Greening Up

Well, I think the weather has finally straightened out around here. It seems to be getting warmer. Yesterday the AM temperature was 52. Today it was 33. The days have been filled with sunshine. That's a great thing because it means there will be no more of that dreadful s**w. It is pretty to look at but you can have too much of a good thing.

With all of the sunshine and warm temperatures during the day everything is beginning to bloom and the green is getting greener. It is amazing to see how many shades of green are beginning to show up. Here is a few pictures I took on my walk at lunch.

When the grandkids were smaller they loved going out to pick flowers for Grandma. They would come back with a dandelion. I would ooh and ahh about it and tell them it was my favorite flower. Pretty soon here they would come with handfuls of dandelions. I would have to get a vase to put them in and set them in the window. because I was so proud of them. Here is a picture of Grandma's favorite flower.


The leaves on this tree are beginning to green up. It will be a pretty tree with lots of shade in a few months.

I beleive this is a flowering cherry tree. At any rate all these pink blossoms will soon be turning a different shade of green.

This ground cover will soon have the brown spot a beautiful shade of green. The black spot in the picture is a different story.

Here is another tree with different green.

Some day these buds will also be green.

And in the middle of summer it will be great to lie back in this green grass and watch those lazy afternoon clouds float by.



It has been a lovely walk - now back to the old grind.

All I need is a vase.

In the words of my Father, "That's It for Today".

Weekend and Crafts

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Well the weekend went way too fast. Did accomplish a few things. I bought some material on Friday for a project I am working on. I needed to set up my sewing machine on the dining table so I could do some serious sewing. Also wanted to change places with the microwave , the butcher block cart and the baker's rack. Got that side of the mountain accomplished. Found the sewing machine, now I just need to find the needles, pins, the scissors, the pattern and get started. Remember those patterns I bought a couple months ago on sale at Hancock's fabrics. Well I ran into them again. Still in the same bag with the material for a future project. I will get started on that "tomorrow".

A few nights ago in the chat room we were talking about crafts etc. and some of "The Ladies" asked me about the crafts I make.and wanted to see pictures of them. I love to do crafts and probably will do a lot more when I retire. I took a few photos of a couple things I have done.

Here is a potholder with a picture of my grandkids. These would be great for any Mother or Grandma. Mother's Day is coming up you know. I made these for Christmas.

And here is a necklace and earrings I made after I saw one like it in a gift shop.

and a blue necklace.

A bracelet and earrings.

More bracelets and a pair of earrings.

Here is a vegetable bag for keeping raw vegetables in your refrigerator. Its kind of like those green bags you see advertised. Carrots kept in a bag like this for four weeks in the refrigerator. They were still as crisp as the day I bought them.


This is something i dreamed up out of my little pea brain. There are sometimes and some places I go that I don't like to carry my purse. This little bag goes around your neck and you can carry your ID, your credit card and your money without fear of losing it. It has three pockets and a velcro closure. If you like to carry an Ipod or MP3 when you are out walking it would also be great for holding those.


I made this one out of casino material to take to the casino with me. I apologize for the pictures. Guess I took them sideways instead of straight on. Maybe I should put photo taking on my list of things to accomplish. Here it is open so you can see the pockets.

I have a few more and I will post those at another time. In the words of my father, "That's it for Today".

Lost or Missing

Well, my latest post has flown out into cyber place somewhere. I had it all ready complete with pictures etc. When I went to publish it I thought I had accomplished that feat, however, when I checked it --- It was gone, lost, vamoosed. I didn't have time in the middle of the night to repost so Iwill redo it later tonight unless it mysteriously reappears somewhere.

Napping 101

Well, It seems every thing I read today had something about taking a nap so when I got home from work I laid down and took about a two hour nap.

Now I am a big fan of naps. I have always taken naps. When my children were little we always laid down together. When they got to be five or six years old they didn't need much of a nap but their mother did. They would pick at each other and make noise until I finally had to separate them and insist we play Quiet Mouse. Trouble with that was I was always the first one asleep. They learned very quickly to be real quiet until i got to sleep, then they could get up and play and not wake me up. They must have passed it onto the grandkids because they played the same trick on me.

When I worked graveyard shift I got a 30 minute lunch break. Summer and winter you would find me in my car taking a 25 minute nap. A couple of times I overslept and the boss had to come looking for me.

I noticed in the RV Dreams Forum there is a category called Nap Time. It had some very interesting comments and reasons people take naps.

There have actually been studies done on napping and it has been found that daytime naps help relieve stress, prolong life and help the heart. Napping a half hour for three times a week you have a 37 percent lower risk of dying from a heart attack.
Naps also help to improve your memory - they give your brain a chance to consolidate new knowledge. Power naps can be as refreshing as a good night's sleep of 8 hours.

National Napping Day was established in 1999. It is celebrated the first Monday after the beginning of daylight saving time. It is said the reason is to help adjust to time change. This year it was celebrated on March 10, 2008. I missed it, I must have been napping.

It is time for us nappers to lie down and be counted. Here are my reasons for taking a nap.

Napping improves my mood.
Napping is inexpensive - it doesn't cost anything.
Napping is a no sweat activity - it won't wear out my joints.
I don't need doctor's orders for a nap - mine is self prescribed.
I can not gain weight - I can't eat when I am napping.
Napping has no dangerous side effects - as long as I am not driving.

In the words of my Father, "That's it for today". If you are looking for me you will find me checking my eyelids for leaks.

Mid Week

Well, Nothing ever happens in mid week . Life around here goes on as usual. No funny stories to tell.

I thought today I would give you a little hisory of Silver Mountain near Kellogg Idaho. It opened in 1968 as Jackass Ski Bowl. It was renamed Silverhorn Ski Area in 1973 and today is known as Silver Mountain. It's base sits smack dab in the middle of downtown Kellogg, Idaho. The gondola to the top of the mountain is billed a the world's longest gondola - 3.5 miles long and a 19 minute ride to the top. At the top there is Gondola Village with restaurants, Gift shop, arcade and a recently added indoor water park.

It is an all season resort. Winter finds such activities as skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing and ski schools. Summer activities include Mountain biking, hiking and is famous for its summer concerts. Deer, elk, cougar, black bear and wild turkey can be hunted in the fall and winter. Black bear and turkey have a spring season as well.

Back in the archives of my pea brain I dug out these pictures (not very good) of the gondola ride and a summer concert I went to a few years ago The headliner was Brad Paisley.


















And "That's it for Today" from Northern Idaho.

Just Kickin' Back

Well, the weekend was spent - doing what I don't know. They seem to go by so fast sometimes they are just a blur.

Saturday got up and went to Coeur d'Alene. Did some shopping and visited with some friends. It was raining and snowing off and on. Not a very pretty day. I took a few pics but none were fit to print.

Spent Saturday night in the RV Dreams chatroom. If you have not had the chance to get there - stop in and chat with us. We are a friendly bunch and we run a clean chatroom. Most of us have never met face to face but have become good friends and most of us have started blogs. There is always something to talk about and sometimes three or four conversations going on at the same time. Every once in awhile we throw a virtual party too. Those are fun!!

My Sunday was more of the same - rain and snow - and spent just relaxing and doing mostly nothing. I did make the usual run to Wally World for groceries but nothing else jumped out and grabbed me. Didn't buy anything other than groceries. Now that's a first.

Back into the chatroom Sunday night. Interesting converations and tons of fun!

Not a very exciting life but someone has to lead it. And in the words of my father, "That's it for Today".

Bisquick Pancakes

Well, yesterday I wrote about Bisquick and when it was discovered. I wanted to add a little something to it.

When I was growing up in Tennessee my mother made hot biscuits every morning. Now she didnt use a mix she made them from scratch ever morning. She would fire up the old wood stove and dig out the mixing bowl and pretty soon we would have hot fresh biscuits from the oven smothered in real cow butter and covered with my mother's own homemade syrup - makes my mouth water just thinking about them.

While my biscuit making leaves a little bit to be desired, I do make a mean pancake. I also make my own syrup using my mother's own recipe - 2 cups of sugar, 1 cup water and 1 tsp maple flavoring. Boil over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and syrup is thick.

Here is the recipe I use for my pancakes.

Melt In Your Mouth Pancakes

2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs

Heat griddle or skillet over medium-high heat or electric griddle to 375°F; grease with cooking spray, vegetable oil or shortening. (Surface is ready when a few drops of water sprinkled on it dance and disappear.)
Stir all ingredients until blended. Pour by slightly less than 1/4 cupfuls onto hot griddle.
Cook until edges are dry. Turn; cook until golden. To keep warm, place in single layer on cookie sheet. Cover with aluminum foil, and place in 200°F oven up to 10 minutes.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Decrease baking powder to 1 teaspoon.

They are excellent on a cold snowy day in April.

That's it from my kitchen today and I will keep working on my biscuits.

The Thirties

The other day I read an article about things that happened in the 30's. That got me to thinking (scary when I get to thinking) . Anyway, the thirties happened only six to sixteen years before I was born. I went searching for my own things that happened in the thirties.


One of the most interesting things I discovered was Bisquick was invented in 1931. Advertising told consumers, "It makes anyone a perfect biscuit maker". I beg to differ with that theory. I have never been able to make a biscuit that was edible from any kind of mix or any type of flour. My biscuits are made from that little round can I pop on the counter and put into a pan. My father hated store bought biscuits but he kenw he would have to endure them when he came to my house. Once, my mother had come to visit and while she was there she baked a great pan of biscuits. There were leftovers and I put some of them in the freezer. When my father came to visit I took the biscuits out, heated them up and put them on the table. My father made the remark, that I was doing very well at biscuit making. My biscuits were almost as good as my mother's. I never told him any different.

Probably one of the most important things that happened in 1932 ws the birth of my brother, My brother was born June 22, 1932. My adopted brother (first cousin) was born June 21,1932. Here is a picture when they were small boys.



For years they have always celebrated their birthdays together. Last year was no exception. Here is a picture on their 75th birthday. It goes to prove they still like to hang around with "cute kittens".


Other pieces of information I found was:

Gone With The Wind was a big hit. It won many awards and was voted The Best Movie of The Year. Even today it is watched by millions of people every year.

The Jitterbug was a popular dance in the thirties.

The first Mickey Mouse Comic strip was published.

The population of the world was two billion.

The Hostess Twinkie was invented.

Clint Eastwood was born in 1930.

Great depression: US President Herbert Hoover goes before Congress and asks for a US$150 million public works program to help generate jobs and stimulate the economy.

This is a good place to stop. In the words of my father, "That's it For Today".

75 To 30 In 24

No, I am not entered in a Nascar Race. I am talking about the weather. We went from a high of 75 on Sunday to a low of 30 on Monday - a space of 24 hours. What a difference 24 hours makes.

We have had our share of weather since I last posted. It started getting cold and kept getting colder and colder and it rained and then it snowed. The weather can't make up its mind and neither can the weatherman!!!! And I am hiding that darn old groundhog next year!



Today's pictures are of Pendoreille Lake in Northern Idaho. Most people have trouble with the pronunciation (Pon-der-ray). It is Idaho's largest lake and one of the most beautiful lakes in North America. It is shaped like a fish hook and is approximately 40 miles long, 4 miles wide and more than 1,150 feet deep. As a matter of fact, it is the fifth deepest lake in the USA. The Long Bridge that crosses the lake at Sandpoint is approximately two miles long.

During World War II it was home to Farragut Naval Training Station and was the second largest naval training station in the world. Farragut state Park covers 4000 acres at the edge of the lake and is home to the greatest camping in the Northwest. Today the U.S. Navy has a research facility located on Lake Pendoreille.

Many species of fish such as Rainbow trout, Lake trout, Kamloops, Dolly Varden, and Kokanee can be found in the lake. Animals such as deer, elk, moose, mountain goats, black bear and grizzly bear can be found on its shores. Bald Eagles, Osprey, Owls, ducks, hummingbirds, and the mountain bluebird can also be found in the area.

Lake Pendoreille is located 528 miles west of Billings, MT. 60 miles south of the Canadian border, 352 miles east of Seattle WA and 439 miles north of Boise.


Enjoy the photos!! If you want to see them full screen just click on any photo.





Osprey

Osprey Nest










And, In the words of my Father, "That's it for Today".

Road Trip

Well, The high on Saturday was 70 and on Sunday it got even warmer. 75 wa the high temp of the day. All that sunshine on Saturday gave me the "hitch-itch" so decided to take a small road trip to Idaho, a distance of about 20 miles.



It was a beautiful drive and No, that is not my Eleven foot RV in the picture. You can see the snow on the mountains. Glad it is up there and not down here.









Beautiful Downtown Post Falls, Idaho.

On Saturday there was a sale on Webkinz at one of the local department stores. Since I am always one to always take advantage of a sale, three more Webkinz just happened to jump into my shopping cart. On the way home from Idaho I had to make sure I delivered them.

Lauralei got the German Shepard, Kimberlei got the Persian Kitty, I got the Bullfrog and I had the Cocker Spaniel (Benjy) from last week.


The frog has been properly named Juneo Toadeo after my sister, June, who is a huge collector of frogs.

Juneo this is for you!!

It's now a race to see who can get their animal registered and settled into its new home first.

It was a beautiful weekend. Two full days of sunshine. Hugs from the Grandkids. A road trip and I am a Happy Camper. In the words of my father, "That's it for today".

Wonderful, Wonderful

Isn't that color a wonderful sight?....its three weeks past Easter and the Easter Flowers are just beginning to bloom. I am partial to the color green, it's my favorite.

My second favorite color is blue. Take a look at this wonderful blue!!


Compare to last week's Snowy White. Under all that white there really is a red truck.



The white does make the green look good.



Now this is a whole lot better blue skies, green trees and short sleeves.




and in the words of my father, "That's it for Today".

Monday, Monday

Well, not much going on here today. No weather report because I am sick of weather one nice day and six bad ones week after week. There will be no more weather reports til I have a sunny one.

As you know I am a great reader of blogs. Afew weeks ago it was mentioned in RV Travel that Julianne Crane was writing a new blog. It caught my eye because Julianne is a newspaper reporter for the Spokesman Review here in Spokane. I first met her about five years ago at the RV Show here when she first started her newspaper column, Wheel Life. It was a delight to read her column every week because she had such a great way of writing. I even made her column one week. Here is what she had to say in her article, May 29, 2004 copy of Spokesman Review.




(Note Kimberlei has two broken arms but went fishing anyway).


Favorite local RV destinations
In response to last week's question about where to go camping within four hours of Spokane, Jenny Johnson sent in this e-mail.
"As avid campers we spend most of our summers camping within four hours of Spokane. Since the grandchildren won't let us go without taking them, we try to find places that are ‘kid friendly.' Here are a few of our favorite places:
"The grandchildren's favorite place to go is Hawley's Landing at Heyburn State Park on Lake Chatcolet, just outside Plummer, Idaho.
"There are lots of trails they can hike on and a bike trail. They can attend programs set up by the park and become Junior Rangers. They learned about animals, stars and plants. They made plaster animal tracks and watched a demonstration on how Lewis and Clark would have built an oar for their boats. Most of these programs are geared for children, however, the nightly programs are for both adults and children. There is a boat ride up the St. Joe River and a great place to swim. It is approximately 45 minutes to an hour's drive from Spokane.
"Another one of our favorite places is Farragut State Park. If you are handicapped or don't have a tent, there are cabins you can rent. There are trails along the shoreline of the lake, nightly programs and movies, and beaches where you can swim. This also is about an hour's drive from Spokane.
"Beauty Bay Forest Service Camp on Lake Coeur d'Alene is where we will spend Memorial Day. We have camped in this park for the past eight years. While there are no programs, there are lots of things to do. There is a hiking trail to the top of Mineral Ridge and also another trail to the top of Mount Coeur d'Alene. There are only a few sites here and it is on a first-come first-served basis, but it is a great place and with today's gas prices it is really close. We can leave the Spokane Valley and be there in half hour or so. Take the Wolf Lodge exit and follow the shoreline of the lake.
"We also like a private campground called Mirror Lake at Sagle, Idaho. There are rowboats you can rent from the owner and it is well stocked with trout and kokanee. This is about an-hour-and-a-half away.
"When we can get away by ourselves, we like to go to Two Rivers RV Park at Davenport, Wash. They have a very nice park and it is reasonable."


I thought it was a nice article and saved it for my scrapbook. Thought you might enjoy it too. I am glad I will again get to read her blogs through RV Travel.

And in the words of my father, "That's it for Today".