Thursday, October 13, 2011

Wate Wotchers

Some how or other, I've picked up a few more pounds than I really want or need. So yesterday, I signed up for an online program to help me lose the extra weight. Not something I would normally enter into, but a friend was using it last summer, and when I saw her after she had been on the program for two months, I could tell she had lost weight! My current short-term goal is to just lose 10 pounds. But I'd eventually like to lose an additional 35...
My biggest hangup is snacking. Don't need to be hungry, just bored, or angry or...
Anyway.
Poking around the site, I was very happy to find a number of really tasty sounding recipes, this is definitely NOT your grandma's "WW."
Next week I will prepare for my family; Chicken Picata (the recipe calls for veal, but I don't eat that so I'll sub boneless, skinless chicken breasts) and maybe try the Coconut Millet...

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Book Fair Goodness

School is finally out!

Due to snow days we didn't get out until the 24th of June. And during that last week, the school hosted it's final book fair of the year. I think this is a privately run fair (as opposed to one by Scholastic or some other publisher) and most of the books are used, if only gently. I'm not sure if they are surplus library books or what, but I managed to find a few treasures.


















The prices were nice and low, my priciest choice was $3.00. I think the picture books are all Caldecott award winners. I checked out and read one of the novels - "The Wheel on the School" by Meindert DeJong - from the library fairly recently and loved it, so I was excited to find and purchase it. And I remember when "I Heard the Owl Call My Name" came out in the 70's though I have yet to read it.
But that's what summer is for, right?

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Queen for a Day

One of my very best friends will hit the mid-century mark this week. I am going to surprise her by flying across the country to wish her a "bon anniversaire" and present her with this crown. Hopefully it will distract her from the whole mid-century thing...

Monday, November 22, 2010

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Growth

It's hard to believe that this

















is now this.

Friday, November 5, 2010

snarled up in a terrible snerl

Due to wind storms and an enthusiastic 9 year old.











Sure looks stormy today.











Why did I wait to pull this down?













Why didn't I do this yesterday, or Wednesday? When it was 65 degrees. In Washington. IN NOVEMBER!










I still can't believe I extracted all those spiders.












The trick is not to think about what you are doing.










Because if you do, you will actually go
insane.







Earning yourself the whispered neighborhood nickname "Crazy Spider Lady."

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Soft Dog Treat Recipe

I'm just going to post this because I tried to find a recipe online and while I found out that tons of other people are too, I did not find the kind of recipe I was looking for; a soft, pea-sized yummy treat for use in training of our puppy. I have purchased a similar treat at the Mud Bay Granary in Olympia, but for a premium price. These can be made for a fraction of the cost.


Soft Peanut Butter and Molasses Training Bits


makes about 2 cups of bits

1 c oat flour
1/4 c peanut butter
2 T unsulphured molasses
1 T honey
2T carob powder
olive oil and/or water to adjust consistency of dough

Mix all of the above ingredients in a bowl with a fork or spatula or in a food processor. Add water and/or olive oil by teaspoonfuls for desired consistency. You want a fairly stiff dough, kind of like molasses cookie dough. Ideally it should be squishy enough to form into little pea-sized tidbits, but firm enough to hold its shape. You can either roll into ropy snakes and then cut into nuggets, or (easier) pinch into appropriately sized bits and place on a cookie sheet. Dehydrate the bits at 140 degrees for one hour, or leave them out on a cookie sheet overnight to dry out a bit. They can be stored in the freezer.