Thankful Thursday

This Thursday, I am thankful just to be alive. Yup.

Dh's colleague, a mere two years into his retirement, died this past Monday. He was fighting colon cancer, but it was still unexpected in that he was just finished with chemo and seemed to be doing well.

The last conversation I had with J must have been about a year ago, and I remember it with a smile because he was joking, in his dry way, about Las Vegas, and people jumping out of cakes, and how it'd be cheaper to farm it out. We'll miss J.

Anyway, dh and I are trying to keep in mind that one must enjoy oneself before retirement, and that every day is a good day to carpe diem.

Another thing I'm thankful for are friends who think highly of me. Meg (Get In, Hang On) nominated me for an award. I highly doubt I'll win - there are some seriously good homeschooling blogs out there - but as those humble *ahem* thespians intone again and again at award shows: It's an honor just to be nominated. ;)

A third thing to be thankful for: we have salad greens again! Summer killed them, but we now have our fall crop ready to go. Tonight, we had egg salad on our green. Eggs, peppers, celery, greens - all from our garden:I took a bunch of photos of our garden and our chickens to show you, but I'm saving that for later. In the meantime, you can admire our fake farmyard friends. I know Blonde Duck will appreciate this:What are you thankful for this week?

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be." ~ Douglas Adams

Thankful Thursday + another recipe

I had something else in mind to be thankful for previously, but after a little computer scare this morning, I decide that today, I'm definitely thankful my computer didn't die on me...and it reminded me to BACK-UP everything!!!

Below is the burger buns recipe that Sherrie (Frenchy's Finds) requested. It's a bread machine recipe, but those of you who know how to cook bread by hand will likely know how to mix all the ingredients together into a good dough.Butter Rolls

¾ C + 2 T milk
1/3 C water
1/3 C butter
1 egg
4 C bread flour
3 T sugar
1 ½ t salt
2 ½ t Active Dry Yeast

Load ingredients into your bread-machine in the order specified in its manual (for my Zojirushi, I always put wet stuff in first, followed by flour, butter, sugar, salt, and the yeast in a little well in the center). Set it for "dough" cycle and hit start.

When the cycle ends, dump the dough out onto a floured surface and knead 2 to 3 times to release air. Divide dough into 16* pieces and shape into hot dog or burger buns.

Cover the buns with clean kitchen towel and let rise until double in size (about 1 hour).

Bake in preheated 350F oven (preheat about 20 minutes before the dough finishes rising) for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown.

This is my no-fail recipe that I've been using for at least 10 years now; I hope it works for you as well!

Anything in particular that you're thankful for today?

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be." ~ Douglas Adams

Thankful Thursday

I'm very thankful for

1) living in a college town where there are always free academic lectures to take the kids to - for example, this very entertaining talk we went to last Saturday:
2) our terrific public library (which is ranked #2 in the country, apparently). It has a beautiful, open space, friendly staff, and it is very generous with buying patron requested materials. They bought all of the books/DVDs I have requested over the past several years! And because of their incredible number of offerings, I, once again, borrowed too many books yesterday. They're wonderful books: Physics of Star Trek, and Quintessence (both by the author in the above photo), In the Sweet Kitchen, and Scream-free Parenting, among a few others. I'd really love to read them all, and therefore think I need to stay off the computer for a few weeks in order to get my reading (and crafting and baking) in. :)

It's hard to give up blog reading, so I was thinking maybe I should just tackle 5-10 per day. Which ones I read will be determined by whether there's a new post and also going in order of appearance in my "follow" list...so, pretty random, and therefore, please don't feel slighted if I don't get to yours on a given day.

Today, I've read, or am going to read (when the satellite internet connection is actually working):
The Lisa Yee Blog
Gassner Custom Soap
Mud Puddle Girl
an open [sketch]book
Get In, Hang On
The Good Enough Witch
Indie Business Blog
Be Different, Act Normal
Craft Knife
Chocolate and Marmalade Tea
Rake Shovel Hoe
A Duck in Her Pond
Oikology 101
Let Me Think On It
Health Begins at Home
Family Forever
Soap and the Finer Things in Life
Making Soap, Living Well
Professional SAHM

Oops, exceeded my quota of 5-10 blogs to read...

Anyway, hope you all have something to be thankful for today! :)

"He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home." ~ Johann von Goethe

Thankful Thursday

Today, I'm thankful for:

1) our orchid finally blooming!!2) the sun poking through. Aaaaahhhhh!
and
3) the freedom to (legally) educate our children however we see fit.

Happy Thursday to one and all!

"He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home." ~ Johann von Goethe

To quote Phil Collins...

Uh oh, I missed again. The Thankful Thursday post, that is.

I am thankful for my very patient blogging friends who are awaiting some sign from me as to what my Pay-It-Forward giveaway/swap gift is for each of them.

Minka was the easiest to do as she requested something online (dear soul didn't want me to have to mail her anything overseas). So I've made something using my very basic Print Shop program (read: nothing fancy...how I wish I had Print Shop Pro!). But I could only save it in formats that Blogger doesn't upload.

So, Minka, if you want to email me (my email's on my Profile page), I can email you a PDF attachment of your gift. :)

Everyone else, I'm working on your gift...thank goodness I have a year to complete the task!

Happy weekend to all!

"He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home." ~ Johann von Goethe

Thankful Thursday...continuing to be late...

This week, I am thankful

1) that dh has a job and we have a roof over our heads, and
2) for receiving sweet awards from my bloggy friends. It's nice to be loved, and it's even nicer to be shown a token of that love!

Minka (Stirring My Thoughts) bestowed the Lemonade Award on me yesterday:The rules of the award are:
1) Put the logo on your blog or post.
2) Nominate at least 10 blogs that show great attitude or gratitude.
3) Link to your nominees within your post.
4) Let the nominees know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
5) Share the love and link to the person from who you received your award.

Since I can pick as many as I want, I'll pass it along to everyone whose blog is listed in the right column of this page. But, since I'm busy packing for our trip, and I'm forgetful, I may not let you know at your blog. :}

"He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home." ~ Johann von Goethe

Thankful Thursday

I've got a couple of short posts up my sleeves (better than up anywhere else...sorry, rude of me!). First topic is Thankful Thursday.

Today, I'm thankful for Seeds of Change's Tikka Masala sauce. Not only is it super tasty (all Seeds of Change products that I've tried are!), but it also allowed me to easily whip up a vegetarian meal (tofu tikka masala) when dh came home late from work on Tuesday. Next time it goes on sale at our local food co-op, we may have to buy a case!

"He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home." ~ Johann von Goethe

Thankful Thursday

I hope it doesn't sound sad, because it's not, but I'm thankful that Thursday is nearly over and I have done a good deed, was grumpy without killing anyone, and have a Battlestar Galactica episode to watch with dh when we're done watching The Muppet Show with the boys. :)

To top off a not-that-sad Thursday, here's cool link to making classic cocktails from Fine Living! :)"He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home." ~ Johann von Goethe

Where, oh where, has my little week gone?

I hear the whooshing sound of my week gone down the toilet. Oy.

Well, this past week, we lost a young hen (less a year old) to, we believe, TB. Luckily, the other chickens seem healthy enough for now.

I also missed Thankful Thursday, although I will tell you what I'm thankful for: that our car wasn't one of those stuck on the road, or worse, ran off the road, in the slushy conditions on our way to my friend's baby shower yesterday.

On Thursday, dh wanted a field-trip, so we took off to bird-watch at Ewing Bottoms where we saw hundreds of Sandhill Cranes. There was even one Whooping Crane among the Sandhills! Then, as we were watching the cranes, a Golden Eagle flew over them and was circling them, causing the Sandhills to panic (which basically means they were even louder than they were while at rest). I couldn't get the video to load on Blogger, but you can find it at my YouTube page. We also saw four Mute Swans at Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge: And here we are, Sunday again.

I'm going to try to continue catching up on my blog reading...I really miss visiting all your blogs and I'm not ignoring you, honestly! :)

Oh, forgot to mentioned that Firefly Mom, of the hilarious Pack of Hungry Snails blog, gave me some bloggy love:*mwah* - I adore ya back!

Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend!

"He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home." ~ Johann von Goethe

Guess what day it is?

That's right, Thursday! No, seriously, it's:I need to get a proper piping tool so I can write better on my baked goods. I made this for the LEGO Club meeting today; it's a bit ugly - the worst looking heart and script I've seen - but it was very tasty and that's all that mattered. Happy birthday to Darwin and Lincoln!

It's also Thankful Thursday time! And I'm thankful that:

1) the high winds we had didn't cut off our power (apparently many people in town were without power, but out here in the boonies where we are, our power stayed on), and

2) the weekend looks to be relatively free so I can sleep in a little and catch up on reading blogs.

That reminds me, I'm sorry I've not been around to read your blogs as much recently. Long days out here and there, and an unreliable satellite internet connection makes it hard to keep up.

I do have a couple of things I'd like to post soon though: lovely cards that Michelle (Blog of the Soap Pixie) made for me in trade for some soaps, and the fabulous prize from Trisha (Suds to Love) that I received in the mail today!!

"He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home." ~ Johann von Goethe

I forgot to add...I'm thankful for Heather!

You can't believe how hard it is for me to actually find the camera and take a picture. Seriously.

Anyway, I want to add for Thankful Thursday that I'm also thankful for Heather (One Bubble at a Time). She is one of the tremendously wonderful and generous ladies I've met since venturing into the soaping world and I am ever grateful to have met her.

She sent me (and Carrie - Under the Willow - and possibly some other folks I'm not aware of) a wonderful surprise this week!Oh, and for Michelle (Chocolate and Marmalade Tea), here's Heather's cupcake soap I was telling you about. In the cute little package:and in its full glory:It smells so wonderful and looks so beautiful that I can't bear to use it in the shower; I keep it out as a decorative air freshener. :>

"He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home." ~ Johann von Goethe

Thankful Thursday

While it's still 20F (-6C) right now, it's a lovely sunny day.

So, today, I'm thankful that

1) the kids and I don't have to head out so I can enjoy the summer-y sunshine from our living room without having to slip on the ice (like dh did this morning while taking care of the chickens), and

2) dh (and all my friends in wintry conditions) got to work and home again without any mishaps during those days when the roads were messy.

3) there are many things that make me laugh...just a couple of examples:

Map of Cat's Brain (posted at The Good Enough Witch)

andand"He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home." ~ Johann von Goethe

Thankful Thursday

I think posting all week last week took the oomph out of me, so I've been quiet on the blogging front. However, it's Thursday yet again.

Before I tell you what I'm thankful for, I want to share a couple of pics:Did we get snow or did we get snow?? This was taken right after I let the dog out so she could accompany dh to take care of the chickens. Notice how she wasn't going to venture into the deep parts? Everybody and their dogs (really) were talking about peanut butter on Twitter for a while - the tainting and other topics. Inspired by Joanna's post, I made my own peanut butter "cups" (they were more like peanut butter balls). They were kind of ugly (like Turtles candy), but very tasty and quite easy to make. (ds#2 made the heart plate...which is for sale, in case anyone was wondering *smile*)

Anyway, this week, I'm thankful for:

1) ds#1 - who is my spell checker/editor and bird ID expert. He'll turn 13 on Sunday - may he always find Scientific American and LEGOs more interesting than violent video games and other unwholesome teen activities. *sniffle*

2) ds#2 - who is my human GPS. I'd be lost a thousand times while driving if he didn't know the exact direction to places. I know it's probably a skill which is a by-product of his ASD (autism spectrum disorder...I get annoyed when people use acronyms they don't explain), but I still appreciate it since I'm directionally challenge.

I believe I'm suppose to pick 2 winners for my giveaway tomorrow. Come back for more fun!

"He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home." ~ Johann von Goethe

Thankful Thursday

Well, this week, I'm thankful

1) that I don't have a bad, full-blown cold like many poor folks have been having...I have just a teeny one. ;}

2) for the awards I've been receiving, the latest from Rose at All About Cakes3) for all the generous giveaways from other folks. Today it's Urban Debris.

It's been an up and down week here; hope everyone else's has been good or better!

"He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home." ~ Johann von Goethe

Thankful Thursday

Again already?? I'm having deja vu (without the proper accents).

Has everyone else's week flown by as fast? Whoosh! Or is that BOOM?! It feels like it went by faster than the speed of sound. It couldn't have gone by faster than the speed of light or this post would weigh more than the planet. What? You are tired of physics jokes, you say?

All right. Before I tell you what I'm grateful for this week, I'd like to quote from the book "Simple Abundance" by Sarah Ban Breathnach:

"Happiness that the world cannot take away only flourishes in the secret garden of our souls....Ultimately, genuine happiness can only be realized once we commit to making it a personal priority in our lives."

This week, I am thankful for

1) indoor plumbing! No kidding. Every day, I wake up grateful that we have indoor plumbing. I think it's one of those great things that so many people take for granted, like oxygen to breathe (especially the unpolluted stuff), and clean water at our disposal, usually without have to walk several miles to carry home and at a ridiculously low price for its true worth.

That said, I'm also thankful that we have an outhouse on the hilltop for a little privacy when communing with nature. Here it is, as modeled by the boys, when dh was building it:2) my panic mode. Not "Don't Panic" in large friendly letters, but actual panic mode as in raised adrenaline levels and sick feeling in the stomach.

And why am I thankful for my panic mode? Because it usually reminds me to evaluate (or re-re-re-etc.evaluate) my priorities and not spend as much time on things that don't make me happy in the long run, or that take time away from being with the boys while they're still young and homeschooled.

What are you thankful for this week?

"He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home." ~ Johann von Goethe

Thankful Thursday

This week, I'm grateful that
1) we don't have 200 feet of snow like those poor folks in the Northeast and Northwest have!
2) our dog (above) is smart enough not to tangle with coyotes (whose lovely howls serenaded us last night in bed).

Hope everyone has had a really nice week so far!

"He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home." ~ Johann von Goethe

Thankful Thursday - the first post

Because I just have to do things my way (and I wonder where ds#1's obstinacy comes from), I'm starting, per my "resolutions", my very first Thankful Thursday.

This Thursday, I am most thankful for everyone who visits my blog - whether you leave a comment or not. I have met so many wonderful people who have brightened up my life, or my entire family's life (yes, you, Carrie-Gigi!).

And to all my wonderful online and real-time friends, I toast you with my rum and eggnog! Hugs and kisses!(Really, I am off to drink my rum and eggnog du jour.)

"The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance, the wise grows it under his feet." ~ James Oppenheim