'Maters

Green 'maters, or green tomatoes if you please.  Who would have thought that the tomatoes I picked early so the worms wouldn't get them would turn into something so yummy?

They were beautiful but most definitely very green.   Welcome, Paula Deen.   Gotta love her Southern inspired recipes.   Look, I may have spent the last 30 plus years in Florida, but I grew up in Penna. and nobody prepared green tomatoes up there.  So, I defer to true Southern women when I want to know how it's really done.

Oh-my-goodness!   They were wonderful!  And the remoulade was over the top.   Yup, I think I like Southern food.

Still wiping my mouth,
Debbie

Goodies

Some days you just have to bake.      There.      I said it.      Yum!

Boston Cream Pie is one of my very favorites.   Lite, moist flavorful cake.  Smooth, cool, creamy filling.   And luscious chocolate ganache dripping down the sides.  What's not to like?   I think I could eat the whole thing!

And then there are the cakey blueberry scones with lemon glaze.    I tried scone recipes for several years until I came across the one that was a real winner.  These are so moist and every bite has a berry in it.  And the lemon glaze is the perfect topping.   Makes me want a cup of tea just looking at them.

But you know, don't you, that I have a cappuccino instead. 
Debbie

Feisty

Here's the tea towel hanging from my oven door handle.   Think it fits?

Yup!  That's how I roll.
Just sayin',
Deb

Bullseye

I came across a funny poster.   It said,

 

 WARNING:  This house is protected by:

A husband with a gun,

A wife with P.M.S. and

A German Shepherd Dog

 

You guess who is home.

 

The last time we were at the river, I went across the street to do some target practice.   This is my target from 25' out.  I love to target shoot.   I love to target shoot.   I love to target shoot....  

Don't mess with me! (giggle)
Debbie

Christmas in July?

Ok, I know it's August, but I saw this several weeks ago.   As I was driving down the road, I noticed a man who looked a lot like.........Santa!   Red baseball cap and a full white beard and mustache.   And then I started giggling because he was in a shiny red "sleigh"....actually, it was a Lexus convertible.

And check out his license plate.  It says, "SNTA CLZ".   Pretty funny.....you just never know what you're going to see cruising down the highway.

Quick with the Pics,
Debbie

Hurricane Party

You've all seen it before.    A hurricane is barreling toward a portion of our coastline and inevitably someone is shown on tv hosting a hurricane party.   They are usually held at a local bar and everyone seems to be having a good time ignoring the howling wind and pelting rain.  Sound like fun to you?

Ummmm, I think I'd rather hang out at home and check the Weather Channel for updates.   Call me boring.......it works for me.  Instead, I make Mermaid Munch.   Yes, I said Mermaid Munch.  Here's what it looks like...........

To make it put 1 cup chocolate chips, 1/2 cup peanut butter, & 1/4 cup butter into a bowl and microwave for one minute.   Stir and microwave for 30 seconds more.   Stir until smooth and add 1 teaspoon vanilla.  

Put 9 cups Rice Chex cereal in a large bowl and pour the chocolate-peanut butter mixture over the Chex and stir until the cereal is evenly coated.  Sift 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar over the bowl and stir until coated.   Spread on wax paper to let it cool and then store the munch in an airtight container. 

 

 Add a fun label and you're ready for the storms!   Yum, Mermaid Munch!   Try it, I think you'll like it.   You can also add pecan halves, other nuts, coconut, chocolate chips or white chocolate chunks.   Experiment......it's addictive.

Munching out,
Debbie

Seashell Planter

 I don't know if I showed you this before, but sometimes a good idea bears repeating.   A couple years ago I decided to encrust old clay pots with seashells.   What a fun project this is!    Because we get the late afternoon sun on our front porch, plants tend to dry out there really fast.   That's when I got the idea to put succulents in the pot, then it doesn't matter if I forget to water them.

Not too bad for my first attempt, wouldn't you say?   I used tile mastic to apply the shells to the pot.  Just remember to let it dry for a long time before using it.....say a week.   Yup, I got excited to use mine and planted it too soon.   Don't be like me, be patient.   LOL

What's next?
Debbie

Pasties

Hmmmm......food seems to be a repeating  theme these days on my blog.   What can I say?  I love food!   One of my favorites is a local treat from the area of Pennsylvania where I grew up.   During the 1800's the Welsh settled the small towns of the Slate Belt which is known for the veins of slate quarried there.  They were experts at removing the huge slabs of grey slate from the ground and turning it into everything from chalkboards for schools to roofing slates for homes.   Heck!   We even had slate sidewalks!

Not only did the Welsh bring their mining knowledge with them to America, they also brought their regional foods.  And their food is still prevalent today.  There is a little non-descript storefront in Pen Argyl that everyone local knows as The Pastie Shop (their new formal name is Mr. Pastie) and I just had to visit there during my recent trip to PA.  I've been going there since I was a kid and the food is still the same.   Welsh pasties (pronounced PAST-eez) are humble meat pies that the miners would have in their lunch boxes at the quarry.  They could pick them up and eat the hearty fare with their hands as a self-contained meal.  

Of course I bought several and took them back to my brother's house for us to devour after a busy day of setting up for my nephew's graduation party.   So if you ever find yourself in northeast Pennsylvania, look up the town of Pen Argyl and stop by The Pastie Shop.  You won't be disappointed.

Dreamin' of pasties,
Debbie

Jimmy's and other Yummies

Ah, yes!   There is something about going back to your birthplace......familiar sights, smells and yes!   Food!   Favorite foods!   Yummy foods!   Childhood memories brought back with one bite of the simplest pleasures of our youth.   Well, that's how it was for me in June when I spent 8 days back in Pennsylvania.   For the first few days I stayed with my cousin, Connie, and when I stepped off the plane she asked me where I'd like to eat.   The first stop for me is always Jimmy's.

 

I guess you had to grow up eating them, but these are the best darned hot dogs in the world to me.  Steamed buns, the perfect seasoning in the dog itself, mustard and chopped raw onions, and the finishing touch is a thin slice of a long dill pickle.   Makes my mouth drool just thinking about eating one.   Connie was afraid they were closed that night, so we didn't get there until lunchtime the next day.  I'm telling you, I could hardly wait!

And just like when we were kids, Connie and I ate them in the car.  Yup!   We're really cheap dates!   I can remember when my mom and dad would pop us in the car late at night and drive the 13 miles to the nearest "town" of Easton.   There was an itty bitty building shaped like a Dixie Cup along the Delaware River that housed the original Jimmy's.  We'd order our hotdogs and wash them down with a small carton of chocolate milk.   I know, sounds gross now, but that's how you ate at Jimmy's.  

Many memories come flooding back to me as I remember sitting in the back seat of the car in my jammies with my brother as we greedily inhaled our dogs and milk.  Even though the original Jimmy's was destroyed and they are now in a bland strip mall, the food hasn't changed one bit.   I'm already thinking about the next time I get to tickle my taste buds with a Jimmy's dog.

Yup, good times,
Debbie

Sneak Peek

Ok, I'll let you guys have a sneak peek at what my creative-handy-talented-single  & studly son is building for me.....a very cool trellis that is going to be attached to the wall where I'm hanging my orchids.   I can hardly wait to see it up and in place.   More pics to follow.....

 

 

Waiting, impatiently,
Debbie

Now you see them, now you don't....

Well, the local tv stations are all abuzz about the possibility of  Isaac becoming a hurricane and affecting the West Coast of Florida.    The next 24 hours will tell us if we need to get serious about preparing, even if it's a glancing blow.   This morning the weather crew said that the storm is 1,000 miles across, so even if it goes into the center of the Gulf, we're still going to have a lot of wind and rain here.

On that note, I thought I'd post some pics of the plants that will probably get stripped of their foliage next week.   They sure won't be pretty after hurricane force winds pound them.....giggle...

This beauty is Angel's Trumpet which is planted in a huge planter in our backyard.   I've always wanted one but hesitated planting it because the blooms are poisonous if ingested.   I think the grandbabies are old enough at this point to know not to eat flowers......just sayin'!

And this is my favorite plant this year......Lily of the Nile.   The blooms are huge, at least 7" across or more!   I've got these babies planted as a mass in front of the veggie garden fence and they were so pretty this year in full bloom.

 

I know, it's way past magnolia bloom season, but this was so pretty I thought I'd include it.  The squirrels have been going nuts eating the pods left behind after the blooms fall to the ground.   The tree that this bloom came from is smack dab in the middle of our front yard and faces the Gulf, so I hope the winds don't damage it much. 

Well, so much for the early morning tour, time to go buy gallon jugs of water and check my battery stash.  
Debbie

New Project

Remember the arbor and swing?   The one Joel is eventually going to build for me?   Well, I'd also like one more project for the back yard.   At our old house, I had plenty of room for my orchids, but at this house, there are precious few places where they can survive.   Joel had the idea that we could hang orchids in the shade of the tree in our back yard and we'd be able to view the orchids from inside the breakfast room!   I love that idea!   

Meanwhile, Jeremy's welding equipment is slowly taking over the garage.  Joel had built a heavy duty workbench years ago and it was getting ruined with all the welding, etc. The guys hauled it out to the "orchid house" and I started to transform it into what I thought would work as a potting bench.

First I killed the grass in the 11'X22' area and had crushed seashell spread 3" thick to create a "floor".   The potting bench was put under Jeremy's window and the legs painted white.

 



Then I went to a guy who bends galvanized steel for air conditioner companies and had him make a cover for the top and one to hide the ugly shelf below.   Joel and Jeremy had to elevate the bench on cement blocks to bring it up to the right height for me. 

 

 

Doesn't look so bad now, does it?  A quick trip to Joann's to pick up some bins (for storing the potting soil and my garden gloves) was all I needed to complete the function of my new treasure.   I love it! 

 

 



Not bad,
Debbie

Dog Days of Summer

We've all heard that phrase, right?   Well, since Molly came to live with us, it has taken on a whole new meaning......

Before Molly came into our lives, Winston would pretty much just lay around the house sleeping.   He'd bark at the occasional leaf that blew past the french doors by the pool or carry on because a lizard had dared to scuttle too close to the house.   Yup!   He was a real guard dog.   Ha!   Now he and Molly run and play until they both collapse and take nice, long naps together.   Yippee!   They usually end up in my sewing room and take up valuable floor space while I work in there.   Oh, well, at least I know where they both are! 

Molly sleeps a while, then she crawls to another cozy spot on the rug and plops down and snoozes for another hour.   Then, she repeats this process again till she has slept 2-3 hours.  Bless her scruffy little heart!

Finally getting some sewing done,

Debbie

Rainbows

A couple of weeks ago, I stepped outside to walk Joel to the car as he went off to work and when I looked up in the sky this double rainbow was right there in front of us!   I hurried back inside to get my camera before it went away and I managed to click off a few shots.   Have you ever seen a double rainbow?   I haven't!  

These shots were taken looking west over the Gulf after an early morning shower while the sun was rising behind my back.    How pretty!   My friend, Barb, told me that she has seen an upside down rainbow!   I've never heard of such a thing but would love to see one.  Now, the scientific side of me is trying to figure out how that occurs.......ouch!   It's too early on a Monday morning to do that without cappuccino....giggle....

Debbie

End of Summer

Tell me it isn't so!   How can it be the end of summer already?   Two of my grandkids started back to school last Monday and the other two start tomorrow.   It just doesn't seem right.....my internal calendar says summer lasts from June until Labor Day.   The day after Labor Day was always the first day of school when we were kids and it feels "off" to me when the kids start back to school in August.

Of course, summer lasts until December in Florida......at least temperature and sunny weather-wise!   Here are some beach pics to remind us of summer all year long.   Hope you enjoy them.

This pic was taken as a storm was coming in off the Gulf of Mexico at Indian Rocks Beach.

Yummy, beachy, sink-my-toes-in-the-sand colors......can you feel the breeze and taste the salty tang in the air?

Are these birds sandpipers, terns, or something else?   I don't know.....I just call all little brown, white and grey birds that scavenge thru the surf sandpipers.   And I 've been trying to capture them with my camera for decades!    Hmmmmm, I think I need a bigger lens, a tripod and a lot more patience.   Maybe next year.  LOL

Wouldn't you love to grab a good book and sit on a beachside screen porch and watch this storm blow in over the water?   We all need to have our fantasies, don't we?   That's how I'd like to mark the end of summer.   How about you?

Just Chillin',

Debbie

Mountain "High"

I love the mountains.....especially the Appalachian mountains.   My childhood home was nestled near the base of one of the Blue Ridge mountains in Pennsylvania and I spent many happy hours roaming the woods as a kid.  That is probably what started a lifelong love affair with the cool, green lushness of the mountains.   Not to mention that now that I live in Florida, the idea of spending some of the long hot days of summer in a cool mountain retreat is sooooo seductive.

With that thought in mind, my husband and I planned a week long trip to the mountains of North Carolina an hour north of Asheville.   We were fortunate enough to stay at his boss's cabin at 4400' above sea level, high on a mountaintop with gorgeous long range views.  What a treat!

Twilight looking out over the valley.

How's this for a view from the kitchen?  I'd love to be in one of those rocking chairs right now!

This was an early morning sunrise with mist hanging over the valley.  Breathtaking!

Watching a storm blow across the mountains called for a hot cup of coffee and a good book.

Yup, I think I could go back there......someday.   It's too bad Florida doesn't have any mountains.    If it did, I don't think I'd ever leave the state!
Deb

Meet Miss Molly

We have a new family member and her name is Molly.   Joel came up with the name and it seems to fit her.   Molly is a Cavachon.....daddy is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and mommy is a Bichon.

Jeremy's dog, Winston, was not so sure about this little fluff ball invading his territory.

"Hmmmmm, maybe she's not so bad after all!"

When we picked her up in north Georgia from the breeder she was just 5 lbs.   We really had to watch where we were walking so we wouldn't step on her.

As my family can attest, I am not the dog person in our family.  But, Molly is MY dog.........I just can't resist her fluffy cuteness!   Getting up several times a night to take her out has been a challenge.  (It's amazing how you can forget about that part of having a puppy!)

 Jeremy even enjoyed playing with Molly.....she kept kissing his face and biting his hair!

Whew!   Asleep, finally...........

Maybe now we can all catch up on our ZZZZZZ's,
Debbie

Some Day....

My birthday is just before Christmas.....two days before, in fact.   Joel and I saw a pic on the front cover of a do-it-yourself magazine at Lowe's and he said he'd build "that arbor over the swing" for my birthday.   So, we picked up the monstrously heavy 6"X6" posts and other wood, screws, and hardware to build "the arbor over the swing".

It's August!   Just sayin'.......it's August!   And my arbor is still not up.  Oh, my guys finally dug the holes and installed the heavy 6"X6" posts, but that is as far as they have gotten.   So, some day, perhaps before my next birthday, my swing will be up off the ground and the plants I bought to climb the arbor can go in the ground.

Some day......hey!   A girl can dream, can't she?
Deb