Category: Uncategorized

Stella Revealed…

     Today was the day!  The plumber came and finished what needed doing in the bathroom and outdoor shower and I got to turn on the water and CLEAN THE FILTH!  And that means… I can now show you what we have accomplished this winter at our little star by the sea. 
Kitchen before…. 

Kitchen After…..

 The wall was blown out so it’s open to the living area and the fridge moved over to the other wall,  handles seen on the left below…

PS.. those are two awesome dishtowels hanging on the stove handle made by Hilary of Crazy as a Loom – have I told you lately how much I love my blogbuddies…

 Above the sink…

 … a little cow creamer, needed a cow somewhere to represent the herd that lives on the farm on the overall property here in a nearby field…

Gifts from dear friends…

We kept much of the old, including the wall sconces…

 A photo I took a few years ago in this very same cove –
I won a blue ribbon at the local fair, my first photography prize…
Little did I know we would soon own the little cottage about 60 yards from 
where I took that picture.. 
Underneath the photo is this fella in a boat with his dog and a bucket o’fish…
left by the previous owner. I couldn’t throw him away…

 and underneath the fisherman and his dog and bucket o’fish
is the kitchen island, with my beloved Western Union Operator Chairs…
Guess what… we took them to our welder friend
who discovered they are indeed adjustable, 
all we needed to do was twirl the seat until desired height.
Makes sense, considering Operators were all shapes and sizes. 
Why didn’t we think of that….. 😕

 The little bathroom is to the left of the kitchen sink.

Before…

After…
We kept the old window paned door to the bathroom, love the handles! Need to put privacy film on the panes though… 

 Towels in basket, no room for racks.. 

 Tiny sink, shower to the right… Medicine cabinet can be seen behind me in mirror.

The back (or front, depending on how you see it) deck before…

 After…

The dining table in the cottage – left by previous owner and refinished by us, well really a friend who does that kind of thing…

New light fixture too, and you’ll notice how everything is SHINEY!   I walked into the cottage one day and wished I had brought my dang glasses. The Mr. laughed and said.. well, I wanted it to look like one of those antique boats in here, the high gloss wooden variety!   He got his wish….

    The living room –  We had to  throw out all that had been left, the meece made their nests within the cushions… and some of the cushion “stuff” had been dragged up to the rafters at eye level for good measure, too.  Our “new” furniture in the cottage is hodge podge, some we had here at This Old House, some we bought while junk hunting, just a few things like mattresses, refrigerator, stove are new because… meese.  That is absolutely a word, sounds more tolerable, just sayin.

The view out those windows is just spectacular, my camera flashed it out unfortunately…

 Remember Edith’s Chair?  And Indeed.. the TV is too big for the cottage, but BOYZ will be BOYZ.  Games watched must be GAME SIZE, don’t ya know.

Bedrooms.. before…  frames left by previous owner, mattresses thrown out because meese. Many many meese.  The frame was also rickety.. had to fortify it with many many nails and the Mr wanted to throw the whole thing out but I saw the lovely bones of it and just couldn’t part with it.  Many Many arguments insued but nevertheless….. she persisted…and…

 Good save, wouldn’t you agree?

 The big piece we scored at a consignment shop a few weeks ago will serve as the pantry above and linen storage in big deep drawers below.  Remember my Once Upon a Tide Whale?.. seen below above gas woodstove…. and a sign above pantry piece  sent as a cottage-warming gift by dear friend, Sally.

 Second bedroom…  Before…

 After…

 Not bad, huh? I think we made good use of 700 sq ft of cottage space.

 Outside, the forsythia is blooming – such a cheery surprise as I pulled up this morning…

 I went back to Job Lot – the place that wouldn’t sell me just one of their old worn out boxes for my baby chicks… and got a few beautifully glazed pots for $18 and $8.  These are a good size, hard to tell in the picture, great deal!  Makes up for the box snub.

 My newly planted perennials are very happy…

 As is the Rosa Rugosa that the BOYZ stuck in the ground for me… see my dilemna?  Not only were there THORNS… many many of them, but a Cliff walk too…

    See.. I wasn’t kidding.. those four thorny bushes are just under the forsythia at the end of the cedar fence.  They are very happy there too, even among the salt spray and wind… they don’t call them hearty invasive plants for nothing.

 Henry is a large turtle who came with the place – 
Turtles are good Karma, 
 Some believe they represent good spirit over evil…
I’ll take it. 

Fresh Hell

      This new administration is like a bad accident… you try to look away but it’s so horrifying you just can’t, despite knowing the looking is going to horrify you even more.  Some things can’t be unseen.  So many things we could chat about today but how about those ignorant remarks by Spicey about H*tler and the H*locaust!!? WTF….  these are things we all learned in fifth grade, dude!
“You know, you had someone as despicable as H*tler who didn’t even sink to using chemical weapons….. “

  ….and it gets worse… he referred to the concentration camps as…. H*olocaust Centers. 
  ….during Passover….  
     Someone escort that man over to the H*olocaust Museum a few blocks away from his office, and maybe give him a copy of the Diary of Anne Frank and Schindlers list for his nightstand.  He could watch the movie to get the short story if reading is too difficult a task. 
          My God, could he be any more out of touch with reality.  That sentence can’t even end with a question mark because we all know the answer.  I’m surprised he has not been fired yet – so incompetent – doesn’t have the temperament or the intelligence or the class or the EMPATHY apparently.. to hold that position. 
    OH, please, Melissa McCarthy, come back as Spicey for just one more skit.  This is too much to handle without you. I need a good laugh.  We all need the underscore for what that man really is… a joke. 
     Meanwhile.. over in N. Korea, Russia, China, Syria, the Tr*mp golf course at Mar-A-L*go…..

If you really want to get crazy – read the transcript of the Orange Scream’s  interview with Fox HERE…    

*sigh………………………………………….

Seaside Gardening

  Today was glorious… reached the 60’s!  I got the itch to stick my hands in the soil and where better to do it than Stella.  First stop was my favorite local garden center – where I proceeded to spend a ridiculous amount of money on perennials, all of which I can assure you I absolutely needed.  I have not quite assured the husband of this, but he hasn’t had dinner yet, it’s still early. 
   What did I get?  I had to keep in mind these perennials needed to be zone 6 hardy, salt tolerant,  some had to like full sun, some had to like shade, some had to like a mix of both.  I got four Rosa Rugosa in white, for the cliff on the side of our seawall that once  had happy scrubbery  that used to live under an ugly overhanging deck we ripped out.  There’s a big dirt pocket there now and Rosa Rugosa are hardy “beach rose” variety – complete with some NASTY THORN issues – WOW.  I decided right quick I was not going to attempt to plant those prickly bastards, no… on THIS subject I am a delicate wall flower and the planting of the prickers will be left to THE BOYZ. 
  
  I also got Canadian blue hosta  because right now I really like Canada.. a lot!… not only do they appear to be more civil and kind than us, I have a big crush on their Prime Minister.  The hosta is for the side of the house(shade) –  and there’s Alium giganteum, American cranberry and  Blue Fortune Anise Hyssop – (what a mouthful but a simple plant, really)….   Those items are for the full sun  Fire Pit Garden.    Coral bells in two varieties were planted along the side of the yard that has what looks like a  575 year old split rail fence shared with Father Jim.  I was very careful while planting not to sneeze in the fence’s vicinity for fear that it would topple.  We want to start out on the right foot with the Father. 

 We planted these shrubs in the fall to hide  protect! the guestimated 575 year old fence.  The Coral bells, if happy there, should fill out that bed nicely. 

 Once the planting was done, Frasier and I sat down at waters edge and just breathed it all in. 
  Meanwhile… back at the ranch, the Mr. has been planting Onions.  575 of them. I kid you not. 

Here and There

      Just so ya know – I typed a whole lot of hateful spew here and then deleted it all.  Who needs confirmation of his royal HighnASS’s offenses dujour?  It’s getting so I’m afraid to turn on the TV or click on the CNN icon or open my FB page or read my E-MAIL for crying out loud – every single morning I wake up and wonder – what will the offense be today?   I’m trying like hell to just ignore it, and yet that feels irresponsible too.  
      What do you do to divert your attention from things-that-are-driving-you-batshit? Me? I’m taking care of me just a little bit better than I did all winter. (10 extra pounds to prove it… which means I have that damned 20 to lose that I was trying to lose last year.  Yeah. That.)   Spring has arrived according to the calendar, and in the last few days the temps have begun to rise… as have the crocus!
 The dogs and I have been out walking the fields again… 
The skies have been so blue…. 
 The  horses aren’t quite used to the Spring schedule yet.. This is Max’s  – hey, aren’t you supposed to be giving us grain right about now? – look…   As the days grow longer, they stay out in pasture longer and aren’t given grain till bedtime, meaning when darkness falls and they’re closed in for the night. 
  This morning I took a load of bedding and curtains down to the cottage and oh, if I could send you  the joy of salty sea air as warm sunshine hits your face as I experienced it today.. I would, my friends, I would. 
 While soaking it all in, I spied with my little eye…. 
Can you see it?….. 
… a piece of cobalt blue sea glass – a rare treasure around theses parts.   Now, if it weren’t such a hard-to-find color, I’d toss it back into the sea for a little more seasoning – but it’s edges are soft and it does have enough scruff to make it a keeper because what are the odds I’d find it again?  
    When I saw that flicker of blue… that little glass treasure, I felt the Universe was sending me a message ….   And that reminded me of something else… 
    Why I let this get away from me still surprises me.  There was a moment  years ago now.. when I was sitting outside a hospital on a retaining wall, taking a break from my vigil at my daughters bedside.  I was looking up at a window on the 4th floor where all I could see were balloons…. the ones suspended above my daughters bed.  I was saying to myself….. How are we here, how did this happen.. look at all these people around me, just going about their day… buying food , God, I can’t even eat…. and they’re LAUGHING… laughing…. while my daughter lies up there with her life hanging in the balance.  How do I ever live my life…..    And just as important…. IF I ever do get to life my life again, and my daughter is a part of it… please don’t let me forget how precious life is, how grateful I need to be, each and every day, for even the little things. 
    A funny thing happened on our way to “recovery”.  My daughter, through her own trials, found comfort and wisdom in inspirational quotes.  Still does. ..and it’s these inspirational quotes that I turn to when I need a reminder.  I’ll share them here with you – 
     

  
 Till soon, friends – 


       

Till the Cows Come Home…

  We’ve been back and forth to Stella many times this week – things are really shaping up down by the water.  I should be just about done with the furniture placement and decor by Friday and will give you a tour then.  Today we will go buy a  used vacuum cleaner at the Oreck dealer because currently, her floors are covered in grit. 
    Last weekend we met with one of the owners of the entire seaside community where Stella sits and he gave us a tour of his cattle farm.   His family has farmed this property since the 1600’s if you can believe it – amazing story.  The fact that it is all on the water (300 plus acres) is even more amazing.  People like my family are truly blessed to have a little spot to call our own on their property- the fact that through the generations they have decided to preserve the farm as much as possible instead of cashing in on the huge property value is a miracle in itself. 
   So – I am a bit of hypocrite when it comes to my love of animals.  While I am horrified at the practice of slaughtering them,  I am not a vegan.  Honestly I don’t feel great if I try to eat NO MEAT –  and I have tried.  I do believe in and try to practice buying meats from sources that hopefully raise their meat birds and cattle and pigs humanely.    This farm is one of those….. 
   As we drove around the fields on the farmers gator, what I noticed  first is that the cows love this man.  They don’t fear him, they know he is kind to them and he is their source of  food.  He emits a certain call and they come running – 
  In the photo below, you can see their proximity to the cove…  Stella is just around the bend. 
 These cows are born here, and are raised in a beautiful, clean, healthy environment with shelter if they chose it.. for two years.  I have mixed feelings about all that… looking into their soft warm friendly eyes, I hate the fact that they will be in a freezer by the time they turn three.  They couldn’t ask for a better way of life for those two-three years, though.  I wish this were true for all “food” animals but sadly, it’s not. 
 Here’s a picture of the same cows in summer pasture… 
 It’s a beautiful thing. 
 Meanwhile.. back at the ranch here….   I’ve been begging the Mr. to let me adopt two “veal calfs” for years now.  Those poor babies are taken from their mother at a day old, never to know life as a cow – they are slaughtered immediately for their tender flesh.  UGH.  I don’t eat veal, I do draw the line at supporting that practice.   Two of my friends have gone to the local auction house and adopted two calfs that were slated for slaughter… 
Meet Stanley Livingston…
 He has no idea how lucky he is… 
And so far… the Mr.  is not moooooooooooved by my begging. 
*sigh.   Nevertheless….. 

Cups in the Cupboard * Taking your ball home


     Since there is not heat at the cottage other than a propane stove I don’t know how to use yet,  I spent yesterday inches from hypothermia as I wiped down cupboard interiors, draws, furniture, etc and unpacked the boxes I brought with me.  Lysol wipes and Pledge wipes work wonders when there is also no running water. The real cleaning of things like the bathroom and the kitchen sink and mopping of the floors will happen around April 15th when the water is turned on for the season.  I also wore slip on loafers with no socks, dumb.   T’is true we have indeed entered SPRING according to the calendar… however Spring has not entered our actual atmosphere yet.  I did just open the mudroom door to let the dogs out and I smell a hint of it in the air… 

    So we got a lot done at the cottage this week and today we go furniture shopping for a few more pieces to make it all work.  We’ve got dishes in the cupboard, pots in the cabinet, cleaning supplies in the cleaning supply closet, hangers in the one clothes closet only we still need a poll to hang then on.  Somehow we forgot that little detail.  The other detail we somehow missed is … those awesome stools I got at the Trove?.. the Western Union Operator stools from many moons ago?… they’re too short for the bar area my Mr. built.  Actually, MOST bar stools will be too short for the breakfast bar area the Mr. built.  There’s that.  

   Regardless, I am giddy.  She is perfect.  Just the right little space with much of her old charm retained for my family and I to enjoy hopefully for generations to come.   I’ll give you a sneak peek… with a full tour once she is complete. 





  Meanwhile, in other news… 

     I believe the Affordable Care Act is flawed and needs revision. My family is one of those whose premiums went up $400 per month at the beginning and went up again last year. The ACA .. or Obamacare- was not intended to punish. It was intended to give all Americans healthcare- we are the only major country left who does not have this. It wasn’t a perfect plan, it needs fixing. 
     Republicans had seven years to come up with an alternative plan. Even DT said some parts of the ACA were necessary and he wanted them kept in. Even DT said our rates were going to go down. Sadly, Republicans couldn’t get their sh*t together to get their new bill passed because it was more flawed than the current ACA – those who would have paid more or lost coverage completely were anyone 50 and older and the middle class, the sick and poor. 
     What’s tragic is that DT pointed fingers once again where the blame did not lie. This was not a Democratic failure, it was a Republican failure. Even Paul Ryan admitted that in his speech. They didn’t need Dem votes to get their bill passed- it was their own party that couldn’t agree. So what does a President do in this situation? Logic would tell you he’d vow to work on the current issues regardless, because many of his people are suffering through those issues….. instead of saying- Good, let it explode, I’m taking my ball home.
      That’s not what a leader does. A Leader digs in and looks for solutions that will work. That’s the Art of the Presidential Deal.




Treasures…

   I’m getting fed up with being fed up, I’m anxious over all the anxiety,  I’m mad as hell about all the madness that has descended in this ill wind that currently blows through the white house and our government at large.  The damned fibromyalgia is flaring and I’m getting tired of seeing my own hot air spewed all over my social media pages. 
   So today.. even thought there are at least five new obnoxious revelations by the Orange Scream and his cohorts that I could highlight here… aren’t there daily??… Today…  I will be the light.

A local pub is collecting sneakers, bras, socks, duffel bags for the homeless of New Haven. I decided to send a shout out to my friends on FB to start a collection to help her and I am so happy to see the outpouring of caring people who are donating those items.  Already within half a day’s posting, I’ve got socks, shoes, duffle bags, reading glasses and hair brushes here at the farm waiting to be disbursed.  A good friend is sending 18 pairs of socks through Amazon to my house along with two duffle bags – I haven’t seen her since HS!  Amazing.  WE the People are what makes America great. I needed to see it again and here it is, being dropped off at my side door. 

Here’s a funny for you – the computer guy is here right now putting in a new router. Apparently ours was a dinosaur and the new one will give us internet at warp speed.  The key though.. was to remember the old password.   *sigh.   And come up with a new one.  *sigh again.  Why must passwords be such a pain in the ass. 
Ah, but we’re not complaining today, are we… 
   My 52nd birthday was spent in my favorite way – among my family,  the kids and their partners and the moms, enjoying each others company. We went to a noisy italian restaurant that serves huge portions of delish, you always go home with a meal for tomorrow when you visit the Log Cabin.   I was even able to keep up with most of the conversation despite my defective hearing.  The sangria was the bomb!  While I’m not much of a drinker, put a glass of a good red wine Sangria, a Mojito, a Margarita with salt or my mom’s version of a gin and tonic with a splash of lime in front of me and I’m good to go. Just one glass is all the resfreshment I need and the alcoholic version only happens a few times a month.   Cheap date, I am.

  While I don’t need gifts and prefer to be the giver, a few of my blog buddies who have been reading here for years surprised me with a few treasures.  I sure wish they hadn’t, but I am so grateful for their thoughtfulness and the friendships we have forged through this little blog.  You know who you are.. thank you dear friends. 
  This shall be placed prominently on one of Stella’s walls… 

.. and these are part of a line I have not been familiar with until now… 
I am so looking forward to trying these two culinary delights out…and from what I understand, the maker has a fantastic show on pbs – you may have already heard of her – Vivian Howard – 

http://www.vivianhoward.com/

 Ever since I read The Prince of Tides many moons ago I have thought a part of me was meant to live down south somewhere…  but time and experience and a few summer visits have taught me that the heat and humidity aren’t my best friend.  However, Vivian Howard’s South is just lovely. Check her out.

   This book arrived in the mail this afternoon – thank you H!  Tonight’s new read!

 As for Stella – oooh, we’re getting close to move in time!  The floors are finished and just a little tacky to the touch. So we’ll wait until Friday and then.. AND THEN.. friends… we get to move  “stuff”.. in.  You know I’ll share it with you as we go.  I’m nearly giddy.

 I found a couch yesterday that was within our comfortable price range.. it’s actually a love seat.  While I had a whole ‘nother look in mind,  the look and the price didn’t match the budget.   The love seat size is better suited to Stella’s small size and the color is a slate blue/grey – should go OK with the rest of the place.  Not taking the pillows – have never been a geometric design fan.  The couch was found at the same place we got a few other pieces for Stella – Consign & Design in Branford.  In the couch picture you can see a real gem in the background – unfortunately not for sale.

 When the owner of the consignment shop rented this space – the desk you see way in the background there was in a back room covered by a tarp.  The previous owner said – Oh, you can have that, we have no use for it.

  “IT”… is an original sign-in desk from Ellis Island.  THE Ellis Island.  Can you imagine all the hands that rested and signed upon that desk…. amazing… perhaps even some of my or your relatives. Hard to tell in this picture, but the desk is huge. the books on the desk are about chest high, to give you an idea.

                      What I would pay for this desk… however, some things are simply – not for sale.

New Chick Hut and holy twitter storm, Batman

 Today I ran around like-a-chicken-without-it’s-head  looking for a new box to house the chicks in on our summer porch.  They’re growing like weeds!…  First I  stopped in the local hardware store – nothing big enough but they let me look through the dumpster anyway.  Much appreciated.   Then I headed over to Stop and Shop and asked the grocery store clerk if they might have a box from old deliveries I could buy or take off their hands.  Turns out they recycle all boxes  at 7 a.m. every morning, where they are all crushed in a compactor.  So, If I want to get there at 6:30-ish a.m. tomorrow I could get a big box from them.   I appreciated the tip,  put that feather under my cap and moved on. Next was Ocean State Job Lot.  Now.. have you ever been to one of those?  Everywhere you look, and I mean everywhere you LOOK!!!… are a hundred boxes of varying sizes, mostly filled with “stuff” they are trying to sell, and some others that are randomly scattered and waiting for a purpose .. or something.  I thought – cinch! I can get one here for sure, right?  
So I tap on the shoulder of one salesperson and ask politely if I could have one of their many thousands of boxes for  chick rearing purposes.  
She said “oh nooo, we don’t sell our boxes, we recycle them.”  
 Me-   Oh, that’s great!  and my purpose would be a recycling of sorts, no?  Plus, I am more than happy to PAY you for a big box, I don’t care how beat up it is.  Can I do that?  PAY you for one of the ones I see sitting around?”   
 “No”… she says… “We really don’t give them to anyone, ever.”  
“What about that one over there, it’s really beat up and looks like you’ll be throwing it out soon, I can tape it back together and use it, would that one be OK?”.  
 “No. We use them all”.   
Can I talk to your manager?  Maybe He or she would be OK with me buying just one.. for my chicks. 
Manager is called – but doesn’t come to see me. The message is relayed.. “We recycle our boxes, we don’t give them away or sell them.. to anyone for any reason.”
Now it might appear right here that I think I’m something special and for ME they should make the exception.  I’m really not thinking along those lines, honestly.   No.. as I’m standing in that Job Lot looking at about 1,000 boxes, some full, some half empty, a whole f*ing stack of them in the middle isle EMPTY – I’m thinking it’s overkill to stick to your guns and not  let a person buy a F-ING USED UP BOX for her baby chicks. 
But.. sometimes you just gotta let it go.. so I went. 
Next stop was our trusty Appliance salesman who only had top and bottomless boxes last time I stopped in.  This time he had one that was indeed bottomless, BUT..  at this point I am more than willing to improvise. 
And Improvise I did…

 My old Egg Plant sign has withered away, so I put a new one up yesterday… just some stuff I found on sale at Michaels.  (love that store).  Now I may be crafty, but patient I am not.  So this will need to be touched up a bit.. letters crooked, splattered paint around the edges.  A job for another day…
    That about covers my egg-sellent  adventures for the day… 
 Meanwhile.. back in The House…  Agent Orange is twittering so fast as the FBI discusses lack of wire tap findings and possible R*ssia connections I’m surprised his fingers haven’t fallen off yet. 
Can we all agree it’s really childish and very un-world leader like to tweet horrific accusations with no evidence to back them because you saw it on Fox News? 
Can we all agree Russia wants: our relationship with our allies compromised…check
NATO undermined…check
Our world wide respect shaken…check …..
I will say it again- I love my country. I want to respect our leader. I think respect is earned and I think respect for the powerful office he holds is his responsibility first and foremost. I honestly believe not one single person on my friend list would conduct themselves the way 45 does if placed in that position, not one. Forget the news, forget policy, what does your conscience tell you. .. what does the decency you were raised with tell you.

*sigh

Bring Coffee

 Come, sit.. and let’s talk about a few things. Yes, this is a political post, …oh, there you go.. did you run away?  I don’t blame you. Boy what a sh*tstorm it is, huh? 
    If you dared to stay – tell me what you’re feeling now that we’re in to this new administration a few months.  I’m not asking you to agree with me,  I’m curious.  Some of you visit here but you don’t feel comfortable voicing your opinion. Maybe you are afraid of the backlash. (Nasty comments will be deleted)  Maybe you avoid confrontation and we all know politics leans toward the confrontational.. daily.  Someone close to me said recently – why do you put yourself out there, people are rude, and what difference does it make anyway, it’s just your opinion.  Here’s how I see it – I doubt voicing my opinion here or on FB or anywhere else is going to have a significant impact.  BUT.. sitting silently and saying nothing when I see some real ills will absolutely have ZERO impact. Perhaps by voicing my concerns someone will take another look and it just might spur some positive action. 
     I still have friends and family who are cheering on Agent Orange.  That’s a really hard pill to swallow for those of us who are offended by the lying, the spin, the arrogance, the conflicts of interest.  For a man who said he wanted to unite the country – he’s done nothing to reach out to the half of us who didn’t vote him in.  He tweets lies, his mouthpieces reiterate and spin his lies (Obama wiretapping?) and half of us are eating it up, cheering him on. I don’t get it.  If this had been any other politician EVERYONE would be screaming.  Why does this guy get a free pass?   If you’re a *T* supporter, I’m not scolding you although I realize my tone would suggest it. I actually want to know what it is about this guy that makes someone want to applaud him. What redeeming qualities do you see that say he’s worth the storm he’s created?  If you’re sole answer is F*ck the government – well he did just that, I’ll give it to you. But he F*cks us all by making the highest office in our land, the most powerful position in the universe as far as we know.. a fool’s circus.  One of mocking and lies and false accusations with no evidence other than twittering rants in the dead of the night..  and there’s the  GREED. Because so far, he is enpowering corporate America – not -those who have been forgotten- one of his favorite lines.

      His new budget is not a humane budget, the new health bill does the same.. further punishes the old, the poor, women, the sick, people who are not white and wealthy. All who feel good about denying seniors Meals on Wheels service( govt funded but run by volunteers, and fees indeed paid by the elderly recipients who can afford the $3 cost), denying lower income women affordable women’s health screening and BC ( not free and not abortions) – allowing more pollution and lifting clean water laws, and killing wild animals inhumanely, selling off national park lands, trashing arts funding, raise your hand………

     I guess  the answer to these questions lies in what kind of a society we want to be. Until now I always believed we were at our very heart a good and decent and caring nation, evolved, enlightened. The removal of our decency should not be the price paid for stronger military might. Until now at the very least we have managed both.
    
     Sad day. I wanted change in this next election because the issues before us are real. Throwing out the baby with the bath water was not the answer. I don’t know how anyone can honestly feel good about that.  And please..Please don’t say we’ve put God back in the WH. Kinda hypocritical, wouldn’t you say?

Blizzard Stella and other Random Ramblings

I woke up early this morning, grabbed a cup’a coffee and headed out into the Tundra-that-was-not, Blizzard Stella as they are calling it ( Same name I gave our cottage – how funny is that!)  to feed the horses, rabbits and chickens.  T’is true the predicted winter blizzard has just begun, and maybe I’m pushing it a little, but I don’t see this as becoming a major storm.  Already the snow fall prediction has dropped.  Just hoping the wind doesn’t pick up dramatically. 
 The horses are in for the day with clean bedding, hay and water and their breakfast grain. 
Same goes for the chickens out in the coop – and the chicks on my porch are waiting for their morning treat of  hardboiled egg mashed for their convenience.  No, this is not cannibalism. Egg Yolk is the nourishment a chick feeds from while developing in the eggshell. 
Notice the new feathers, which have sprouted practically overnight – 
 Saw this kitchen on FB – love everything about it. 
 I’m not going to spoil my day by bringing up the Orange Scream and those who continue to lie and twist and contort facts versus fiction. No… instead I will share with you a delicious lemon loaf recipe I made the other day. Apparently Starbucks has an enviable Lemon Loaf recipe.  I don’t go there because I’m probably one of the few on the planet who doesn’t like Starbucks coffee – too bitter.. or something.   Anyway…this recipe is delicious if you love lemon – give it a try! 
Better Than Starbucks Lemon Loaf

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If you like Starbucks Lemon Loaf, then you’ll love this moist, delicious Lemon cake! This easy to make recipe is loaded with delicious lemon flavor, and topped with an amazing lemon frosting.
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Serves: 10
Ingredients
  • 1½ c. flour
  • 1 (3.4 oz.) package, instant Lemon pudding mix
  • ½ tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. butter, softened
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 tsp. lemon extract
  • â…“ c. fresh lemon juice
  • ½ c. oil
  • ¾ c. plain Greek yogurt
  • zest of one lemon
  • Frosting:
  • 3 Tbsp. Butter, soft but not melted
  • 1½ c. powdered sugar
  • 3 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. lemon extract
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of a 5 x 9″ loaf pan with a piece of waxed paper. (With a pencil, trace the bottom of the pan on a piece of waxed paper and cut out with scissors.) Spray the pan, and waxed paper with non-stick baking spray. Set aside.
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, pudding mix, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With a stand or hand mixer, combine the eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, lemon extract, lemon juice, oil and yogurt. Mix until evenly combined. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the lemon zest, and mix until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 55 minutes, or until center is fully set, and a toothpick inserted comes out crumb free.
  3. After baking, let cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the pan, invert and remove from the pan, removing the waxed paper from the bottom. Cool completely on a cooling rack.
  4. For the frosting: Combine the butter, lemon juice and lemon extract with hand or stand mixer. Gradually add the powdered sugar, and beat until smooth and creamy. Evenly spread the frosting over the top of the loaf. Refrigerate to let frosting set completely before slicing. Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container.