031- PhotoShop Sky

I glanced out the window and saw this sky. My first thought was that it looked just like a PhotoShop sky... you know the kind, just right to use as a backdrop for that photo that needs a beautiful sky or as a texture layer. This one is pretty much as I saw it in the sky, but I think you will see it again here in other creations.

030- Good Morning Porridge

Several weeks ago I threatened to do a blog post about this *most-favorite-thing-for-breakfast* food of mine. It's kind of an addiction for me. I would rather have porridge than ANY THING ELSE! So much for variety.

Almost 10 years I started showing signs of taking after my Daddy with high cholesterol. One of the suggestions was to add oatmeal to my diet. All of my adult life I've liked porridge so that was an easy fix for me. I had no idea it would take over my life (as in when I go on vacation I still want my porridge!)

But it just can't be any old porridge! No, not me! I has to be special and tasty. So here are the cast for the breakfast show.



Quite simple really: old fashioned oatmeal, soy milk, water, fruit (this runs the gambit from just raisins to the slightly more exciting blueberries and home-made apple pie filling or BOTH!) and sometimes brown sugar.



I throw them all into my favorite saucepan that NEVER gets put away and turn on the heat. I have just about enough time now to load or unload the dishwasher, straighten up the kitchen, or put on my minimal eye makeup... something short, about 5 minutes. If I'm going to be out of the room I turn the heat way down so I don't accidentally burn my porridge. (Yeah, so who would ever burn their porridge on purpose? Can you tell me that?)



When it's finished cooking I spoon it all into one of my favorite bowls, no namby-pamby soup bowl here, it has to be deep because I like *high milk* as grandson Bryan told me once. Usually this all gets carried upstairs to my playroom and I peruse my email, facebook, or google reader while I eat. Yummy!

029- That Long Ride Home

This long line of buses swinging onto 1700 East took me back to my own school days. You might ask why since I never rode the bus. In good weather I could run across the field and be at school in 5 minutes. I could pop home for lunch... I loved it. But I had friends who spent close to 3 hours a day on the school bus... I can't even imagine. I hope these kids won't be that long.


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028- Remember...

that the mighty oak was once a nut like you!

027- Nature's Bird Feeder

Can you tell that lately I'm totally charmed by the whole *bokeh-background*? I just love the rich saturated colors! Oooh, they are so lickable!

I love God's plan (nature) for taking care of his creatures. Here is Nature's bird feeder!



Across the street from me (not this bush) there are two weeping cherry trees. The robins have just been having a heyday with them. Sadly, my photos of that aren't so good, but I'll keep trying.

026- That Place...

A bunch of years ago when now 10-year-old Caden was just a little boy (about 3) they were visiting at Grammie's house. Whenever the boys were going to visit I would get the kinds of things that Grammies get to spoil their grandchildren! But since Grammie had frequent grandkid visits she'd put kiddie latches on any cupboard that she didn't want rearranged (read... ALL OF THEM!)

So little Caden came into me early one morning. Hungrily he asked, "Grammie, you know that place where you lock up the food?" I thought I would die laughing!

Now I will make a little shift; I frequently say that little dogs are everything that is good about a three year-old!

Now can anyone tell me what Harley is saying? Yes, I distinctly heard him say, "Grammie, you know that place where you lock up my treats?"


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025- No Time!

Stuart tells a very funny story from his high school days. One rainy day Stu and some of his friends skipped class and decided to had some spice/humor to a couple of other schools. They would walk to a classroom, yank open the door and make a sound very similar to a turkey and then run off.

But they met their match when they went to the junior high school. As they were wandering on the Mesa campus they got stopped by the security. They cooked up a bogus story that they were bringing an umbrella to their younger brother. Mesa ran a tight ship so security took them to the back office to try locate the *little brother* AND they appropriated the umbrella.

When the security lady went into one of the back rooms for further information Stuart and his buddy boogied it out of there!

Here's the rub... it was his friend's mother's umbrella and he would get in deep trouble for losing it (let's not even think about cutting classes!) His friend needed to get back to his next class, so now Stuart is alone. He called another friend, who was home sick, to be his accomplice. Ever so sneakily they crept back on the Mesa campus and into the back office. Just as Stuart picked up the umbrella a lady saw him and called out to him...

He grabbed the umbrella and yelled out, "NO TIME!"

So here is NO TIME...


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Stuart told us this story several year later and reduced us to helpless laughter. Hope you enjoyed the retelling.

024- Snow Covered World

One of my favorite sights in winter is the flocking on every branch, twig, fence, tuft of grass and surface after a snow storm. It looks so soft, calm, peaceful and inviting. So for all of you suffering in warm tropical climates here is a taste of fluffy softness for you.

023- De-Fence...

De- Sky... De-Plane... (Sorry got carried away there!)

This morning I wanted to get photos of my dandy temporary fence to-keep-Harley-in-the-backyard. But look what I saw first? A beautiful winter sunrise. I don't see many of these... I just don't get up that early!


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Now here we go... the dandy-makeshift-temporary fence. I located the saved hog wire and stakes from the aforementioned project (see yesterday's post) but the fence just looked so flimsy; like the first time Harley gave a jump on it that it would fall right over. I dug around in the shed (now, in the dark) and found several stakes or stake-a-likes (bwahahahaha, left-overs from the deck). I wove those through the wire at the top. Ta-da... a sturdier fence. I took Harley out there to look at it so he wouldn't go dashing out there and do a doggie-prat-fall.



I can't tell you the number of times I say verbal thanks for the things my folks taught me; like being tricky, resourceful (and double-flavored) and competent! Now if I could just be accurate with the sledge-hammer I wouldn't have a very sore and bruised thumb! Oh, well, I guess I can't be Shera- warrior princess today!

022- Wind Damage

I mentioned yesterday that the wind was really blowing. It made me think I was back in Palmdale where the wind roars most of the time. But this was, well, strong.



I knew last night when I got home from Ward Temple Night that one of our neighbor's staghorn sumacs had been blown down but it wasn't until this morning when I went out for photos that I saw that both big, beautiful, staghorns were down. They've been featured in so many of my sunset photos. Sniff... it always makes me sad when trees get damaged. Then I saw that part of their roof had been blown off! Yikes! The reports were winds 65-75 mph!!

But then, THEN, STINKIN' COW... I looked at my yard and saw that my fence was blown over. Just like the trees, snapped off at the ground!



I'm grateful that we didn't sustain serious damage AND that we have insurance. What a blessing.

So this evening just as it was getting dark and starting to snow I remembered that I had a roll of hog wire and metal posts that I'd used to keep Buddi out of my tomatoes (tomato-snatchin'-dog!). I rigged up a temporary fence to keep Harley in the backyard until we get the fence replaced.

021- White Caps on Lake Lewis

Stinkin' Cow is the wind ever blowing here today! We are having 50 mph winds that are kicking up white caps on scenic Lake Lewis. Hold onto your hat campers... it's blowin' a gale!


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020- Decorative Grass

So, do we know what this is? It looks kind of like pampas grass, only fluffier. I suppose I could take a little *walkie* down River Bottom Rd again and ask the owner of said grass... but that is a little obvious, don't you think?

I love the look of pampas grass. It is so fluffily (yes, that is a word!) and beautiful. Maybe I will just go seed collecting and have some bea-U-ti-ful grass of my own this next spring/fall.

019- Weather Vane

Just across Canyon Rd is a very sweet gazebo and this cool motor bike weather vane. It's stand is slightly bent and it has that wonderful overall rusted look. It called to me today while I was out for my walk in the sunshine.


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018- Little Pleasures

Is there anything in your life that you would really miss if you had to give it up? Well, probably lots of things!

Not surprisingly, I like chocolate. Let me put that differently- I love chocolate, but I don't consider myself a chocoholic. I can by a bag of little chocolates like those pictured below and they will last be a month or more. I don't need to OD on chocolate... I just love to savor it.


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017- Camille & Kevin

Camille brought her boyfriend, Kevin, to 3rd Sunday family dinner to meet her siblings tonight. We like Kevin very much, but more importantly, Camille likes Kevin very much and he is very good to her. What a sweet couple!


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016- Sisters and Friends

This afternoon I went out on a photo explore (you'll probably be treated to some of those next week). Quite unexpectedly I had company; many neighbors were outside washing cars (what? is he on crack? yikes... it would freeze my fingees off!), some off for a drive, but my favorites first appeared on bicycles, NEW Christmas bicycles! Then I found them walking with DeLoris.

These sweet little sisters live just across the street from DeLoris and didn't want her to walk alone. I joined them and we made a merry party trekking up around the corner and back again.

First they demonstrated their prowess at crab-walking...



But the sweetest part came when they didn't even know anyone was looking and took each others hands walking happily and contentedly towards home.


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Sisters are the most wonderful blessing... there is nothing like a sister for really loving and understanding.

I'm so grateful that I have sisters (who prayed for me!) who *walk* with me.

015- Lacy Ice

It's been a couple of weeks since our last snow fall but we still have piles of snow all over. The weak winter sun has caused some melting leaving all of these interesting pieces of ice lace. I walked around trying to get some good shots. Do you know how hard it is to get good definition with white on white?

014- Grampy Duties

Usually by blog is all about me (Yeah, well, what do you expect? Isn't it all about me? That's what I thought.)

But today Grampy gets to shine. While I was doing my Visiting Teaching, teaching Ashton sewing lessons, and wandering aimlessly at Target Grampy got a call to come to the rescue! Ethan's mama needed to take care of some things without him so she called Grampy to come stay with him. This isn't the first time Grampy has come to the rescue! I often wonder who's luckier: Grampy, Ethan, the parents? What do you think?


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013- Jackalope

Tonight we went out to dinner at the Texas Roadhouse*- oh yeah, yummy! On our way out I saw this... dun-dun-dun....

the dreaded Jackalope- Known to roam the Antelope Valley in huge herds. Do you suppose that the hunter bagged it there?



* BTW if you haven't ever tried Texas Roadhouse you must go... it's wonderful.

012- At-Home Aspaday

Are you asking what the heck is an Aspaday? I'll bet Bek knows! Aspaday = a spa day! Years ago we were talking about having a day at a spa and she said aspaday and I couldn't figure out what she was saying... there you go!

So *this-day* I had an at-home Aspaday! I haven't pampered myself like this for quite a while. I put a deep conditioner on my hair, filled up my swimming-pool-sized tub and soaked. I won't gross you out with all the rest of the bath pampering but when I was finished I gave myself a pedicure (I wouldn't want to be hasty... it's only been 8 weeks!)

I dragged out my tole painting dotters, bling and my small stippling brush (for clean up) and had a fun time giving myself some tropical nails. I needed something happy to offset the winter-doldrums.


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011- Harley's Watch

Harley has got more personality than any other dog I know! I've known smarter dogs, sweeter dogs, dumber dogs, but none more amusing that this funny-boy!

One of his favorite things to do is stand on the chair by the front window, with his little paws on the arm, watching the neighborhood. We always know when we have company arriving because he starts to cry with excitement that someone is coming to see HIM!!

But what cracks me up the most is when he gets really excited; he bounds off the chair, getting traction on the rug and rockets out through the tiny dog door to the back yard.



He hits that dog-door like a torpedo! I'm surprised he hasn't hurt himself or broken the flap off.



There's never a dull moment with Harley around.

010- Killer Garlic Toast

I'm wondering how many people will think that I am starting a food blog... not so but food is such a part of our lives I just have to talk about it occasionally.

Before Christmas Stuart made a special dinner request, "Mom, can we have soup and garlic toast?" Well, I aim to please. It was sad to realize that it had been months since I'd made garlic toast.

But before I tell you how I make my *killer garlic toast* I have to tell you my favorite garlic toast story.

About 15 years ago our *Utah kids* were visiting and Ryan was telling me a riveting story of his miscreant antics. All of a sudden I remember there was garlic toast in the broiler. I ran over *janked* open the broiler and the toast burst into flames. Laughing I hollered, "Quick, quick open the back door!" I ran outside with the flaming garlic toast and was going to hurl that flaming torpedo onto the lawn. But then I remembered that I didn't have anymore bread in the freezer! NO!! I tamped out the flames, brought it back inside, cut off the burned part, added more garlic spread and re-broiled it! Ah, makes me laugh just to think of it!



This is the cast of characters for garlic toast... wait... where is the butter? WHERE IS THE BUTTER? Hmm, I must have forgotten to call it out for the photo shoot!



Soften the butter then add the garlic, Parmesan cheese, and parsley. Mix it around thoroughly. Split your loaf of French bread in half lengthwise and spread generously on cut sides.

Now here is the hard part. Put it under the broiler and WATCH IT CAREFULLY... IT BURNS QUICKLY! Broil to a wonderful dark golden brown!

Cut into slices and watch it disappear! Yum.



Garlic Toast

1 loaf of French bread, cut in half lengthwise
1/2 cup butter
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried parsley, crumble between your palms

Broil about 6-8 inches from flame for about 3-5 minutes.

009- Finally Finished

It has been a long time coming but I am finally finished with my Gerbera Daisy quilt!

Rebekah and I started these quilts over eight and a half years ago, when she was pregnant with Brock. (And Rebekah's has been finished almost that long!) I was still relatively new to quilting and didn't understand completely the concept of a design wall. The directions for the pattern suggested constructing the base of each block, adding the flower, blanket stitching, AND THEN join all the blocks. I thought I had a better idea... NOT! I watched Rebekah struggle to blanket stitch all of those petals with her enormous pregnant belly and wanted none of it. I hung my *completed* top on the wall in my workroom where it stayed for 4 years until we moved to Utah.



I struggled for good ideas of how I could complete this beautiful quilt top, but none came to me so I put it away and thought about it periodically for the next few years. I purchased several different additional pieces of batik fabric to add borders, but, again, just couldn't get it together. It lived in a drawer with all of its assorted pieces.

So let's fast forward (hmmm, is there anything about this quilt or post that is fast?) to last August. I decided that I REALLY wanted to finish my quilt AND I really wanted it to fit on my king-sized bed. What to do? What to do?

Well, first I started by taking the top apart so that I could blanket stitch the blocks one at a time. But I still wanted it bigger. I didn't want to just start cutting, but I had an idea!! (see light bulb!) I took a photo of the top, opened it in PhotoShop, cut it into blocks and played in PhotoShop until I had a design I liked... cool! Luckily I had quite a bit of leftover fabric so I ended up making three more blocks and adding a wide outside border. Yeah... it fits! Yeah... it's finished! Yeah... I'm glad!

008- SAD Experiment

My title and photo have an interesting relationship: winter brings icicles and SAD.



SAD has been around for ages but just got it's fancy new name recently. Previously it was known as "cabin fever", the blues, the doldrums, etc. And over the years I've been *affected* (yes, I know effected) by SAD.

This year I am being pro-active in my fight against Seasonal Affective Disorder. I know that sunshine is a wonderful antidote for SAD. I am blessed that we are mostly above the *inversion layer* that impacts Salt Lake and Utah Valleys.

I blogged about basking back on New Year's Eve. Wow... how wonderful is it to bask? Just ask you four-legged friends. You can just feel that sun warming you to the bone!

That first day of basking I'd been working outside and could tolerate the cold for a while. Since then I've found a better place than out on the deck in the 20* weather! I just watched Harley; he's the man! On the foot of our bed between 9:30 and 11:30 AM I have the perfect basking place! I open the curtains, pull up the the blinds and bask away! I'll keep you posted on my treatment program.

P. S. If you don't have natural light you can get full-spectrum light bulbs that may help. My sweet niece swears by them.

007- My Secret Agent [Food]

As I was typing the date on my photo I realized it was Double-O-7 "Secret Agent-Man, secret agent man, they've given you a number and taken 'way your name!"

OK, well enough of that!

It is *for-reals* winter here... you know the kind: snow, cold, fog, weak sun, short days. Yes, that kind. When I looked into the fridge this morning to get my oatmeal making ingredients (fodder for a whole different post!) I found a Gordon-and-Joanie-sized pot roast (do you suppose that it just crawled in here from the freezer in the garage?)

Anyway... it begged to be turned into a comfort food dinner, so I obliged it.


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Yeah, one other thing you might want to write down...
if you live in a cold climate like Utah, you don't want to store your potatoes in the garage. THEY FREEZE and get to be quite gross. Enough said.

006- Fun and Games

Tonight I am up at the kid's house on *Grammie-watch* while Mama and Daddy go to the Temple and have night out. After the kids finished dinner and we'd done some table clean up we got to play one to the new games the kids got for Christmas.

On the first round Roxie and I were a team and the *big* kids were on another team. Roxie wanted to pass out the cards. I just love to watch her little hands doing this big girl job.

005- Fra-gee-lay... must be Italian!

"Only one thing in the world could've dragged me away from the soft glow of electric sex gleaming in the window." (A Christmas Story)



I was out for a walk and HAD to take a photo of this! Cracks me up!

004- Pink Bokeh Sky

I've been working here in my *playroom* paying bills when I noticed that the light outside was so marvelously pink that I could hardly stand it! I even had pink snow! (sounds like a Dr. Seuss book!) I absolutely love it when I have this wonderful light-changing experience at sunset; sometimes it is pink, other times golden, and occasionally purple.

Ah... there just aren't words to describe how that affects my soul!



I know how fleeting this light is so I snatched up my camera and ran to the front porch in my stocking feet (it's 27* F out there, brrrrr!) It wasn't until I came in all looked at my photos that I realized I had on my nifty 50mm lens! What a serendipitous situation! I love the soft bokeh effect (softly blurred)!

003- Shamrock Blossom

Many years ago (about 1976) I became the proud owner of a Shamrock plant. I love the delicate, almost transparent tri-leaf and dainty white blossoms. The leaves green on top and a reddish-purple underneath. It opens in the light and then closes again in the shade. This funny little plant grows from a bulb-like root that multiplies. I had that same plant until we moved here to Utah but sadly it didn't survive the move.

I'd shared starts of this Shamrock with family members so last spring I asked Ann if I could have a start back. Sadly, her Shamrock has just died!

So imagine my surprise when Ann and Wayne showed up at my house around St Patrick's day with a beautiful little Shamrock plant? I think I love this one even more!



This summer I found an all purple Shamrock which I mixed in with the green... what a happy spot of color my Shamrock plant is on this winter day.

002- Salt Lake Temple

For over a year Camille has wanted to attend the Salt Lake Temple. We were going to go last year during her Christmas break but never got there and somehow it just kept getting put off (with the Provo Temple so close it is hard to take a whole day to go to Salt Lake).

Today we finally managed our trip. It was a beautiful cold, clear winter day and being Saturday there were lots of brides in their beautiful dresses.

What a beautiful temple! The craftsmanship is superb! When I think of the dedication and sacrifice of the early saints working for 40 years to build this House of the Lord I am overwhelmed. We had a beautiful day together serving in the Temple.



I love the shape of the windows then as I was "framing up" I saw the flag reflected in the window. Love this shot.


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Twenty-Ten 001

OK... call me a sap... but I'm just sayin'... after you've done something for 365 days... yup a whole year... you pretty much have a habit formed. I also realized that this is the best journal I've ever kept in my whole life... ah, the benefits!

As 2009 (it's so last decade!) was winding to a close I started to feel excited about not having to do Project 365. But then as today progressed I caved.

So here we go... I spent the day quilting on my happy gerbera daisy quilt that I featured earlier this week. This quilt represents a new challenge in quilting. I am doing a daisy meander on the background but that means maneuvering around all of my ginormous petals. A new year... a new challenge.