tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35851034173332032682024-03-12T20:39:39.250-04:00Yarb d'farb knarbLearning doesn't always require understanding.Whiterockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08806661151235811521noreply@blogger.comBlogger126125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585103417333203268.post-6316787948751819692011-12-10T19:38:00.001-05:002011-12-12T18:12:39.930-05:00Salted Chocolate & Caramel ShortbreadMost years, I make chocolate covered caramel apples for gift baskets at Christmas time. So around Halloween & Thanksgiving, when caramel apple wraps show up in the supermarkets, I stock up. These flattened rounds of caramel are simply wrapped around the apple and are so much easier, faster, and less messy than dipping in melted caramel.<br />
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This year I was looking at the wraps and wondering what else I could do with them. I got the idea to spruce up some store-bought cookies for a holiday treat. This is what I came up with. Not genius, but still yummy. :9<br />
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I bought some shortbread cookies and the kids and I cut the wraps into squares and mashed them onto the cookies. You can use two of the triangular pieces to cover a cookie so there's no wasted caramel.<br />
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Then I melted some semi-sweet chocolate chips with a smidge of bees' wax and shmeared a thin layer on the bottom of each cookie and waited for the chocolate to harden up.<br />
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Next I used a fork to hold each cookie over the pot while I covered the top with chocolate. Tap the handle of the fork on the edge of the pot to get rid of excess chocolate. (I never in my life, thought I would use the words "excess" and "chocolate" together.) <br />
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And lastly, I sprinkled each cookie with Celtic Sea Salt.</div>
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Again with the waiting. But once the chocolate was hard.....<br />
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So I dumped in a handfull of semi-sweet chocolate chips, a pinch of salt, a few sprinkles of cinnamon, a dollop of blackstrap molasses (if molasses can be said to dollop) and some more milk because it was pretty thick from these additions.<br />
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The result was creamy, chocolatey and yummy! </div>
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</div>Whiterockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08806661151235811521noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585103417333203268.post-72434749628918496562011-09-14T18:34:00.000-04:002011-09-14T18:40:28.722-04:00Nest Boxes Made From Buckets<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is our little coop. Bull built it. He used clear corrugated siding for one wall and the door. This is to let in light and so we only have to stand on the back porch with a flashlight to see that the chickens are OK if we hear a commotion. Smart man!</div>
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These photos were taken last year when we first got our chickens. We have more chickens now, plus two turkeys, and three guineas. They will all be roosting in there this winter. Bull may have to build an addition... a wing?</div>
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But what I wanted to talk about today, was the free (or cheap) and EASY nest boxes. </div>
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I got the idea from my wonderful Uncle Whit. (Uncle Whit is not his real name. I chose it because I remember being amazed at all the amazing things he used to whittle from wood when I was a kid.) He just screwed five gallon buckets to fenceposts around his farm for his chickens to lay in. So that's what we did on the inside of our coop. Then we cut the lids so that there was an opening big enough of the chickens to get in and out, but we left a lip to keep the hay (and eggs) from falling out.</div>
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The hens like them and they were so much easier than building something out of wood. They are easy to clean too. Just pop off the lid, rake out the hay, hose them out if you see the need, and pop the lid back on.</div>
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I think we actually bought these buckets, but I have since learned to ask the nice folks in the bakery section of our local grocery stores for their empty frosting and bread mix buckets. They are usually already washed out for me and they come with air-tight lids (which will be important for the next project I will post about). </div>
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So there ya' go! The easiest, cheapest, coolest nest boxes I have seen. :D </div>
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WhiterockWhiterockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08806661151235811521noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585103417333203268.post-8835147418139869362011-09-08T09:46:00.000-04:002011-09-08T10:06:14.526-04:00Farm Life... and DeathIt's been a bad few weeks for animals on the farm. Our Rooster died. Roo was a good rooster. I liked him a lot. He was good to his girls and I could trust him around my little guy. He was never aggressive toward us.<br />
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He wandered into the road and got hit by a car. We also lost three hens that way. Yes, we need a fence. Yes, they shouldn't be in the road. But seriously, we don't live at a sharp curve, or on a hill. You can see what's in the road in front of our house for a good long way before you get there. It's not a busy road by almost any standard. It is a country road, lined with farms and more than one with free-roaming, road-wandering chickens (and dogs, and cats, and horses). All the chickens who were killed were bright white, like most of the flock. And they do try to get out of the way of cars. So how hard is it to avoid them? I know the guy we actually saw hit one, didn't even try. He didn't even slow down. In fact he hit the gas after the deed was done. Guilty much? <br />
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Sigh. <br />
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And then we lost all three of our keets (baby guinea fowl). It turned cold and rainy this week and they couldn't keep warm. We lost two of them in one day, before we realized that they were in trouble. The three older guineas and the lame rooster that shared their run and coop had been doing a beautiful job of keep them tucked under a wing, so we hadn't been worried. After that, I moved the last keet inside with a guinea hen to keep it company, while I spent the day moving and setting up their coop to be dry, warm and out of the wind. Then I put them all back out there and they did fine that night. But last night they didn't go into their coop (they like to sleep in the run, for some reason) and the last keet died. <br />
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So, it's been a rough few weeks.<br />
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Roo</div>
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<br />Whiterockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08806661151235811521noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585103417333203268.post-23285614325913873832011-08-30T11:34:00.001-04:002011-08-30T11:35:32.561-04:00Mmmm<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO0FRae7z_wx6ZcVnjLfpZGeLN0-_arHjLtYICinlw9Uu3K_pO6bxVpWs1b5ZqtqHoldV1NB9p63E0rjVBBM3ye6JShsdreFSLPVsEp3jrJNy1fSPwAKhTjJf31BOLl_0i0wIdRotXHe0/s1600/DSC_0385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO0FRae7z_wx6ZcVnjLfpZGeLN0-_arHjLtYICinlw9Uu3K_pO6bxVpWs1b5ZqtqHoldV1NB9p63E0rjVBBM3ye6JShsdreFSLPVsEp3jrJNy1fSPwAKhTjJf31BOLl_0i0wIdRotXHe0/s640/DSC_0385.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Just wanted to let y'all know that Pear Honey goes wonderfully with cinnamon-ginger pancakes! Yum!Whiterockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08806661151235811521noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585103417333203268.post-17462664929826282212011-08-24T23:49:00.007-04:002011-08-25T00:52:54.873-04:00Fast, Slow-Cooked Beef Stew<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglYJLa1VKX9ryXRHUmY_6_c8nWcaCDkLJItrF5n_kxj7LmRVAiWdDeZN2yy1uNDvmwwRH_6o6HrEZIdwjPof8h0Vsjvfy8fwe7fF6R6tboel6ISvzPxV1w5oY_ZppjlAKDNEB0yK99CTc/s1600/DSC_0392.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglYJLa1VKX9ryXRHUmY_6_c8nWcaCDkLJItrF5n_kxj7LmRVAiWdDeZN2yy1uNDvmwwRH_6o6HrEZIdwjPof8h0Vsjvfy8fwe7fF6R6tboel6ISvzPxV1w5oY_ZppjlAKDNEB0yK99CTc/s640/DSC_0392.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I saw a recipe for <a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/slow-cooker-recipe-classic-beef-stew-10000000614077/">slow-cooker beef stew</a>. The concept was not new to to me but the recipe sounded so good that I decided to make it tonight. Poor planning, on my part caused me to have to "adapt" it, just a tad. =) I didn't have all the ingredients and I didn't have enough time. <br />
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The missing ingredients weren't that hard to get around, actually. We didn't have stew meat, but we did have fajita strips. I went out to the garden and dug up some potatoes. I replaced some of the beef broth with wine and some with water. Also, I changed a few things to suit our preferences - less tomato paste and upped the amount of veggies.<br />
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The time issue was solved buy using a technique I often use when making stew on the stovetop. And that is, I roast the veggies in the oven, before adding them to the rest. Not only does this speed things up, but it adds color and flavor to the veggies.<br />
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So now I will try to get this into a recipe format so you can try it out and see your family enjoys it as much as mine did.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Fast, Slow-Cooked Beef Stew</span><br />
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1 lb stew meat (or fajita strips)<br />
2 Tbs steak seasoning (recipe below)<br />
All-purpose flour, as needed (about a cup)<br />
6 or 7 medium potatoes (or as many as you care to dig)<br />
6 or 7 carrots<br />
1 large onion, chopped<br />
~3.5 oz of tomato paste (I buy <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bionaturae-Organic-Tomato-Paste-12x7/dp/B001HTIPU0/ref=sr_1_13?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1314239767&sr=1-13">this</a> paste because it comes in a jar so I don't have to use it all at once)<br />
2 cups of red wine<br />
3 to 4 cups of water<br />
1 tsp dried thyme<br />
1 bay leaf<br />
olive oil<br />
salt & pepper, to taste<br />
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Spread out the beef and pat it dry with a paper towel (it doesn't have to be bone-dry). Season with steak seasoning and toss in flour to coat. Heat a few tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the meat, a few pieces at a time, adding more oil if needed. As you remove the browned meat, put it in the crockpot.<br />
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Once all the beef has been browned and removed, put the chopped onions in the skillet and cook until tender. Stir in the tomato paste and the wine and scrape up any browned bits. Simmer for couple minutes and then into the crockpot that goes too. Add about 3 cups of water, thyme, and bay leaf. Turn crockpot on low. <br />
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Meanwhile dig some potatoes, or just retrieve them from your pantry. Wash and cut them into about 2 inch cubes (peel or don't peel - it's up to you), and peel and slice the carrots. Put the potatoes and carrots into a large baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season liberally with salt and pepper. Bake at 400º until they are just tender and have begun to brown (do not overcook).<br />
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Stir the potatoes and carrots into the meat mixture in the crockpot. Add more salt, pepper, or water, if needed, and cook on low for about 3 hours, or until veggies are cooked through. Serve with buttered bread.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">Steak Seasoning</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 tsp salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tsp paprika</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1/4 tsp onion powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1/4 tsp garlic powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1/4 tsp cayenne pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1/8 tsp (that's a good sized pinch) coriander</span><br />
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This is the best steak seasoning I have ever had anywhere. I make up a large batch of this to have on hand. Besides using it on steak, roasts, and beef for stew, get some extra thin-sliced steak from your butcher and season with this mix before pan frying, for the best cheese steak sandwich you'll ever make at home. Yum!Whiterockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08806661151235811521noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585103417333203268.post-67301666118657472462011-08-23T11:31:00.003-04:002011-08-23T14:42:46.808-04:00ChoppedI saw a set of <a href="http://cache.boston.com/bonzai-fba/Original_Photo/2008/07/29/1217523478_9740.jpg"><span style="color: #ca7a1d;">cheater chopsticks</span></a> that are hinged like a clothespin and I thought, "I can do that!" So I did. And you can too. Easy. Maybe not as easy as the rubberband trick, but a lot cooler. =D <br />
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So here's how you hack a set of chopsticks in five easy steps:<br />
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1. Get some to-go chopsticks and a clothespin.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-2KaYOjmTZcDtc4xrtWkr0dUFpPhijMQ9uJO4ESR8DsB2GsLlzno9_SRym6geEIwFQUAbxi3wPGBj9i9THwUW0pYCL-mAf8n-4ajI1SNO-pzWA2XI3VUeb2UsasA36Oa5y5Y4EXQtUDk/s1600/Chopped1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-2KaYOjmTZcDtc4xrtWkr0dUFpPhijMQ9uJO4ESR8DsB2GsLlzno9_SRym6geEIwFQUAbxi3wPGBj9i9THwUW0pYCL-mAf8n-4ajI1SNO-pzWA2XI3VUeb2UsasA36Oa5y5Y4EXQtUDk/s640/Chopped1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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2. Take them both apart.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMB77ISdEcKkqdQc9YWLzBjWr7ELauPw7xU2og6H_8Ujb2710t67lUNXD3_WGu3e4Ott8Xa_WJhHy4qGj_1LsbydDDteEiVfMRksGyCTb0MlZXhGexcURp7s2J5LRjqjcvVn4uQR8ta4w/s1600/chopped2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMB77ISdEcKkqdQc9YWLzBjWr7ELauPw7xU2og6H_8Ujb2710t67lUNXD3_WGu3e4Ott8Xa_WJhHy4qGj_1LsbydDDteEiVfMRksGyCTb0MlZXhGexcURp7s2J5LRjqjcvVn4uQR8ta4w/s640/chopped2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMB77ISdEcKkqdQc9YWLzBjWr7ELauPw7xU2og6H_8Ujb2710t67lUNXD3_WGu3e4Ott8Xa_WJhHy4qGj_1LsbydDDteEiVfMRksGyCTb0MlZXhGexcURp7s2J5LRjqjcvVn4uQR8ta4w/s1600/chopped2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMB77ISdEcKkqdQc9YWLzBjWr7ELauPw7xU2og6H_8Ujb2710t67lUNXD3_WGu3e4Ott8Xa_WJhHy4qGj_1LsbydDDteEiVfMRksGyCTb0MlZXhGexcURp7s2J5LRjqjcvVn4uQR8ta4w/s1600/chopped2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMB77ISdEcKkqdQc9YWLzBjWr7ELauPw7xU2og6H_8Ujb2710t67lUNXD3_WGu3e4Ott8Xa_WJhHy4qGj_1LsbydDDteEiVfMRksGyCTb0MlZXhGexcURp7s2J5LRjqjcvVn4uQR8ta4w/s1600/chopped2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><div style="text-align: left;" unselectable="on"></div></a><br />
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3. Slip the end of the chopstick in the hinge from the clothespin, like this. Decide where you want the crossbar to go and mark it. Mark the other chopstick in the same place.<br />
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4. Make a small groove for the crossbar to fit into. Yep, I just used a butterknife.<br />
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5. Assemble. This may take a little maneuvering, but it's not *that* hard. You'll figure it out.<br />
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And there ya' go! Easy!<br />
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And here, Pickle is trying them out. If I did it again I would place the hinge a bit closer to the end and turn the sticks so that the crossbars went across the widest sides of the sticks, instead of the narrowest... and that is my advice to you. Have at it!<br />
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Whiterockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08806661151235811521noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585103417333203268.post-35498290726937572622011-08-22T11:29:00.016-04:002011-08-24T21:52:10.541-04:00Pear HoneyI looked at several recipes online and after checking with my mom (an experienced canner) I didn't follow any of the recipes. Here's what I did... <br />
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Peeled and cut up a bunch of slightly overripe pears, tossed them (with the peelings) in a really big pot and barely covered them with water. Brought this to a boil and then covered and simmered until the pears were mushy. <br />
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Used a potato masher to break up the pears and simmered for about another 20 mintutes. Strained this thru a cotton cloth [flat cotton diapers (not prefold) are great for this and you can by them cheap at Walmart] and measured the resulting liquid. <br />
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For the first batch, I had 10 cups. This went into a stainless steel pot and half that amount of sugar was added. So for 10 cups of juice I added 5 cups of sugar. I also added about 1/8 to 1/4 of a cup of lemon juice (to taste) and a teaspoon of vanilla (again, to taste). Brought this to a boil and simmered on med-low until it was as thick I liked. You can test for this by spooning a little on a saucer and sticking it in the fridge to cool down and then see if it is as thick as you want. <br />
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For the second batch I had 8 cups of juice so I added 4 cups of sugar, the lemon and vanilla, and it was cooked in the crockpot, on high, with the top off and an cloth draped over it. It took longer to get thick but I didn't have to stand and stir it toward the end, to keep it from burning. <br />
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For both batches, as soon as they were ready and still good and hot (keep them on low while you work) I ladled them into hot sterilized jars, wiped the rim, set the lids (these were kept ready in *very* HOT water) and screwed down the rings. Then I put the jars together on a towel and draped another towel over them so they would cool down slowly. Mom always does this and says it helps them seal better. They all sealed perfectly. <br />
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So there you have it. Not quite a recipe, but certainly a method you can follow to make your own Pear Honey. And it is SO worth it. Yum! See for yourself. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2AUPBBvQZvLMjkbwrVXTxyuJMiGmYAv91jagULJhHCiliiuRgqH0sEtwy3_eIKn2AhTVhJCoUHIi-oAUtka2hnV09fRM26ND8E3orYj3arFzZJ10SPVgbeT5ty5Wg69OzHcpMq7tai_I/s1600/pear+honey+pair.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="562" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643752526313665106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2AUPBBvQZvLMjkbwrVXTxyuJMiGmYAv91jagULJhHCiliiuRgqH0sEtwy3_eIKn2AhTVhJCoUHIi-oAUtka2hnV09fRM26ND8E3orYj3arFzZJ10SPVgbeT5ty5Wg69OzHcpMq7tai_I/s640/pear+honey+pair.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBV8dKqbaxC0ybPPxIzpiVICfnnMsyvyFi33Scy9oke_54IDkW78zuioAe92zKkj1jISqrXYcmL6wNQvxyHFjXOcoVcAx4p7gtVEyDyh22w3whEpSznb4Ios5PiBncfyqwWGjDcSm-d64/s1600/pear+honey+pair1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="562" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643752521009627842" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBV8dKqbaxC0ybPPxIzpiVICfnnMsyvyFi33Scy9oke_54IDkW78zuioAe92zKkj1jISqrXYcmL6wNQvxyHFjXOcoVcAx4p7gtVEyDyh22w3whEpSznb4Ios5PiBncfyqwWGjDcSm-d64/s640/pear+honey+pair1.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a> <br />
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<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3D41Nq6WgXuZhUQC-vhYENUeUb2OKKSb8MZ53FyrQOgemh_pKnXGwlb7qOxeHOr6PO8K7aUN3vww_TfV1PoFvkDbiKIR2SpkztKJRaZp4m9-sIKWbernyw8m-Y1pdQ8hqTeQBk0blZZ8/s1600/pear+honey+pair2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643752516216097058" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3D41Nq6WgXuZhUQC-vhYENUeUb2OKKSb8MZ53FyrQOgemh_pKnXGwlb7qOxeHOr6PO8K7aUN3vww_TfV1PoFvkDbiKIR2SpkztKJRaZp4m9-sIKWbernyw8m-Y1pdQ8hqTeQBk0blZZ8/s640/pear+honey+pair2.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="556" /></a> </div>Whiterockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08806661151235811521noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585103417333203268.post-28666917148733340602011-08-21T10:44:00.009-04:002011-08-24T21:59:47.321-04:00Leftover Oatmeal CakeThe pear honey turned out worderfully! We had some on French Toast this morning and I have another batch going right now. This time I am trying to make it in the crockpot. I didn't want to stay up cooking it last night and I didn't want to try and find room in the fridge for the juice so I put it in the crockpot and left the top ajar with a towel over it. This morning, I took the top off and carefully draped the towel over the open crock. So we will see if this works. <br />
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Meanwhile, here's a recipe for Leftover Oatmeal cake!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrV13jo1BNtlceFbbPhRniZdCUAoZYLwoqXdfoDmFCWdRhq9N-0j6afZY6MguujM6saHhmIQlsmjhvmTsgjZGxEkrY0ZFx37upp4qGNGqbNGcAPuFKZiJVAJ2qOfLbfz0d3ERew55nmsg/s1600/Leftover+Oatmeal+Cake.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="359" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643310963286714146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrV13jo1BNtlceFbbPhRniZdCUAoZYLwoqXdfoDmFCWdRhq9N-0j6afZY6MguujM6saHhmIQlsmjhvmTsgjZGxEkrY0ZFx37upp4qGNGqbNGcAPuFKZiJVAJ2qOfLbfz0d3ERew55nmsg/s640/Leftover+Oatmeal+Cake.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Yep, oatmeal cake. Deeeelicious! I tend to think of this recipe as the second half of my crockpot oatmeal recipe. I used to make the oatmeal for the morning and then use the leftovers for this cake for after supper.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTlDN5H2sa6Y0gnkZ03FPYs-_7ZdokJSLe6UPpiCcARN2XdzCjx2F01W5zHiSsR4O694h5HVe8GXbvzeV7eAjyzbK8A5sG3FhOPnCf7Ga-0COj-IVdeAxpzg627WQqOht3LtKBYQPxps/s1600/Leftover+Oatmeal+Cake+Tall.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643312568294071042" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTlDN5H2sa6Y0gnkZ03FPYs-_7ZdokJSLe6UPpiCcARN2XdzCjx2F01W5zHiSsR4O694h5HVe8GXbvzeV7eAjyzbK8A5sG3FhOPnCf7Ga-0COj-IVdeAxpzg627WQqOht3LtKBYQPxps/s400/Leftover+Oatmeal+Cake+Tall.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" width="221" /></a><span style="font-size: 180%;"><strong>Leftover Oatmeal Cake</strong></span><br />
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Cream together: <br />
1/2 cup butter <br />
2 cups sucanat (OR half white sugar & half brown sugar OR all white sugar plus 1 TBS molasses) <br />
2 eggs <br />
1 tsp of vanilla <br />
2 cups (more or less) cooked oatmeal <br />
<br />
Sift together: <br />
1 1/2 cups flour <br />
1 tsp. baking soda <br />
1 tsp. baking powder <br />
1/2 tsp. sea salt <br />
1 tsp. (or more!) cinnamon <br />
<br />
Add sifted mixture to creamed mixture and beat well. Pour into greased and floured 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake 35 minutes or until tests done. Add topping.<br />
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<i>Topping</i><br />
<br />
Combine: <br />
1/2 cup brown sugar <br />
1/3 cup margarine <br />
1/4 cup cream or milk <br />
1/2 cup chopped nuts <br />
1 cup coconut. <br />
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Spread on hot cake and broil 2 - 4 minutes until the topping begins to brown. Watch closely! (I have made the topping without nuts or coconut and it was still great.) <br />
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This cake is very rich and moist so serve in small pieces.<br />
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Whiterockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08806661151235811521noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585103417333203268.post-18477613552536594962011-08-20T20:31:00.005-04:002011-08-20T23:25:35.571-04:00Busy Getting Nothing DoneI washed, peeled, and cut up some pears this morning. Put them, along with the peels, in a huge pot and covered them with water. I cooked them until they were soft, mashed them, and let them cool. The plan is to make some pear honey and jelly.
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<br />I went outside around noon, while the pear mash was cooling, and picked more pears and a few figs. But when I came inside and immediately felt like I was going to throw up and/or pass out. I had gotten too hot without realizing it. Honest, I didn't feel that hot and I wasn't even sweating that much. I took a nap. Now I'm trying to finish the pear honey and get a late supper on the table.
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<br />I did not get the fall garden seeds started, nor did I get the garden prepared. The kids pulled the corn stalks out, but appearently, that was as far as it got.
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<br />-sigh-
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<br />I will let y'all know how the pear honey turns out. I know it is tasting really good so far. But it will be a long night of cooking and canning it. Hopefully I will remember to take pictures if all goes well.... if I mess it up then there doesn't need to be photographic evidence of that, now does there? :)
<br />Whiterockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08806661151235811521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585103417333203268.post-70826857837976378222011-08-17T23:46:00.007-04:002011-08-30T21:12:03.264-04:00House MouseNot the furry kind of mouse. The computer mouse. I started goofing around with a photo of our house using 'Paint', the program the kids use to draw things on the computer. The result is not professional looking by any means. But I was determined not to spend a ton of time on it, like I tend to do when i get <s>obsessed</s> interested in something sometimes. So this was a "get it done", not a "get it perfect" project. Maybe in a few years we will make some of these changes in real life, but for now I thought I would share what I am thinking about for our little brick ranch. <br />
<br />
BEFORE.... <br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23327948@N08/6054532177/" title="house by Whiterocks_pics, on Flickr"><img alt="house" height="426" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6181/6054532177_c21f92f021.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br />
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AFTER.... <br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23327948@N08/6054532159/" title="house again by Whiterocks_pics, on Flickr"><img alt="house again" height="426" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6074/6054532159_78f8e55e43.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br />
<br />
Right now, the steps to the porch are at the side, under the carport. This is very convienient on rainy days, but every time I walk out the front door I think there should be stairs on the front of the porch. It would look more welcoming from the "curb" (we don't have a curb in the country, but you know what I mean) and it would be more convienient when exiting the house to do orchard work --which is to the right as you go out the door. So I want to leave the current steps in place and add some grand front steps. <br />
<br />
Also, we have thought about building an addition that would add a master suite and a dining room (not shown in the rendering). This would free up space to do a MUCH needed expansion of the kitchen into the current dining area. The concern with this idea is that we know we would never, ever, be able to find a match for the unique brick the exterior is clad in. So the addition would have to be 'wood' siding, and how do you make that blend with the rest of the house? <br />
<br />
My thought is to add more wood to the front of the house so the addition won't look like quite so out of place. That is why I added craftsman-style pillars, a railing, shutters, a gable and chose wood for the steps. <br />
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And I would definately add better landscaping than what you see here... but like I said, I was determinded to not obsess. Whiterockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08806661151235811521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585103417333203268.post-60821989390834432272011-08-17T22:52:00.002-04:002011-08-30T21:08:38.311-04:00Random Chicken<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23327948@N08/6051671080/" title="A portrait of one of our hens"><img alt="A portrait of one of our hens by Whiterocks_pics" height="367" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6204/6051671080_97da7fcdda.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="margin: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23327948@N08/6051671080/">A portrait of one of our hens</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23327948@N08/">Whiterocks_pics</a> on Flickr.</span></div>A fine portrait of one of our hens. This particular hen is nameless.Whiterockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08806661151235811521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585103417333203268.post-9458913786563878362011-08-16T22:16:00.004-04:002011-09-14T22:25:34.528-04:00Eggs: The Good, The Bad, And The Hidden<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23327948@N08/6051671074/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="egg"><img alt="egg by Whiterocks_pics" height="266" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6199/6051671074_01fa4850a4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="margin: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23327948@N08/6051671074/">egg</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23327948@N08/">Whiterocks_pics</a> on Flickr.</span></div>
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I found a clutch of eggs that the hens had hidden under the lean-to of the shed. I knew that some of the eggs had been laid today, because the hens were locked out of the chicken coop and they couldn't get to the nestboxes. But some of them might be much older. Soooo I wanted to be sure they weren't bad... without cracking them open.
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<br />
And as you know, the interwebz speaks to me whenz I googles it. Here's what I found out.
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<br />
According to Harold McGee, author of On Food & Cooking (Canada, UK), Hannah Glass gave this practical advice to cooks around 1750, and it's as valid today — a "way to know a good egg, is to put the egg into a pan of cold water; the fresher the egg, the sooner is will fall to the bottom; if rotten, it will swim at the top."
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<br />
A very fresh egg, placed in water, it will lie on the bottom. A week-old egg will lie on the bottom but bob slightly. An egg that is around three weeks old will balance on its small end, with the large end up. And a bad egg will float.
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<br />
So now you know!Whiterockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08806661151235811521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585103417333203268.post-45077565707712279732011-08-15T10:32:00.001-04:002011-08-15T10:32:47.848-04:00Troublemakers!<div style="margin: 0 0 10px 0; padding: 0; font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23327948@N08/6045954978/" title="DSC_0324"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6087/6045954978_0ec4c6cf06.jpg" alt="DSC_0324 by Whiterocks_pics" /></a><br/><span style="margin: 0;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23327948@N08/6045954978/">DSC_0324</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23327948@N08/">Whiterocks_pics</a> on Flickr.</span></div><p>Look at them! They look innocent enough, all cute and clucky, but they are troublemakers I tell you! A group of our youngest chickens have discovered our wonderful, sweet, elderly neighbors' flowerbeds. Bad chickens! Bad! The offenders are caged for now and some decisions about fencing will have to be made tonight. Then the wing clipping will begin. Bad chickens!! [sigh] I can't stay mad at them long.... they are so cute... and rotten!... and cute. [sigh]</p>Whiterockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08806661151235811521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585103417333203268.post-23649646657403884942011-08-13T00:16:00.008-04:002011-08-30T21:28:14.208-04:00Bunny Cake<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23327948@N08/6036863247/" title="Bunny Cake"><img alt="Bunny Cake by Whiterocks_pics" height="426" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6137/6036863247_7b8aa2fbeb.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br />
<span style="margin: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23327948@N08/6036863247/">Bunny Cake</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23327948@N08/">Whiterocks_pics</a> on Flickr.</span></div><br />
<br />
This is my version of Bunny Cake, a recipe given to me by a dear friend in the U.P. of Michigan, Jen Bach (hi, Jen!). It's called Bunny Cake because that is how some of her kids say Pannukakku. It makes a wonderfully delicious and easy breakfast! [Disclaimer: Even though I have kept the name, I do not claim that this is a propper Pannukakku.] <br />
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PANNUKAKKU (Finnish Pancake) <br />
Pronounced "bun-a-guck-ooh" <br />
<br />
1 stick butter <br />
6 eggs <br />
3/4 cup sugar <br />
1 tsp vanilla <br />
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour <br />
1 tsp salt <br />
2 cups whole milk <br />
<br />
In a 9x13 inch baking pan, melt the butter in the oven while it preheats to 375 degrees. Meanwhile, with electric mixer, beat eggs until blended and frothy. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until sugar is dissolved. In a separate bowl, stir salt into flour. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to egg mixture, mixing well between each addition. Add approximately 2/3 of the melted butter and mix in. Pour batter over the remaining butter in the pan. <br />
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Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 35 minutes. Serve warm. <br />
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In the photo above, it has been dusted with powdered sugar and topped with sour cream and homemade dewberry syrup. But I think my favorite way to eat it is with powdered sugar and fresh raspberries.Whiterockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08806661151235811521noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585103417333203268.post-61606184848271088322011-08-11T20:31:00.001-04:002011-08-11T20:31:50.410-04:00Lamp Transformation<div style="margin: 0 0 10px 0; padding: 0; font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23327948@N08/6033210013/" title="bottleslampbefore"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6062/6033210013_d41216a357.jpg" alt="bottleslampbefore by Whiterocks_pics" /></a><br/><span style="margin: 0;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23327948@N08/6033210013/">bottleslampbefore</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23327948@N08/">Whiterocks_pics</a> on Flickr.</span></div><p>http://matsutakeblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/its-done-glampsformation.html</p>Whiterockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08806661151235811521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585103417333203268.post-6573856431054657292011-08-01T16:26:00.001-04:002011-08-01T16:26:03.704-04:00Card catalog centerpiece<div style="margin: 0 0 10px 0; padding: 0; font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23327948@N08/5998881705/" title="card catalog centerpiece 3"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6133/5998881705_6bf174a5a2.jpg" alt="card catalog centerpiece 3 by Whiterocks_pics" /></a><br/><span style="margin: 0;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23327948@N08/5998881705/">card catalog centerpiece 3</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23327948@N08/">Whiterocks_pics</a> on Flickr.</span></div><p>I like this idea, but I don't haven any card catalog drawers. Maybe I can find an old box about this size.</p>Whiterockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08806661151235811521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585103417333203268.post-4459467906305660552011-04-20T10:09:00.002-04:002011-04-20T10:24:41.729-04:00"I'll Be Back"Hey everybody! I got overwhelmed, in over my head.... Life grabbed me by the leg and pulled me under for a while. I am still treading water and looking for that set of floaties I know I had at one point, but I am breathing and that is good. Shore is in sight. <br /><br />Soooooooo, I want to start blogging again. My life has changed, my address has changed, lots of things have changed. Now it is time for this blog to change. A new name and a new look are on the way. Stay tuned. I'll be back.Whiterockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08806661151235811521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585103417333203268.post-68863028998972016342011-04-20T09:41:00.004-04:002011-04-23T10:51:22.447-04:00Fermented cod liver oil giveaway over at Keeper of the Home!<a href="http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2011/04/green-pasture-cod-liver-oil-giveaway-10-bottles.html/comment-page-3#comment-58234">WIN 10 BOTTLES OF EMULSIFIED FERMENTED COD LIVER OIL</a> <br />I understand that many of you are wrinkling up your nose as you read this, but for those of us who know the benefits of fermented cod liver oil this is a chance we can't pass up! Having a son on the autistic spectrum and not a lot of money to spend on supplements for him, I am absolutely giddy with the prospect of winning TEN bottles of one of the most important, nutrient dense, whole foods supplements he could take! Thank you for this giveaway, Keeper of the Home!<br /><br /><strong>EDIT: Looks like she revised her post to clarify that it is ONE bottle for each of TEN WINNERS. Oh well, I still want to win one.</strong>Whiterockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08806661151235811521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585103417333203268.post-48659314790044589712010-06-24T13:37:00.005-04:002010-06-24T13:53:48.927-04:00The headline that almost happened...<strong>"Justifiable Child Endangerment" says County Judge.</strong><br /><br />Three minors, all brothers, were found Thursday duct taped to a pine tree in rural Minnesota. Authorities have detained a charming, talented woman they claim as their mother - though she denies any mutual genetic material - as their primary suspect. She was found in the boys' home hanging upside down cleaning the chest freezer which appeared to have been left open for an undetermined amount of time with 2/3 of the contents (including a stash of Breyer's ice cream snagged on super sale price) scattered across the floor and a pint of frozen cranberries scattered throughout the frozen goods left in the freezer. Several gallons of fresh strawberries were found in the kitchen, apparently left by the suspect in mid-cleaning for a jam making project.<br /><br />"The neighbor came to get us for a job and I guess we just forgot we had left all that stuff out on the floor." said the oldest of the brothers.<br /><br />The youngest of the boys was heard saying, "I told her there wasn't any rhubarb left in there from last year!" <br /><br />"Oh, brother," was the only comment from the third child.<br /><br />A judge has reviewed the evidence and the suspect is expected to be released without charges. She is being detained in the local county jail where she has refused contact with court appointed attorney services and is reportedly napping. <br /><br />"We may have some trouble getting her to leave," states county sheriff. "She refers to the cell as a retreat center with room service."<br /><br /><br /><em>The above news story was written by my friend SarahK after sending her boys out to the freezer to look for rhubarb and later discovering thawed food all over the floor and the freezer door open. I'm very impressed with her self-control. Although, if the nap spoken of, had been a sure bet... I'm not so sure she could have resisted.</em>Whiterockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08806661151235811521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585103417333203268.post-39850713911264336202010-06-20T12:42:00.003-04:002010-06-20T12:46:33.841-04:00Tying a StringTwo strings are walking past a bar, and they see a sign that says, "No Strings Allowed". The first string gets mad and says he is going to go in and demand his rights. So he walks in and sits at the bar. The bartender says, "Are you a STRING?!" and the string says, "Yeah, and I...." That was it, he was thrown out. The second string looks at the first string and says, "You handled that all wrong. Watch me." Then he throws himself on the ground and rolls around and wriggles and wallows and gets all dirty and gnarly and tangled up with loose threads at the top. Then he walks into the bar, sits down, and demands, "Give me a Root Beer!" So the bartender eyes him up and down and says, "Are you a string?" And the string says, "Nope, I'm a frayed knot."<br /><br />That is a joke my Daddy told me when I was a kid. He was always telling me jokes and getting a kick out of me laughing at them. They were really old jokes, but I'd never heard them before so he loved telling them to me. Now he tells old jokes to my kids.<br /><br /><strong>HAPPY FATHERS' DAY DADDY!</strong>Whiterockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08806661151235811521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585103417333203268.post-338251283696214142010-06-18T12:17:00.002-04:002010-06-18T12:35:42.759-04:00You Missed AgainConversation overheard in the kitchen this morning...<br /><br />Pickle: You poked me en mah ieeeee!<br />SweetPea: No I didn't! I wasn't even near your eye!<br />Pickle: Dat mean you misst.<br /><br />(Pause)<br /><br />Pickle: You poked me en mah ieee ugh-ens!<br />SweetPea: No I didn't! I didn't even try --<br />Pickle: DAT JUSS MEAN YOU MISST UGH-ENS!Whiterockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08806661151235811521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585103417333203268.post-5103239463998098602010-06-18T11:17:00.001-04:002010-06-18T11:19:48.430-04:00This too!!!I'd love to win this too!<br /><a href="http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2010/06/1000th-post-party-giveaway-deluxe-excalibur-3900-9-tray-dehydrator-220-value.html?utm_source=Arkayne.com&utm_medium=Plugin&utm_campaign=Keeper%20of%20the%20Home">Excalibur Dehydrator</a>Whiterockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08806661151235811521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585103417333203268.post-79559153492974835982010-06-17T12:53:00.002-04:002010-06-17T12:54:15.686-04:00Don't AskAfter getting off the potty, Pickle said, "Momma, I tink I runned out." I said, "Run out?" He said, "Yeah, I tink I runned out. I doan ha-uh any mower." And I this is where I went wrong and asked, "Don't have any more what?" To which he replied, "Poop."Whiterockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08806661151235811521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585103417333203268.post-61955719708770836122010-06-17T10:10:00.001-04:002010-06-17T10:12:34.580-04:00And again....I'm still trying to win these. They look wonderful!<br />Again, here's the link.... <a href="http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2010/06/1000th-post-party-giveaway-5-homestead-blessings-videos-and-25-gift-certificate-from-fbs-books.html">Homestead Blessings Videos</a>Whiterockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08806661151235811521noreply@blogger.com0