The girls in the shop just loved him. I wonder what happened to him!

I'm feeling good today and hope you are also. For more Feel Good Friday visit The Girl Next Door Grows Up. See you next week.

A Really Big Feel Good Friday

I'm all for this idea of a month for your birthday, one day is just not enough. What a great birthday this has been. Lunches with friends and family, out of town friends visiting, new recipes sent by blogging and Face book friends, cards galore. It never ends. My sister is sending me a new cook book. I can hardly wait. Maybe they all think I might not be here next year, boy are they in for a surprise.

Speaking of surprises. The biggest one was from my niece, Angie@ Ballard Boys. Did you guys see those awful pictures? I was ready to shoot her, until I read all the sweet things she said about me. If you have a minute take a look. That was enough to make anybody "feel good". Except now everyone knows I'm not a "natural" Blondie. I really wouldn't mine being gray if it would turn a beautiful silver gray like so many women do, but mine looks like an old grey mouse left on its own.

Thanks to all of you for making my birthday very special.

For more Feel Good Friday vist The Girls Next Door Grows Up.

"Feel Good Friday", Again

The summer is flying by! All this week I have been able to open the windows at night and wake up to the beautiful crisp air in the morning. No air-conditioning for 4 days, that really makes me feel good.

This past Sunday we had our last Vacation Bible School of the summer at church. Yes, I had the little ones again, ages 2,3,4. I could just eat them up they are so sweet. We studied "Moses in the Basket". We had the Nile (plastic pool) and Moses (baby doll) floating in the basket in the pool. They were all afraid Moses would fall out of the basket so everyone had to get in the pool to make sure he was safe. We didn't have just wet feet this time but wet bottoms and all. Thank goodness Linda remembered to bring towels, and her sister, Gay. I could not have done it without them.

When those little angels started to sing "Jesus Loves Me" with the biggest smiles I have ever seen I thought I would cry. Why can't they just stay that age?

For those of you that missed "August Needs a Holiday" you might not know that this is a BIG Birthday coming up for me next week. Take a peek!

As my friend Lucy says, "At your age any time you have another birthday it's a reason to Feel Good". I think she's my friend?

For more Feel Good Friday visit The Girl Next Door Grows Up.