A New Favorite

Podcasts!

I'm listening to a podcast called "Start-up" hosted by Alex Blumberg (from "This American Life").

And he finally defined for me what I like about podcasts.

They are about storytelling.

Then I think Really? It's like listening to the old radio shows before television took over as entertainment in the home.

But it's simplified entertainment. No busy-ness for my computer-tired eyes. The stories must be descriptive enough to help me visualize with "my mind's eye." (Less eye strain you see.)

Creative enough to capture my attention, hold it, and reveal some sort of information that I hadn't before known. Information I walk away with and it's made me think or re-think my opinion, educates and/or entertains me.

Here are a few I subscribe to:


http://sortaawesomemegan.tumblr.com/



http://www.kathilipp.com/podcast/



http://jamieivey.com/category/podcast-2/



http://knoxandjamie.com/

I hope you'll listen to a couple episodes and get back to me with what you think about podcasts.

I love the portability listening on my iphone because one day I cleaned out my closet and dresser drawers and when all was said and done, it didn't seem like a huge chore. It was a win-win that day!

(By the way, my 3 year old granddaughter asked me, "Grammy, are you listening to your codpasts?" I just loved that!)

And please share...do you already listen to podcasts and if so, would you recommend any to me?

Winter Laughter

Happiness is getting bundled up for sledding in freezing temperatures!

Yes there is one person who enjoys the snowfall in PA lately.

Life is just grand when you're two!

Artichoke Dip

is happiness in a white, round, casserole dish.

Artichoke Dip

1 cup Mozzarella cheese (grated)
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup (Hellman's or Kraft) mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic (pressed)
1 8 oz. can artichoke hearts (drained)

Cut up the artichoke hearts, then combine with all the ingredients.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. (I used a round 24 oz. casserole dish.)

****

The plan was to try-out this new recipe for Wonderful Husband on Friday.

I left work 45 minutes early because of the snow. We've had brutally cold temperatures all week and the prediction was that the snow would be sticking to all road surfaces.

The dinner menu was Artichoke Dip served with Wheat Thins, adult beverages (beer), and relaxing while the snow fell outside at the end of a long week.

Wonderful Husband gave the recipe two thumbs up. Hooray!

The snow shimmered like diamonds.

Yes, an empty nest is a great place to be with warm food and each other.

Some Things

never change.

I wanted to take a video of our granddaughter walking.

You'd think I'd learn that kids don't "perform" just how we want them to...

Did you notice that she starts by crawling then goes into "walk mode?"

She is a blessing and makes me laugh!

Free entertainment people!

Saturday Snow

Hello snow on a Saturday.

At 11:00 a.m. it looked like this....

At 2:00 p.m. it looked like this....

At 6:00 p.m. it looked like this....

I had nowhere to go, took a nap, and Wonderful Husband shoveled the driveway!

Is the world white and glowing where you are?

Happy New Year (early)!

A Jolly Old Elf

Happiness on a firetruck....

Santa Claus 2012

Usually I'm home alone when he comes through our neighborhood. But this year Wonderful Husband said he heard the siren and Santa was coming soon.

We stood on the front porch and waved and shouted Merry Christmas to Santa Claus and his helpers.

They wished us a Merry Christmas too.

I should have told him that I've been very good this year.

But he is Santa Claus....so he already knows!

Merry Christmas!

Narcissi Paperwhites

Happiness in a box....

A new tradition for me? Maybe.

We'll see if my world-renowned-brown-thumb can actually grow them.

So far, so good.

It came with a complete grow kit: three bulbs, special growing medium, white stylish plastic planter and easy 3-step growing instructions.

I should be able to do this if I can remember to water and not over-water!

Have you ever tried to force bulbs?

Happy Halloween

I can't help myself.

Here are my cute daughter and granddaughter.

Youngest Sweetie is a hatching chick.

The sleepy look.

She's mesmerized by the camera's flashing red light.

Not a big fan of her head covering....
hence it's on the floor.

A little attitude-ish yet so much fun for us!

Happy First Halloween Youngest Sweetie!

Thanks for the great memories!

At Eight Months

Our granddaughter (Youngest Sweetie) is eight months old.

She weighs a whopping 17 pounds and is 27.5 inches "tall."

We went in the backyard and I spread a blanket on the grass. We haven't had much rain lately and although the grass is green, the ground is as hard as a rock.

It didn't take her long to pull hands-full of grass and then set off to explore.

Notice how she keeps "her eye on me" to make sure I haven't wandered off.

Her Funcle (Fun Uncle) took this picture.

I love this sweet girl and love being Grandma!


Updated: I had said she was 7 months old....oops....she's 8 months old. I hope they don't make me turn in my grandma card!

Granddaughter With Attitude

Happiness before a walk....

OK, I was the happy one because she makes me smile while reminding me that she isn't trained to perform when I want her "to perform."

I'm calling her name, pleading for her to smile, and she won't even look at me.

I take the picture and laugh.

Yes, Youngest Sweetie has an attitude and some moments she's more cooperative than others!

Good girl!

Being a grandmother makes my heart happy!

Pear Trees in Full Bloom

Happiness on a branch....

Years ago we lived in Germantown, Maryland and I was driving down a neighborhood road that was lined on both sides with pear trees in full bloom. It was a windy day and the petals were blowing off the trees and swirling through the air.

They made me feel like a bride exiting the church: celebrating my youth, the beginning of shared dreams, and knowing I was holy, chosen, and dearly loved.

A memory which makes me smile 20 years later.

Do you have a favorite tree?

Seasonal Laughter

Have you seen this in your daily travels?

Any kind of vehicle with antlers?

I saw one for the first time on my way to work.

I burst out laughing!

I wished I'd had my camera ready but alas...I was waiting for my traffic light to turn green.

Today at work, I looked outside to see this SUV zoom by and after waiting a bit of time (see how mature I am?) I walked outside to take the picture.

Thank you mystery person for decorating your vehicle and making my heart happy!

Have you seen antlers on cars where you live?

An Autumnal Feast

I love autumn in Pennsylvania.
The trees show off their beautiful colors. Fire engine red, pumpkiny orange, school bus yellow.
Some trees try to embrace all three colors.
Here is an example outside the window at work...

Can you see the railroad track behind the tree? The trains race by at times with horn blaring during my workday. Do the people speeding along notice the beauty of the foliage?

I hope so because autumn in Pennsylvania is a feast for the eyes. And this feast has no caloric consequences.

Autumn is such a gift!

A Day Off From Work

It's Friday and I'm taking a much needed break to go to "the shore" as Pennsylvanians call it. (I still call it the beach.)

We're off to Wildwood, New Jersey. Have you ever heard the song by Bobby Rydell?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2AOt-g7z5A&feature=related

I'll be slathering on the sunscreen and enjoying the sand, sun, and salty air! Yippee!

Pumpkin Bread

Happiness from the oven....

One of my Christmas traditions is to bake a lot of pumpkin bread.
Some loaves are for our family.
Most loaves are for gifts.

Around Thanksgiving when I take my car in for an inspection or an oil change, the owner of the service center reminds me that it's almost time for me to bake and deliver his loaf of pumpkin bread.

Wonderful Husband takes at least 8 loaves to work and it makes my heart happy to hear that some of the bread doesn't make it home (it's eaten at the person's desk), and another has a tradition of eating it with a bit of melted butter on Christmas morning.

I also give a medium loaf (or 2 mini loaves) to my friend Diane for she and her family to enjoy on their long car ride to visit family in Tennessee.

So here is my gift to you.

A wonderful recipe I've been baking for 30 years.
I know, now you think I've been baking since birth! Ha!

Pumpkin Bread
3 c. sugar
1 c. oil
4 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. cinnamon
3 tsp. nutmeg
2/3 c. water
2 c. pumpkin
3 1/2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 c. raisins
1 c. chopped walnuts

Mix in order given. Pour in greased/floured pans. Fill slightly over 1/2 full.
(Use a hand mixer to combine all ingredients, then hand-stir in raisins and walnuts.)

8 mini loaves - Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
Medium loaves - Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.
When finished baking, remove from pan immediately and let cool on a wire rack.

Merry Christmas!

Nail Polish

Happiness in a bottle....

I am a wacky, creature of habit.
Spring - Light-ish Pink
Summer - Fuschia
October through Thanksgiving - Orange
From Thanksgiving until Spring - Red

I am quite the conservative dresser. So I let my nail polish show my quirky personality.

I was reading online "10 Things the HR Department Won't Tell You."

I am looking for a job and wanted to make sure that nothing is considered "hiring suicide" that I didn't have a clue about, so imagine my heart breaking when I read that they suggest not "showing your eccentricities by having pink hair or black nail polish."

No, I don't have pink hair.

I looked at my orange nail polish and thought...."Doggone it. I need to change my nail polish color since I might have a job interview this week."

Now I'm ready for an interview....

... and waiting for my phone to ring.

Update: I had just hit "Publish Post" and my phone rang. Interview tomorrow at noon. Keep your fingers crossed!

Books

Happiness in a box....

Some are for Christmas gifts and some are "gifts" for me! I love Amazon.com!

Iced Latte

Happiness in a cup....

I finally found something at Starbucks (besides hot chocolate) that I adore.

It's a Grande, Iced, Skinny, Vanilla, Latte!

And depending on where you read the calorie count on Starbuck's website...it's either 80 or 90 calories.

Something I can live with and drink with no guilt involved.

Yum! (And you're welcome.)

Blueberry Cobbler

Happiness in a casserole dish....

I must admit to getting the recipe from Mary The Kay The Blog and she noted that the recipe came from her sister's dear friend Wendy. (You can click the link above to see MarytheKay's original post.) I tweaked the recipe a bit below.

Blueberry Cobbler

Ingredients:

1 stick butter

1 cup flour

1 1/2 cups sugar, divided

1 tablespoon baking powder

3/4 cup whole milk

4 cups blueberries

Method:

Melt butter in 9 x 9 casserole dish.

Mix flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder and milk.

Pour berries over the melted butter and drizzle batter on top.

Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup sugar over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, up to 45 minutes.

Here's the most important part....serve with vanilla ice cream.

It's an easy recipe and delicious! Thank you MarytheKay and Wendy!

In fact....I also made a peach cobbler using this same recipe (6 peaches) and it was delicious too. I guess it was so delicious that I forgot to take a picture before we dug in and finished it off.

Once again, don't forget the vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

Shoo-Fly Pie

Happiness in a pie plate....

Years ago my mother-in-law gave me this recipe. She said it came from the Pennsylvania Dutch. It is simple and delicious and because it's not super sweet, our son will occasionally eat a piece of pie for breakfast.

It makes 2 pies....and you're welcome :)

Liquid Ingredients:

1 full cup Karo syrup (dark)

1 tsp. baking soda

1 cup boiling water

Crumb Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 stick butter

2 pie crusts

-------

Combine liquid ingredients.

Combine crumb ingredients.

Pour liquid mixture into pie crusts. (Remember this recipe makes 2 pies.)

Sprinkle crumb mixture into liquid mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Enjoy!