Speed Limit: 900 MPH

Today is a funny post of signs and such. 

(read carefully!)

Laughing out loud is allowed!

Okay, I'm in tears now. I'll quit so you can wipe your eyes, too!

Let it Snow... I'll stay home and bake cookies!

Last Sunday I planned to bake cookies. The weather planned to make snow. We got together and agreed on it. Here's sort of how it went.

The recipe for Fluffy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 c. flour

1 t. baking soda

1/2  t. salt

1 c. butter or margarine (I use butter)

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. white sugar

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

1 12 oz pkg semi-sweet chocolate pieces. (I used chunks, and really you can use whatever flavor chips you like!)

1/ c. chopped pecans - optional. 

Bake @ 375 for 10-12 min.

Stir together flour, baking soda and salt in a small bow.

In another, larger bowl cream butter and sugars, first. There's something therapeutic about creaming the butter and sugar. To make sure this happens, take out the butter early, so it softens. If it needs a little help you can pop it in microwave for a few seconds--like 2 or 5. Don't over do it, or you'll get soup. I do it the old fashioned way and put it on top of a hot stove while I'm putting all my ingredients out.

Next add the vanilla & eggs. (See the large metal spoon I use? I never use wood for this)

After the liquid ingredients are mixed together, you add the dry (flour, baking soda and salt), about a half a cup at a time, that way, it's easier to mix.

I never use any electric mixer. I wind up having to clean the thing off a dozen times and it just takes longer. And, like I said, it's something I like doing like I've always done when I was growing up.

Ah, meanwhile the snow comes down. This is a look out at our back yard as it just begins to dust things.

Our truck begins to turn white...

And this is our drive and the barn.

Below, I've added the chunky chips. Yum. I've never used the chunks. I really love chocolate!

Now, while your oven heats up to 375 degrees, put the dough into freezer for about 10-15 min. This will keep it from being too sloppy to handle. After that, you can keep it in fridge in between baking.

Hmmm. I see the snow has added a healthy inch or more to the ground. The weather people first predicted 2" -3". Then they just kept on adding inches to our predicted totals. If you live in the Midwest, you know no one knows how to accurately predict snow amounts. They thought we'd get rain at the end of this. 

Let's just see what happens here.

Here is my method of spooning the dough onto cookie sheet. If you want your cookies to be small, use a teaspoon. If you want them large--which I did--use the tablespoon, and the smaller spoon to push it off with.

 BAKE FOR 10-12 MIN. adjust time according to your oven.

~*~

There's nothing better than a batch of cookies coming out of the oven.

A note here: to prevent the chips from melting all over your spatula (I use an antique metal one), wait about 1-2 minutes before removing from the pan. You'll thank me later for that one hint!

Meanwhile, snow has really accumulated on the picnic table and stuff outside the window.

And here is my husband manning the snow shovel. Looks like about 4 inches right now, doesn't it?

A little snow on the pumpkin?

Interesting view out of my office window!

It snowed for 12 hours, and we had 8" or so of snow. No rain.

I'm predicting, this will be a very snowing winter because of the rain we got all summer.

Today (December 10th), we are expecting 2 snow events over the next 2 days, and then it will get very cold)

Well, after all that work outside and in, you really look forward to fresh-baked cookies and a glass of milk!

These cookies will stay fluffy after cooling, and won't become hard, unlike the traditional ones (from the package) as it uses less sugar. This recipe is one I found a number of years ago, and have used it ever since. If you enjoy baking, you'll find these cookies will garner you praise from those who consume. You'll become the Queen of Chocolate Chip Cookies. And this one allows you to cut it [recipe] in half perfectly, if you don't want a whole batch, which is usually what I do, but I wanted enough to share with friends.

Enjoy!

Another Thanksgiving

This year Dennis and I decided to not go to all the trouble of cooking a turkey. It's only the two of us. We've gone out for Thanksgiving, but that usually isn't the same. Plus, you have to go out into public. Sometimes, we just don't want to be around people. We're strange in that way.

So, we'll be cooking either a large chicken or two Cornish hens. We hope to find the Cornish hens (usually frozen).

I always hated the clean up of it all (don't have luxury of a dishwasher--I'm the dishwasher and Dennis dries).

So, whatever your plans are this Thanksgiving, hope it's nice, safe and enjoyable.

Afton Walk

Until this year I have not been able to share any pictures with you of my surroundings--one's I've taken. So, today I thought I would share some I took while walking through this park where we live a few weeks ago.

Of course, we start out at the trail from our yard.

Beginning of trail through the woods winds around and out toward the park.

This is a trail that winds down toward the creek.

Here you see damage to trees by beavers.

This tree was big around as my thigh. Unbeleivable these guys can chew through a tree this size and somehow haul it off to the river. Because of the constant problems with the beaver, the superintendent hired someone to trap and eradicate the beaver. Dennis and I find this attitude backward and do not agree with trapping an animal which would create the very wetlands they want. But who are we but hired help?

Okay, to continue my walk. This day was perfect and quite warm. As you see in the next series the leaves were still on trees here and are very colorful this Fall day.

By this time I'm about ten minutes into my walk. Maybe more, since I stopped to take pictures.

Here are the tall prairie grasses that is grown and many birds use it for nesting, food and cover.

Below are burning bushes which grow on south side of the pine grove. 

This is view of north picnic area as seen from a different angle.

This is looking east across the creek and up to the rise.

Back in the day, this was grazing for milk cows by the McGurrs who first settled here. Atop that ridge once stood the original cabin--long gone now. We live in the house they later built in 1906.

From this point if you wish to hike up the hill there is an observation deck that gives you a wonderful view. Today, however, I stayed in the main park. This park has over 300 acres, lots of paths. My husband, who is now on hiatus, walks a minimum of 1 hour a day. He prefers to go during the early morning, especially when it's still dark. One morning, he heard coyote, and while he had his cell phone was able to film and capture the sound. 

While on my walk, my cell phone rang, and I knew it would be Dennis. He wondered where I was, and said he was heading to the north picnic area. I told him I'd be there in five minutes.

Here is a wooded trail I took as a short cut.

And here he and I are together under the shelter. He takes care of the main mowed areas of this park.

Well, that's my tour. I only did one portion of the main park. There are many more areas, hope to be able to get pictures of them at a future time.

Thanks for joining me!

Fly The W!

Unless you've been in a coma for the past few weeks, you know that the Cubs have finally done something that has not been done in 108 years.



I was first to become a Cubs fan in my house. My husband was a White Sox fan--only because his family was. I will take credit in changing him over years ago.

I've watched them play for many years, and so many times get so very close. This time, even though I knew this team could do it, from the way everyone was talking, I didn't dare invest my emotions and time into this.
But I cheered them on, all the same. I knew it would go 7 games, but only said this to Dennis. I knew that pitching would be a key factor. I told my husband the Cubs players will have seen the Indian pitchers enough times to figure out what they needed to do to get hits off them. And these guys were VERY good. But I think giving those pitchers only 3 days rest (usually it's 4), was their downfall. The batters will have studied what that pitcher is doing, where they need to wait and be patient in the count. It's all fundamental, really. Both teams were excellent, and that's why they were there. But, after a rain delay, the Cubs were able to rally back, come back and kick ass. Very exciting game. I wish I could have seen more, and I'm watching some videos here and there.

And a lot of videos and pictures can be seen on Twitter here.

A lot of fans are walking around bleary eyed this morning. Not just in Chicago, I know all over the planet people were somehow watching or listening to this game.
Yes we were this excited!


 I was smart. I went to bed at a reasonable hour. I have to drive a bus, after all. I let my husband loose sleep. The signal he left me was the little blue W on the dining room where I would see it when I went to the bathroom.

Only he used a much larger one from the paper (I didn't take a picture of it).

Now all my husband wants is the hat to go with the bragging rights.


Those of us who used to say "Maybe next year", we ain't saying that this time. We're saying "Oh, I can't wait for next year!" and the word "dynasty" is being used as well.

Okay. I just had to get this off my chest. We've got an election to get through. I know who I am voting for. (Not for Trump!)

HAPPY FRAKIN' HALLOWEEN!

I was hunting around for something to bring you today. For those of you who think you know how this holiday started, you might find something new at this video on the History of Halloween by the History Channel. I know I did! Things that I didn't even know, and I've been searching for answers for years! This is via YouTube. Enjoy when you get a chance!

Now, let's get this party started! Where's my costume? Oh. Wait. I'm wearing it! Hah!!

BOO!

Pumpkin Fest 2016

Hi all! How is your Halloween traditions going?

Yesterday we went to Sycamore (Ill), to check out the pumpkins on the courthouse lawn. This has been a tradition for this town for 55 years!

The tradition here started by Wally Thurow, known by all as "Mr. Pumpkin", in his own front yard and it just grew so immense they had to find a larger place for it. The fest lasts from Wednesday into the weekend of Halloween, or before. The pumpkins and gourds are donated to anyone who wants to join in. And they are judged and given 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in different categories, and divided by ages. There are adult sections as well. I think the one below is "Scary & Ugly"

I love to see what kids can think up...

We roamed up and down town Sycamore, where we went in and out of stores (once they opened). We were really disappointed in the fact that almost none of the vendors were getting meats cooking over the grills yet, and we have eaten either a butterfly pork chop or bratt before ten in the past. We had to get something inferior (in other words something opened up and heated in a microwave. Well, at least the money goes to a good cause. All proceeds go to various charities). Maybe all of these people were watching the Cubs loose to the Indians and stayed up way past their bedtimes, like we did, the night before.

We stopped into a craft store and bought some Door County blueberry coffee for morning.

After walking back and forth, in and out of shops for a few hours, we went to Blumen Gardens, where it was peaceful and quiet. This place is a treasure. I know the owner really wanted a crowd in that day, but they were taking advantage of the quiet and switching over to Christmas.

They bought an old factory and used to the best of it all the building and materials to make a truly unique place. I'll have to get back here some time to do a more thorough picture story on it.

Here is a doorway out into the garden area.

This is yours truly squinting out at Dennis taking my picture.

Well, that does it for today. Hope you are having a good Halloween Eve. I'm going to work on my murder mystery today. Couldn't get Halloween off. Oh well!

Leaving you with one of my spooky ghosties flying under a tree in my backyard!