S'mores Your Way

I found this nifty bag of marshmallows in the store the other day.  It is Kraft Jet-puffed Stacker Mallows.  The marshmallows are rectangular and flat in shape.  Perfect for S'mores!  I had to make some!  I did mine in the microwave:  1 graham square on top of the paper towel, a portion of the chocolate bar and the stacker marshmallow and another graham square on top.  Microwave on high for about 10 seconds.  YUM

Looking at the back of the marshmallow package you can also cook the S'more in a toaster oven at 375 for 3 minutes.

Another option is on the grill!  Fill the graham squares with marshmallow and chocolate, wrap in foil and grill 4-5 minutes!  I never thought of doing it that way!

I love the novelty of the stacker mallows!  However, the best S'mores come from a putting a marshmallow on a stick over the campfire!

Quilt UFO's

UFO's


Definition:  Quilters have tagged a unique meaning into the term UFO.  They are not objects flying around in the sky (unless we toss them around because they are so ugly).  A UFO is an Un-Finished Object.  The remnants of those quilts we start to make, but never seem to finish.

UFO's can be found tucked away in the bins and baskets of nearly every quilter.  Here are a couple I came across this weekend:  hidden in boxes of fabric that I just had to have!

This quilt top is one that I totally forgot I had.  Some of the squares in the quilt were obtained in an animal block exchange many years ago.  It was done online:  To date myself, it was done on Prodigy.  An animal block exchange was posted on a board.  Other quilters would sign up.  Perhaps 15 people joined and made 15 animal blocks (all the same) and send to the person who posted the original post.  That person was responsible for for sorting out and sending the blocks to the other participants.  In the end, you would get 15 different quilt blocks.   This project needs to have a backing, the batting and to be quilted!

This quilt is fruit jars.  I saw one that was called bug jars that used bug material and I decided to go with fruit instead.  Each block is pieced together to look like a jar of fruit sitting on a shelf.  This quilt is a little farther along.  It has the backing and batting, and actually has some hand quilting done.  The quilting is had done around each jar:  On the back of the quilt, the jar outlines are showing.  I need to get this one back on the quilt frame and finish up the hand quilting!

Double the Blocks

I couldn't wait until next month!  I wanted to make some more quilt blocks, so my big inspiration was to reverse the main color on the blocks I first did.

It was a lot easier to do it the second time!  I will either have 2 throw size quilts or 1 big one if I continue to double the blocks each month.

Here is the link to the free block of the month course through Craftsy:

http://www.craftsy.com/class/The-Craftsy-Block-of-the-Month/50

Attack of the Killer Fungi--Better Than Science Fiction

Rain forests are amazing places.  1 acre can have 80,000 species of insects.  Food is plentiful.  Mother Nature has some mysterious ways of keeping the population under control.  Not always pretty, but always amazing.

There can be 3 million ants on this acre of land.  Ants do not have many predators, so step in fungi:  If an attack isn't external, it is internal.

The link below shows how the fungi attacks ants and other insects.  I am sure science fiction writers must watch the insect world for their ideas!

Attack of the Killer Fungi:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuKjBIBBAL8

Geocaching

Showing off cache treasures and GPS

Geocaching is a real-world outdoor treasure hunting game.  Players try to locate hidden containers called geocaches, using GPS-enabled devices and then share their experiences online.

Geocaches contain a log book that you sign and if you see a treasure that you like, you take it and leave another in it's place!  When you go home, you log your experience on the geocaching website.

We visited 13 sites and were successful in finding 11 of the geocaches today.  We started geocaching in 2004.  We have even set out a few of our own caches for others to find (we are the_red_haerings).  When we first started, there were very few caches to be found.  Now they are everywhere.  It would have taken us days to find 11 caches when we first started!  

One of our funnest caches was when we went to Jamaica.  We had a driver take us to the site and we told him we were looking for a hidden treasure!  He was all excited and asked if we would all be rich!  We had him hold one of the GPS's and when we found it, he thought that was so cool!  He laughed so hard!  He scored a smiley bendy doll that he put up by his rear view mirror.

We have made several trips from Reno to Las Vegas and the geocaches have been great fun and much needed leg stretches!

The grandkids love going out looking for these treasures.  My oldest grandson scored a fishing pole on one trip!  

We have a lot of good memories with geocaching.  It had been a while since we have been out caching,   and today was a great day to cache!  

Geocaching web site

Feeling Funky

Whenever I'm in a funk, I feel grumpy and isolate myself from others with a feeling of "I'm not worthy".   I become lethargic, my motivation is in low gear. I feel like I am stuck in the mud. Aw: a  pity party? There are good ways to get out of a funk:

A list of 10:

1. Go for a walk -
   
2. Do a random act of kindness
   
3. Clear out clutter
4. Try a new recipe
5. Volunteer at a food pantry
   
6. Hug a tree
7. Change your bed sheets
   
8. Watch a funny movie
9. Spend quality time with a child
   
10. Pamper yourself

Need a shorter list?  Here is a list of 5:

     1.  Put on some upbeat music

     2.  Stand up and stretch

     3.  Take several deep breathes

     4.  Get your body in motion

     5.  Focus on the positive

How about a longer list?

1. Write a list of 10 things you are thankful for. Be specific.
2. Put on some upbeat, happy music. 
3. Go for a walk—or a run.
4. Plan a vacation or, better yet, go on one!
5. Schedule an appointment with a counselor.
6. Talk to a good friend who knows how to listen.
7. Have a good cry. It’s okay. It will cleanse your emotional system.
8. Take control of that little voice in your head. “Change channels.”
9. Turn off the TV and the radio.
10. Read the Psalms.
11. Do volunteer work with a local charity.
12. Organize your desk and/or your office.
13. Take one “baby step action” for each of your top three projects.
14. Take the afternoon off and take a nap.
15. Get a massage or sit in a hot jacuzzi or tub.
16. Change positions. If you are sitting, stand. If you are standing, sit.
17. Pray. Pour out your heart to God.
18. Smile. Your emotions will usually follow your body’s lead.
19. Do that one thing you fear the most.
20. Write a love note to your spouse and mail it.
21. Excuse yourself from negative conversations.
22. Resist the temptation to complain—about anything!
23. Forget the past. Ignore the future. Be fully present NOW.
24. Stop worrying about things you have no control over.

Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake
Cake:
2 Cups Flour
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Cup Shortening
1 1/4 Cups Milk
3 Eggs
1/2 Cup chocolate chips
1 1/2 Teaspoons Vanilla

Glaze:
1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 Tablespoon Light Corn Syrup

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease and flour a bundt pan.  Put all the cake ingredients in a large bowl.  Blend 1/2 minute on low speed, scraping constantly.  Beat 3 minutes on high speed, scraping occasionally.  Pour batter into the prepared bundt pan.  Bake 40-45 minutes.  Cool.

Melt the glaze ingredients and mix until smooth (I put in the microwave for about 30 seconds).  Spread on the cooled bundt cake.

Very rich and tastes like a chocolate chip cookie dipped with chocolate!

Quilt Block of the Month: January

Wonky Pound Sign block and Asterisk Block

I burned out on quilting a several years ago when I did 7 quilts in 2 months for Christmas.   I decided I needed to get back in the saddle when my 4 year old grandson approached me and said he had something serious to talk to me about.  When I bend down to listen to what was so important, he told me he would really like to have a quilt!

I figured a good way to get back into it was to do a block of the month.  Turns out Craftsy.com has a free online class for making 2 blocks a month!  I joined and this is a picture of my first 2 blocks.  It feels good to learn some new techniques!  My blocks are not perfect, but it has got me started again!

I wanted more of a stained glass look, so my main color is black with bright colored print.  The one on Craftsy uses white as the main color.  I can't follow all the rules!!  I like bright colors.  So, my Block of the Month project is started.

Other unfinished projects:  My grandson's quilt:  I am collecting stars, spaceship, and sky theme material.  I haven't decided what pattern I will use yet.

I also have a red work project started:  still need to embroider about half the blocks.

I have a bug jar quilt that needs to be put on the quilt frame for quilting.


Here is a link to Craftsy's online coarse.
http://www.craftsy.com/class/The-Craftsy-Block-of-the-Month/50

Middlegate Station, NV

Middlegate Station, NV

Middlegate Station goes back to the pony express times.  It is located on the loneliest highway:  Highway 50 in Nevada, pretty much in the middle of the state.  Now a days it has the best burger around!  It is served on a kaiser roll and a secret sauce.  I love their burgers, but I have another love:  their beef dip sandwich!  Again, the roll is so good!  It is a fun place to go to and we go every chance we get!  That was our road trip today!

I have put in a couple of links that have great pictures and history information.

http://middlegatestation.net/Home_Page.html


http://highway8a.blogspot.com/2008/06/friday-from-road-middlegate-station.html