The Zoo

I remember my older cousin taking me and my brother to a Drive-In movie when I was really little. I vaguely remember the movie that was playing on that big screen was "The Birds". I really remember the experience more than anything. Since then I've often wished I could relive it all over again.

Even with tv and netflix movies there's just something about the Drive-in Movie that is on a different level altogether. Being parked out under the wide open sky, waiting as the other cars roll in and park all around. And just as it's getting dark you making the stroll over to the concession stand for goodies to eat and drink during the movie. (Usually even a double feature!) If you're really lucky your Drive-In still has the old fashioned speakers but some places you just turn to a certain number on your radio to hear the movie which is neat too.

I honestly thought Drive-Ins were a thing of the past. I haven't seen or heard of one since I was little. Boy, was I happy when I found the website that showed me in a not-so-far-away town there is an old Drive-In still doing business and the cost is only 6 bucks for an adult admission and even cheaper for kids. It's been lots of years since I went to a Drive-In movie when "The Birds" was playing but I'll be going again before long! I hope they have a concession stand!

click here to see where the closest drive in movie screen is in your neck of the woods.

Cathing up

I'm behind over here, basically I've been posting on my homeschooling blog, and can't decide if I should close this one or keep it. I don't have much to share here, unless I just share eveything from my HSing blog.

So tuesday evening my ds was outside playing, like he does. Although lately its been other tings, more like riding bike and such. He had to turn the water on for my patch of sod in front of the house, the only grass that's really green, the rest looks brown and crusty thanks to no rain.

Anyway I looked outside to see where he was and much to my amazement there's my almost 11 year old playing in the mud, well kind of, not like smack dab in the middle....lol.

In the end he made a stream flowing into a pond of sorts. This area of our driveway collects water anyway when it rains so its not like he made this....lol.

And here he is capturing the toad. I don't know why since I may have a boy but he's so not a bug/creature boys....lol

Quote of the Day....Abraham Lincoln

There is only one way to bring up a child in the way he should
go and that is to travel that way yourself.

-- Abraham Lincoln

Flavored Vinegars

I recieved these in my inbox today . They sound so fresh and inviting I wanted to share them.

Blueberry Vinegar

3/4 cup fresh blueberries
white vinegar, to fill

Crush blueberries and put into half pint jar. Fill with white vinegar. Cover and
let stand in a cool place for 3 days.

Strain and fill bottle or leave in for a stronger flavor.

Makes: 1 half pint
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Chive Vinegar

chives, length of jar height or 1" lengths
1 lemon peel, 1" square
4 peppercorns
3 mustard seeds
white vinegar, to fill

Fill pint jar loosely with chives. Add lemon peel, peppercorns and mustard seeds.
Fill with vinegar. Cover.

Let stand in cool place for 4 weeks. Strain into pretty bottle. Two or three
lengths of chives can be left in botle for looks.

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Herb Vinegar

2 cups white cider or wine vinegar
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs, basil, rosemary or tarragon thyme or oregano
3 to 4 whole garlic cloves, optional
1 fresh herb sprig per bottle, optional
1 whole red or green chili per bottle, optional

Place the vinegar in a non-aluminum saucepan and bring to a boil. Place the
chopped herbs in a clean, hot glass jar. Add the garlic. Pour the hot vinegar
over, cover and place in a cool, dark place for 5 days, stirring once a day.
Strain. Add the sprigs of fresh herbs and chili for a zestier taste and garnish.

Store in a cool, dark place for up to 2 months. Refrigerate for longer storage.

Makes: 2 cups
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Italian Vinegar

2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh oregano
1 sprig fresh sage
2 sprigs fresh basil
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 pint white wine vinegar

Sterilize a glass bottle.

Insert spices in bottle. Add vinegar.

Let the mixture rest in a dark cabinet or closet for at least a month.

Makes: 2 cups
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Tarragon Vinegar

4 sprigs of tarragon, about 5 inches each
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 lemon peel, 1 inch square
2 black peppercorns
5 white vinegar, to fill

Fill pint jar carefully with tarragon, without bruising. Add garlic clove,lemon
peel and peppercorns.

Fill jar with vinegar. Cover. Let stand in a cool place for 4 weeks. Strain.

Return 1 sprig of tarragon to bottle for looks. Keeps at least 1 year.

Makes: 1 pint

Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

Homestead Snapshots...

Not sure how good these will be. I'm not what you would call tech-saavy in the least. Even joking, one probably wouldn't call me that. My 'techie' is off in Arkansas, so I'm all you have when it comes to sharing pictures here. I'm using the video camera (it takes still shots as well) and working to figure out how to upload them...it's slow-going, to say the least.

Gustav update for SW Mississippi

A couple of images from my back door after Gustav paid a visit. The pictures really don't do justice to the sight of the mess that we see.

It's still raining but the strong winds have died down. I just got phone service back on so I was able to get on the computer. I also called Kitty in S. Louisiana but didn't reach her. I did get her answering machine and left a message. (I found it reassuring that her machine was working.) As for us, for the first time that I know of our entire city and county are without power. You can't even buy gasoline. My husband talked to someone with the power company that said this storm hit us harder than Katrina. We were without power for about a week then so I'm wondering how long this time. Our weather radio is going off every time I turn around warning of tornados. But we are safe and all our children are safe and we have had no damage to our house and we are thankful to God for that.

Thank you so much to everyone who has been praying for us. God heard and answered.

SLow start.........

Yes, it was. We got back from a long weekend at the ILs. There were about 70 who came for MIL's party! So that was a huge success!

However, I was still awake at 1am last night. After a weekend of not sleeping, I was not super happy about this!LOL I guess I finally fell alseep and slept until 8:30! So while I missed my workout, both boys slept in as well (muchly needed!). I got up at 9 and worked out. As previously, mentioned I can not dance (or sing for those taking notes) and once again this was an hour long dance workout. Oh joy. It was afro-latin. I do at least know some latin moves (cha cha, mamba, etc). So we start and I'm able to at least keep up and she says to add the arms to make it 'sexy'. I'm pretty sure it made me look like a chicken missing it's head........ However, I was much better at this dance routine than the last one and really enjoyed it and worked up a nice sweat. I was cranky, much to my boys' dismay tho. They had done nothing so bfast got underway as did school. Joey continued to dawdle on school, but finally got done about 2 hours later. Mat made them lunch and I hung up their sheets and got some other stuff done around here. I was greeted int he garden w/2 zukes, 1 cuke and some almost red tomatoes (I nearly fainted!) and grabbed a beet for supper. I had sauteed zucchini w/fresh mozzarella for lunch and made cucumber salad and have the beet ready to boil for supper. We're having tomato and bacon sandwiches w/fresh sliced mozzarella along w/that.

Mat's wanting to clean his room and I just odn't have the energy. I told him next week that we would. I should be back on track by then anyway. Hopefully there will be enuf tomatoes to at least can some salsa.

Mat also brought int he dry sheets so their beds are remade, supper is ready to cook, school is done and I"m beat! Mat also lost a tooth today.

Recipes to share...

2 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 3/4 cup oatmeal (not instant)
2 cups Grape Nuts cereal
1 Tablespoon flax seed meal (optional suggestion)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened ** (see note below)
1 3/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 eggs
1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple
2 cups raisins

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine flour, oatmeal, Grape Nuts, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Stir to mix. Set aside.
Beat together butter and sugar; add vanilla and eggs, beat well. Stir in crushed pineapple (including juice) and raisins. Add flour cereal mixture and stir until blended. Drop by large spoonful on lightly greased baking sheet or use a #30 ice cream scoop. Slightly flatten cookie dough. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack. Store cookies in closed container. Freeze extra cookies until ready to use – reheat in microwave, if desired. Makes 48 cookies.

**NOTES: Try substituting 1 cup crunchy peanut butter in place of the butter

1 sheet refrigerated pie pastry (I'll use my own recipe here)

1 tablespoon sugar

Dash ground cinnamon

FILLING:

2 teaspoons butter

2 cups diced peeled tart apples

3 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons fat-free caramel ice cream topping

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon salt Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface; cut into twenty 2-1/2-in. circles. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of miniature muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Prick pastry with a fork. Spray lightly with cooking spray. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over pastry. Bake at 350° for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

In a saucepan, melt butter. Add apples; cook and stir over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Stir in the sugar, caramel topping, flour, cinnamon, lemon juice and salt. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until sauce is thickened and apples are tender. Cool for 5 minutes. Spoon into tart shells. Yield: 10 servings.

Yogurt is expensive to buy in the store but SO EASY AND INEXPENSIVE to make at home. Give it a try and I guarantee you will be pleasantly surprised. It costs less than 50 cents to make a quart of yogurt. I use the cannery dried milk.

4 cups very warm water (not over 120 degrees)
1 3/4 cups regular nonfat dry milk (3 cups instant)
1/3 cups plain yogurt with active cultures, no additives (if bought from the store to use as a starter)
OR 1 packet of yogurt starter (I buy mine at Good Earth or Wild Oats )

Mix well with a hand mixer or in a blender at the lowest speed. Pour into a ceramic or glass dish with a lid. Put a heating pad on your counter and turn it on low. Cover it with a kitchen towel, put the yogurt mixture on the towel and cover the entire thing with a large bath towel so it retains the heat. I do this just before I go to bed and it is perfect when I get up in the morning.

Do not disturb the incubation. During the incubation period the cultures multiply and thicken the milk.

I then refrigerate the incubated mixture for 2-3 hours until it has cooled completely and is cold clear through. Divide it in half or as you wish and flavor each in different flavors with cannery jams. Mix the yogurt and the jam together with a hand mixer until well blended. You can add chunks of fruit it you wish.

Set aside 1/3 cup plain yogurt before flavoring to "start" your next batch.

Oatmeal Breakfast bars

Submitted by Marilyn Park
I particularly liked this recipe, easy and quick to put together. The bars you buy at the store are loaded with sugar and have preservatives and things I don't want in my food. Plus these are high in fiber! Love that! Try this recipe.....I think you will really like them.

2 3/4 cups old fashioned oatmeal or 1 cup 6 grain rolled cereal and 1 3/4 cups oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons honey
1/3 cup applesauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup dry milk
1/4 cup water
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 to 1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup almonds
1/4 cup golden flax seed ground
1/2 cup palm shortening (or whatever you use)
1 grated apple with skin on

Cream egg, shortening and brown sugar and applesauce. Add all other ingredients and mix well, add raisins and nuts and grated apple last and mix in. This is a thick batter. Spread evenly on a non-stick 9X13 pan with a heavy spatula. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-16 minutes. 12-15 good sized bars.

DRIVE IN MOVIES

Cathing up

Quote of the Day....Abraham Lincoln

Flavored Vinegars

Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

Homestead Snapshots...

Gustav update for SW Mississippi

SLow start.........

Recipes to share...

Tuesday Visit

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