A Month of Pictures: 13

 

Best Granola Ever

10 Cups Oatmeal

1 Cup Chopped Pecans (optional)

1 Cup Coconut 

1 1/3 Cup Brown Sugar

2 tsp Salt

1 T Maple Flavoring 

1 1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil

1 tsp Vanilla

3/4 Cup Water

In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients together. Combine wet ingredients and add to dry mixture. Stir well. Spread on two cookie sheets and toast in a 275 degree oven for 2 hours or until nicely browned, stirring every 30 minutes. (Note: I make it all the time without the maple flavoring and add an extra teaspoon of vanilla)

This was my mom's granola recipe and I can hardly eat cereal without having some of this granola to add to my bowl. I love it with yogurt, on top of ice cream, added to a bowl of oatmeal... I keep this on hand pretty much all the time. It freezes well, and a jar full makes a great gift. My mom also liked to put it in a ziploc bag, flatten it out nice and thin, and add it to packages of goodies she sent to her children. 

Added bonus: it makes your house smell amazing when you bake it.

A Month of Pictures: 12

I should have had a beautiful snow picture to post today. Early this morning, as I was putting potatoes and ham in the crockpot and finishing up my cake for the fellowship meal at church, the snow was gently falling outside my kitchen window. By the time we left for church, the ground was turning white, and the closer we got to our destination, the more slippery the roads became. The snow stopped falling sometime before church ended, and by the time we had eaten our lunch, talked to friends, and left for home, the roads were completely clear. When we arrived at our house, the ground was completely clear as well, and I had missed my chance for a snow picture. 

Sunday Aftermath

The fact of the matter is, this picture is a much more accurate representation of the day anyway. 

But what a lovely nap I had.........

A Month of Pictures: 11

 

Aren't you glad God made colors?

A Month of Pictures: 10

 

It is a grey, rainy day in Ohio. 

My brain feels fuzzy -- just like this picture. 

I force myself to fix the bed, gather the laundry, hang up the wet clothes and start another load. 

It's easy for my fuzzy brain to quickly go to agitation -- what is wrong with you? You should be getting something done! Why do you feel this way?

Maybe, after all, it's like Dorcas says in her blog today. Maybe I am allowed to be unproductive and to sit on my recliner with a fuzzy blanket on this dreary, grey day, while the raindrops cling to the window screens and the washer churns in the background.

A Month of Pictures: 09

If, by any chance, you have ever looked at me and wondered, "My! Where does she get those big muscles??" I am here today to explain. 

Does it come from lifting weights, you ask? No. It does not come from lifting weights; never lifted a weight in my life. 

Chin-ups? Nope. Not from chin-ups.

Push-ups. Do you do a lot of push-ups? No. I do not. Couldn't do a lot of push-ups even if I tried!

Are you saying you're not in some kind of exercise program? That's exactly what I'm saying. See, big muscles resulting from an exercise program would mean that you stuck with said program for more than five days so... no. It's not that. 

Toddlers! You have a toddler and a baby you lug around everywhere? Uhhh, no. My youngest is almost ten, actually. 

Give up? 

Ever tried hauling your piles of groceries up five hundred and fifty-nine steps every time you come home from town? It's exhilarating, let me tell you. Gets your heart pumping fast, your breath starts coming in little gasps, your legs get all shaky, and your arms go to aching....

Pretty sure it produces muscles. Probably makes for overall better health, I'm guessing. Best results happen in extreme temperatures and in inclement weather. If you'd like to try it some day, come right ahead! My mom always taught me not to be greedy. 

PS. On another note: Some days I go shopping and feel like Frugal Francis; today was not one of them. Will I ever stop being shocked at the astounding totals these days?!

PPS: I am truly thankful I have the means to buy what my family needs. That's really the only thing you need to take away from this post.

The End

A Month of Pictures: 08

 

Forsythia 

Ohio is trying to act like it has some southern roots this year. 

Can't say that I'm mad about it. 

But I might feel differently next week when the temperatures plummet and everything freezes.....

A Month of Pictures: 07

 

This Facebook memory stopped me in my tracks this morning. 

Six years ago, I wrote this post celebrating six years of blogging. At the time, we had just moved into The House On The Hill, I hadn't experienced a child getting their driver's license yet, and I still had a child who wasn't in school. It's wild to realize that I am currently at the point in time I was talking about when I said, "Frankly, I'm glad I can't see ahead six more years!"

Twelve years ago, I googled "how to start a blog", and hit publish for the first time. Twelve years. Eight hundred and ninety-three posts later, I barely recognize the woman I was then. 

What will the next six years bring? Who knows! Many changes, I can guarantee that. Very likely my house will be emptier than it is now; quite possibly I'll even be a grandmother. Six years ago I said the same thing -- who knows? "But I expect I'll still be here, sharing bits and pieces of it with you."

Well, here I am... just barely. The bits and pieces have gotten smaller and less frequent, but I'm still here. I won't make any predictions about 2029!

PS. I'm curious -- how long have you been with me? Any 12 year folks? 6?