Sharing the word...

I've been told that this is Girlfriend and Sister's Week~
"I am only as strong as the chocolate I eat,
the hair spray I use and
the friends I have.
To the cool women that have
touched my life.. Here's to you!"

What would most of us do without our sisters, confidants and shopping, lunching, and traveling girls?
Let's celebrate each other for each other's sake!
TO MY GIRLFRIENDS!

Seasonal Changes...

There's no denying it. August is on the way out. Temperatures are dropping, the flower beds are changing, and ragweed, elderberries, and bittersweet are getting ripe along the roadsides.

The hay has been cut, the sheep sheared again, and the kids are back in school. Fall is well on its way.
Dew is heavier, the evenings cooler, and mums are appearing everywhere.

The local college has opened its doors to the freshman, and it's getting dark earlier. The shift has begun. The equinox is turning. My favorite time of year is coming.

Jim and I were both autumn babies, so maybe that's why we like this time of year so. I'm going to dig out the portable fire pit so we can roast some hot dogs in the back yard!

Bring it on...'tis time for the orange and gold decor! I think that Autumn is the best season to decorate for. Sure, there will be hot days again, and we'll still break out in a sweat. The signs are there however...it's coming!

How do you feel about Fall? Does it make you sad to see Summer fade?
Or do feel a sense of elation and exhilaration seeing the season roll over?

Silly stuff...

You can't change a man. Unless he's in diapers.
~Mary Bennett

Dog days...

We've had our corgi boy nine years now. Sheesh...where did the years go? He was five months old when we brought him home. He laid on Jim's chest for the first hour after we arrived home, both in the recliner. He listened to Jim's heartbeat, and Jim is still his favorite person. He loves me too, but Daddy...is da' man to ol' Jakie boy. Why can't they invent a way for dogs to live longer? Dog years are too-darn-short!

What's in a name?

Today, on Chatty Chrone's site, she had the meaning of her name in her post. I found that very interesting, and decided to try the name, CorgiDogMama. Here are the surprising, on the mark, results!

You are very open. You communicate well, and you connect with other people easily.
You are a naturally creative person. Ideas just flow from your mind.
A true chameleon, you are many things at different points in your life. You are very adaptable.

You are well rounded, with a complete perspective on life.
You are solid and dependable. You are loyal, and people can count on you.
At times, you can be a bit too serious. You tend to put too much pressure on yourself.

You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something.

You are deeply philosophical and thoughtful. You tend to analyze every aspect of your life. You are intuitive and quite introverted. You value your time alone.
Often times, you are grumpy with other people. You don't appreciate them trying to interfere in your affairs.

You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don't stick with any one thing for very long.
You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start.

You are balanced, orderly, and organized. You like your ducks in a row.
You are powerful and competent, especially in the workplace.
People can see you as stubborn and headstrong. You definitely have a dominant personality.

Frankly, it's a little scary, just how accurate this is! Is there karma, or a witch doctor floating around in cyberspace somewhere...figuring us all out? Sheesh!

Chick Lit tip...

Good Evening my little chicks....hope everyone is doing peachy.
Just finished a dandy book and wanted to share it with you.
The Help, by Kathryn Stockett, is set in 1962 Jackson, Mississippi. In those days, Jackson was a hotbed of civil rights unrest. There were definite lines drawn between the whites and the blacks. This story is so rich in the description of the women, from both races, living during that time frame.
I literally hated to close this book, and read deep into the night, making myself dopey the next morning. The story is wonderful, and as the intersecting lives cross paths, and the story unfolds...you're hooked. While we're on a southern kick....you may want to see what Paula Deen has to offer below.

Corn and Cheese Fritters
from Paula Deen...these just sound so yummy, that I had to share. I haven't made them yet, but baby, I'm a gonna'!


Ingredients 1 1/2 cups self-rising cornmeal mix
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese with peppers
1/4 cup chopped green onion
Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, and salt.
In a small bowl, combine buttermilk and eggs; add to cornmeal mixture, stirring to combine. Stir in corn, cheese, and onion.
In a large Dutch oven, pour oil to a depth of 3 inches; heat oil over medium-high heat to 350˚. Drop batter by tablespoonfuls into hot oil. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately

Makes 2 dozen (approximately)

You know that you're retro if you can remember darning socks, using a small gourd to slip into the sock as a base to sew on. Who darns socks in today's America...or even sews on a button?

You know that you're retro when you can remember that every home had an old black Underwood somewhere...and typing "...now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their party..." as a practice sentence to test the ink ribbon.

You know that you're retro when you can remember wearing saddle shoes in middle school and freshman year.

Retro is a little kinder than the word....OLD...don't ya' think?

Whew...it's over!

.
The day began very early after a very short night. We were setting up, a half hour from home, by 7am for today's HerbFest.


Our booth looked great, and folks kept asking us if we had a store. When we told them that we just decided to do this a few weeks ago, they couldn't believe it! They really liked our displays too. My pal Melody is a natural window dresser, so all of the credit goes to her for that.

It was a good day. Mel did extremely well, and made the equivilant of several paychecks. All of son Josh's cinnamon ornaments sold. Everyone wanted them to scent their cars, and loved the fact that they were hummingbird shaped. I was hoping for at least $25, but ended up with just under $50. Remember, I basically was selling my "angry menopausal" women cards, and loved hearing women giggle, and see them elbow each other. Hey...they got the point, which thrilled me...I am not alone in this moody journey!

Our spot was under a tree, and until high noon and afternoon sun of a day pushing 90, we were pretty comfortable. Plus, the ladies room was directly across the sidewalk. N-i-c-e!
Our booth was right next door to a renaissance group of ladies, selling medieval herbs. Very interesting. Did you notice their dress, and the gargoyles in front of their round tent?
Thanks to Jim for helping set up and tear down after a long, tiring day.
We're doing it next year, and hoping for the same spot.
Just think what we can do, creating stuff all year long!

Get-R-Done Friday...and beyond!

This has been a crazy week, getting ready to participate for the first time in our annual herb fest, held in our county seat. We've always attended in the past, making it a girls day out. This year, we jumped on the bandwagon, and rented booth space. We've been busy crafting for several weeks, but this week, it's diarrhea days for us all...finishing up, packing, and trying to combine four sellers under one 10 X 10 tent shelter! I'll take pictures, and post this weekend of the event. The temps are going to be hitting 90!

Herb Fest~August 15, 2009, Wabash, Indiana

The festival is held at the Historic Paradise Spring Park in downtown Wabash, Indiana, overlooking the Wabash River. The park has a completed Riverwalk area, historic log cabins, and modern bathrooms. Event includes herb & garden related items, free seminars, herb walks, garden tours off-site and the Kunkle car show at the Honeywell Center.

Visit others participating in GeT-R-Done.

Nice night for a boat ride...

Nothings prettier than the view from a lake on a summer's evening.




We had a nice evening. We went to a small lake town about 25 miles away, where my son Josh goes to camp each year. We rode the Dixie, an eighty year old landmark in North Webster, and thoroughly enjoyed our hour on the lake.

The captain for tonight's boat ride is a businessman that has a printing company in three small towns; ours included. We thought that he looked familiar!




The boat docks in the town park, and remains there all year long.
They have a tiny beach, and a pizza joint nearby, making this area popular for the lake visitors and summer tourists.



We skimmed the shoreline, and listened to the interesting narration, telling of the history of the paddle wheeler.

Jim saved popcorn to feed the ducks after the ride. It's customary to dump all the popcorn after each run, and the ducks were ready and waiting! What a swarm. There were large groupings of swans on the lake as well, which we thought unusual.



Twelve years ago today, Jim and I got hitched after knowing each other less than three months. Another middle aged crazy thing we did...the first of many, come to find out!

Avoid the mirror...at all cost!

Today, I finally gave in and had a low-light done at Wally world. Looking into the mirror was so dang depressing, and affecting my self-esteem making it imperative to get it done. I've been carrying around a fifty dollar bill in my purse for over two months; folded and tucked away for such an emergency!

Does looking in the mirror shock you sometimes? Make you do a double take and say, "egad, who's that old gal that looks just like my long dead grandma?" What happens to us? How do our faces shift so?
I'm 22 on the inside baby....but old, gimpy and crinkled is what the world sees. When did that glacier slide right on over me?
Anyway....I'll put my big girl panties on and deal with it.
It got me thinking though, of the year 1951, and who besides Jim and I were born that year. Just put the year you were born in search and see what names pop up and surprise you.

Other '51'ers were: Dan Fogelberg, Cheryl Ladd, Sting, Robin Williams, Mark Harmon, Dale Earnhardt, Al Franken, Sally Ride, Peabo Bryson, Phil Collins, Yakov Smirnoff, Crystal Gayle, Rush Limbaugh,Tony Danza, and scads of others! I'm thinking many have had chemical/surgical help over the years, as the decades just don't look as bad on them.

August 2nd...is Friendship Day!

Just want to send my best regards to the whole gang of ya' who like me, have made some great pals via blog world.
Cyber hugs to all~Love ya!
Susan

Did you get your paint yet?

Remember about a month ago, Glidden was giving away free quarts of paint? You could visit their site and peruse the colors and choose the one that made your heart go pitter pat. I chose "celery sticks" such an interesting color name for a soft green. Well, today, I got busy and sponge rubbed said "celery sticks" all over our bedroom walls.
It ended up looking sort of marbelized over the gold we had on the walls. And...it looks rather neon green, or the green that you saw in mental hospitals, in the 1960's. I hope, dear God please, that when it's thoroughly dry....it will resemble the soft green of celery, and not the place where Nurse Rachette worked.
What did you do with your free quart of paint from Glidden?
Please tell all in your comments today. I'm dying to know!