If Ya Can't Take Country Livin'...

Then get outta the country.

I almost busted a gut when I saw this on the news today.

I just love country folks with a great sense of humor and big farm equipment!!

Yeeeeee-hawwwwwwwwww!!!

I Love Happy Clouds...

Always take the time to look up...
:> )

Heaven Must Have Sent Them...

That's how I feel about these heavenly blueberry muffins I made.

I tried a new recipe I found on the internet and I must say its our all time favorite!!

Its a wonderful thick batter so the blueberries don't get mushy or sink to the bottom. And the cinnamon crumb toppin' is the perfect compliment!

I guarantee you will hear a choir of angels when ya bite into one.
:> )

(Heavenly) BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

1½ C ~ All purpose flour
¾ C ~ Sugar
½ tsp ~ Salt
2 tsp ~ Baking powder
1/3 C ~ Vegetable oil
1 ~ Egg
1/3 C ~ Milk
1 C~ Fresh blueberries

TOPPING

½ C ~ Sugar
1/3 C ~ All purpose flour
½ Stick ~ Butter (cubed)
1 ½ tsp ~ Ground cinnamon

Preheat oven 400. Grease muffin tin or line with muffin liners.

In a bowl combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Place oil in a one cup measuring cup, add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix in with flour mixture. Fill muffin tin. Sprinkle with crumb topping.

To make crumb topping:
Mix, flour, sugar, butter and cinnamon with a fork, then sprinkle over muffins before baking.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until done.
Yield: 6

My hubs was tryin' to sneak one right out of tin before they've had a chance to cool. He's worse than a lil' kid!

He's at it again...

Blue Skies Smilin' At Me...

I went for a bike ride today.

So enjoy... I sure did.
:> )

The Early Bird Catches The Worm...

But the second mouse gets the cheese.

:> )

Pumpkin Pie-Eyed...

I found this lil' cutie hangin' out in my corn this mornin'.

She'll be headin' out of my veggie garden and onto my website in a day or two.

I'll keep ya posted...

It's A Great Day To Be Alive...

I woke up to a beautiful sunrise!

Today, I went for a bike ride. But I am now havin' to ride the back country roads since the deer flies are soooo bad on the towpath.

Every time I rode down there, I would hear a dinner bell ringin' in the distance as those lil' devils chased after me. When I looked back, they had tiny lil' forks and knives in their mitts. I can't for the life of me figure out where they got such wee utensils.

So to keep from gettin' eatin' alive, I'm stayin' on the roads until fall. I just have to watch for "road apples."

"The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature."
Anne Frank

:> )

A Real Toad Strangler...

That's the best way to describe the rain and thunderstorms we've had all week.

We could use some sunshine! If ya have any, please send it our way...

Timothy Leary???

Folks, I have been laughin' about this since it happened yesterday! Hopefully, I can get through typin' this post without havin' to grab a tissue to wipe away my tears of laughter.

When I was tryin' to think of a song to put on my blog for yesterday's post, I asked my hubs if he could think of a really good 60's song. He says, "What about that song, Timothy Leary?"

As I sat there perplexed, I racked my brain tryin' to remember it. I said, "Timothy Leary?? I've never heard of that one."

He pipes up, "Yes you have!" The one by the Beatles. He proceeds to sing, "Timothy Leary, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da , da, da," to the tune of Eleanor Rigby.

Well, that's all I had to hear! I literally fell out my chair and onto the floor with laughter! I think what got me the most was when he started to actually sing it. Better yet, he was right on key!

All evenin' I found myself quietly chucklin' about it. No matter what room I was in, I would start to laugh. In the background I could hear him say, "Stop laughing at me!" I swear that man has Jaime Sommers ears, but can't hear worth a lick when I ask him to take out the trash.

Of course he knew immediately I would post what happened on my blog. (He knows me oh so well.)

My poor sweetheart... He really did try to help. He's just not a Beatles fan.

I do know I have to make sure he is never a contestant on Don't Forget The Lyrics.

:> )

Outta Sight...

I spent most of my day yesterday cuttin' out the corners for every other square.

Thank goodness for my trusty scalpel. It came in handy.
"I'm not a doctor, but I play one on T.V."

See, nice clean cuts.

I placed a piece of tape in each square I needed to paint. Heck if I didn't, it would have come out like some old groovy psychedelic poster. Then I would need to add a black light and a lava lamp.

I finally finished paintin' it today!

I couldn't wait a minute longer to start pullin' off the tape.

When hubs came in to take a peek he told me he's goin' to make gigantic chess pieces. I was tempted to give him a matchin' cut on the other side of his noggin.

Tomorrow I'll start applyin' the polyurethane. But I'd better make sure I ventilate the room or I might end up like lil' George.

By the look on his face, he could use that black light and lava lamp.

Far out man...

No (More) Rain...

Wow!! We've been prayin' for rain and our prayers were finally answered late this afternoon.

Man, did it ever rain too. Like a cow peein' on a flat rock.

As always after a hard rain, the good Lord above blessed us with a beautiful sight...

I bet He has an awesome box of crayons...
:> )

Are You Willing To Make A Deal?

He'll bet a fiddle of gold against your soul 'cause he thinks he's better than you.

Meet... Lou C. Fer.
He will be up for auction this Sunday night on eBay.

"You Really Need Your Head Examined..."

That's somethin' my hubs says to me on a regular basis. Actually its more like "You're nuts Chickie!" (Chickie is my nickname)

These sweet nothins' have been whispered in my ear lately because I decided to tackle yet another large room redo project. But technically, I'm finishin' what I had start years ago.

When we first moved here, there was this groovy wall to wall shag-like carpetin' throughout most of the first level. Now as much as I love Austin Powers, I couldn't stand the thought of livin' with his decor. "Yeah baby, it was wild!" So it had to go.

I was absolutely thrilled to see there were the original pine floorboards underneath that hideous carpetin'! YaY!

So I did exactly what my mama would do and that was to tackle the job of refinishin' them myself. I had no idea what the heck I was doin', but I was doin' it! I tend to fly by the seat of my pants when it comes to home remodelin'. Weeeeeee!!!!

After back breakin' labor and many weeks of chiropractic visits, it was finished. Except for the floor in my work room.

I saw a wood floor once on HGTV that I fell in love with and by gum, I'm goin' to do it!

Hubs already mentioned me, "You're not roping me into helping you again." But I know when he sees me wrestlin' with the sander, he'll come to my rescue. He'll be swearin' under his breath, but he'll come to my rescue. :> )

Wish me luck!!!

I'm A Reformed Junk Food Junkie...

Okay folks, many of ya know I shoot straight from the hip when it comes to certain subjects and political correctness goes right out the window. I'm sure I'll ruffle a few feathers but hear me out. This truly concerns me.

I heard on the news yesterday the "experts" are now suggestin' young'uns as young as 8 should take cholesterol medication!! What is wrong with our society?! Why the heck would you want to subject your kid to another medication when all ya have to do is throw out the processed (crap) food ya have in your kitchen cupboards/refrigerator and start givin' them healthy foods. Its that simple.

A hot dog with Kraft Macaroni and Cheese on the side and a liter of Coke does not constitute a healthy dinner. Nor does Chicken McNuggets, french fries and a "vanilla shake". We are killin' ourselves and our kids with these "convenient" foods.

Next, limit their time on those dang cell phones, the computer, video games and television and make them get their butts off the furniture and outside. Take control. Set rules and boundaries. Lord knows kids want (and need) them, they just won't admit it.

Now before ya start rollin' your eyes at my comments, I too ate ALL those foods most of my life.

As a kid, I lived on Nabisco Ideal Cookie Bars, Sugar Frosted Flakes and Franco-American Spaghetti. As an adult, I was still eatin' cookies for breakfast but I washed 'em down with coffee instead of Hawaiian Punch.

I did this up until about a year and a half ago when I ended up in the E.R. That's when I knew it was time to make a major lifestyle change. Believe me when I tell ya it was harder than quittin' smokin', but I did it. I had to. You would be amazed at how the weight comes off (and stays off) just by stayin' away from those processed foods. I can't remember ever feelin' this good.

Do I ever eat bad now? Occasionally. My nose would grow like Pinocchio if I told ya otherwise. I still get hankerins'. BUT I've learned to grocery shop along the perimeter of the store. Everythin' in the inner isles is mostly processed stuff. I'm also a label reader now when before I could give a rip.

I was shocked to see how High Fructose Corn Syrup is used in so many foods! Its bad news folks. That's one of the ingredients that is porkin' us out as a nation and causin' all our medical problems. Also, if ya can't pronounce an ingredient; don't put it in your mouth. Makes sense, doesn't it?

I guess what I'm tryin' to say is we are settin' really bad examples for our younger generations. The foods we eat has turned us into a lazy, depressed, overweight society and we think we can fix it with a pill. When all we need is a lil' common sense. I wonder if that comes in a pill form?
:> )

Summer Breeze, Makes Me Feel Fine...

I was happier than a tick on a hound dog when hubs cemented in our new flag pole!

See that lil' snapdragon peekin' out of the seam of my old wash tub? I haven't planted snapdragons in years. Where'd he come from?

:> )

Happy Birthday America!!

Remember to fly your flag!

"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it." ~Thomas Paine

"It is easy to take liberty for granted, when you have never had it taken from you." ~Dick Cheney

"You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness." You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism. ~Erma Bombeck

"My patriotic heart beats red, white, and blue." ~Author Unknown

Here's wishin' you and your kinfolk a happy and safe Fourth of July!

God bless
:> )

Pleased To Meet You...

Hope you guessed my name.

He's still not ready to come out just yet and reveal himself. Isn't that the way it always is with him? The sneaky lil' son of a biscuit.

I'll keep ya posted...