Just Stuff

Sam made another trip to visit his son and daughter. We woke to beautiful temperatures for mid-July - 72 degrees. Sam said he had to stop when he got to town to put his jacket on. LOL I don't know what the correct name for these lilies is but aren't they gorgeous? I know, the photo doesn't do justice...
So let's get closer...And look what's about to open up!
Mama came over and we made salsa...and what a story we have about this! I have a recipe from a dear lady who is now dead. I've made this specific recipe before, but I'm sure it was back in the 70's, so here we go...I wondered why it called for 8 cups of sugar for only 1 gallon of tomatoes. So, I put 1/4 cup of sugar in it. As we tasted and grimaced, we realized why...it had 6 cups of vinegar! Mama peeled more tomatoes, I opened three cans of diced tomatoes, 1 can of Rotel tomatoes, and three cans of tomato sauce. We added more sugar, but not the 8 cups the recipe called for. I sent Mama on home to rest and continued to cook until Sam came in and gave it a taste test...it passed, so I jarred it. I was seriously considering tossing it...what a waste that would have been.17 1/2 pints later! We won't have to make more salsa for another three or four years! It IS pretty though, isn't it?! In case you are wondering why my mother comes to my house for canning - I have all the canning implements. AND, my mother has been waiting on the gas pipes in her home to be replaced for several months now...no cooking at her house until that happens. Unfortunately, it will probably take the onset of cold weather before the guy remembers that she's sitting in the cold...even though she calls him on a regular basis. She trusts him...so she will wait...as long as her patience holds out.

Another Story Published!

A local monthly newspaper-type magazine (does that make sense?) recently published one of my short stories. I sent them the three-part story I posted here in January of this year. For some reason, he picked only the center part to print! Beats me as to why...but it gives me another publishing credit!

I was in the library working when one of the members of our Friends group came in grinning from ear to ear. I didn't even know the story was going to be published - arrangements were made through NETWO (Northeast Texas Writer's Organization www.netwo.org). When Bobbie told me, you could've knocked me over with a feather. Later that day, another friend called and was so excited for me. I was walking on cloud nine.

OH! Almost forgot - Northeast Texas Journal out of Mt. Pleasant, Texas. Unfortunately, they don't have a website or I would post it!

Sam made it home Friday. He has nothing scheduled for out-of-town. I got a bit of house cleaning (dirty words) done while he was gone. We have a great expanse of tile floors - DON'T DO IT!!! It is hard, cold, and loud. Sam generally walks outside when I get lazy and run the vacuum over it instead of dust mopping. Really...it is loud!

I have been patiently waiting for my crepe myrtles to bloom. They have bloomed all over town...but not at my house...until...aren't they gorgeous? I wanted the old-timey watermelon red CMs.















A few posts ago, I mentioned canning squash pickles with Mama. I think I've posted the recipe not once but twice. Here's the finished product. They are like a bread 'n' butter pickle.

Baking Again...

...and alone again. Sam went to south Texas. His brother and sister-in-law are selling their home and the closing should be early next week...after not closing on either the 24th or 27th last week. Ah, the joys of waiting on someone else to do their job! I planned on going, but had committed to work at the library Monday through Wednesday...before the closing was postponed. Sam went down to help move them.

I made these Thursday.

Blueberry Muffins

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups blueberries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat butter until fluffy then beat in sugar and eggs. Add vanilla. Stir flour mixture into the butter mixture, along with the milk. Fold in blueberries. Either grease muffin tins or line with paper liners. Fill tins a bit over half. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

I don't know how many this makes! I got 24 small muffins and 6 regular size muffins out of the recipe. (I needed the bite-size muffins for a book signing at the library.)

Canoeing

Ah! I tried to put this in my header, but it is huge! I'm not at my computer to make it smaller, so thought I would just put it in a post. As a general rule, I love to paddle the canoe around a small lake. This is at the Daingerfield State Park http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/daingerfield/ - a beautiful area. I have heard it described as one of the best kept secrets in the Texas State Park system. If you decide to check it out, let me know! I'll bring a freezer of homemade ice cream!!


Shortly after purchasing the canoe a few short years ago, we put in on the Colorado River at the Bay City park for a leisurely float. I forget if it was supposed to be 3 hours or 4, but we finished an hour ahead of time. While alternately paddling and resting, I had a sudden thought. Turning (carefully) to my husband, I asked, "Oh, are their any alligators in the river?" He answered as he pointed with his paddle, "Sure. There's a six-footer over there on the bank."


"WHAT?!" Near panic set in. Canoes are notoriously unstable. My paddle never once dried during the remainder of the trip. Sam had to make me head to shore for lunch. Since I sat the front of the canoe (all nautical terms have deserted me), I had to step out and drag the canoe on the bank. I had to put my foot in alligator infested waters! After eating, he had to make me get back in the canoe...I was ready to walk until I remembered that an alligator can outrun a human on dry land. Back in the canoe...steadily paddling...not a leisurely float.


All of a sudden, as I was dipping my paddle in the water, the water churned just as my hand was on the lowest part of the downsweep...right beside that said hand. I jerked and yelled. Sam said the whole canoe jerked. A fish had turned over on the water's surface. Sam laughed. I steamed.


You know. I finally figured it out. If an alligator dumped us, I did not have to outswim the alligator...I just had to outswim my husband!


I did get the final laugh. Sam had purchased a brimmed hat at Academy that had a mesh top. The top of his head was sunburned.

New Blog!

I am a member of the Friends of the Daingerfield Public Library (we are only 2 years old). After attending an area Friends Roundup, we discovered that we were the only group in attendance that did not have a webpage. I had started formatting a page before the first of the year, then life got busy. One of the other lady's sons said that he would help and asked if we wanted a webpage, blog, or My Space. I initially thought webpage. Last night while surfing, I ran across a library's blog. I did a search and found it very easily. I know how to do a blog...don't have to contact the library's Internet provider for server space and access...don't have to have someone upload what I create or help with constant changes. I can do this!

This is just the beginning, but please check us out!

http://friendsofthedaingerfieldpubliclibrary.blogspot.com/

Squash Pickles

8 cups sliced yellow summer squash
2 cups onions, sliced in rings or chunks
3 tablespoons canning salt
1 cup quarted jalapenos, seed some to cut back on the 'fire'
2 1/2 cups cider vinegar
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon mustard seed per pint
1/2 teaspoon celery seed per pint

Combine squash and onions. Put salt on top; give it a stir. Let stand for 1 hour. Drain well; do not rinse. Seed some of the jalapenos if desired and add to the squash and onions. Combine vinegar and sugar and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Put 1 teaspoon mustard seed and 1/2 teaspoon celery seed in each pint jar. Pack squash, onion, and peppr into jars. Pour boiling vinegar/sugar into jars, covering vegetables. Process in boiling water bath 10 minutes.

If you like relish on your peas, you can chop the vegetables instead of slicing.

Lazy Day

Happy Father's Day to you men who have touched a child's life in a positive way! Sam asked to go out to eat today and since it is Father's Day, I told him it was his choice. We are going to Longview early this evening hoping to miss some of the crowds.


I can not believe I forgot about my Mother-in-Law's Tongue blooming. I went out to check it...the blooms are already falling off. Rats!


Yesterday, a group of representatives from our friends of the library went to Jefferson for the Friends Round-Up sponsored by NETLS (Northeast Texas Library System). We learned a lot and hope that they repeat the program each year. We found out that we were the only friends group without a website. Welllll...I have the pages started on my computer...from last December. One of our members talked with her son; he will be helping me get them online.

We had torrential rains around 7:30 yesterday morning. They hit just before leaving for Jefferson. Thankfully the worst was over before we had to leave.

Garden Fare

My mother, brother, and sister-in-law put in a vegetable garden this year. Mama has quite a few health problems, but Joey set chairs out at the ends of the rows when he realized that she was going to be in the garden so that she could rest and not overdo it. Mama has been sharing fresh vegetables with us.

Tonight I cooked stuffed zucchini and new potatoes with butter. For dessert we had banana nut muffins.

Stuffed Zucchini

4 medium zucchini (I actually used just one - a really, really large one)
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound sliced mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup saltine cracker crumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teasoon Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

Halve the zucchini and put it in a baking dish...microwave not over 5 minutes. Scoop out the center, mash and set aside. Place zucchini boats in an ovenproof dish and sprinkle with a bit of salt. Cook ground beef with onion until onion is translucent. Add garlic and mushrooms; stir and cook until the mushrooms cook down. Remove from heat. Drain off any excess fat; stir in mashed zucchini. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Spoon into the zucchini boats; sprinkle with more grated Parmesan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes.

Banana Nut Muffins

1/2 cup butter at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 large ripe bananas, mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Spray 12 muffin cups with oil or grease them. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add bananas and vanilla; beat until smooth. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened; stir in chopped nuts. Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling about 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 - 18 minutes. Cook for a few minutes, then turn muffins out onto rack to cook longer.

You can also bake these in the little muffin tins. They will cook 10 - 15 minutes. Be sure to watch them closely!

Earlier this week, Mama came over with enough yellow squash and onions to make pickles.

8 cups sliced squash (we use yellow squash, but you could also use zucchini)
2 cups onions, sliced in rings or chunks
3 tablespoons canning salt
1 cup jalepenos, quartered
2 1/2 cups cider vinegar
2 1/2 cups sugar
mustard seed
celery seed

Combine squash and onions in a large bowl. Sprinkle salt on top. Let stand 1 hour. Drain well, do not rinse.

Seed some of the jalepenos if desired to reduce the overall heat. Add to the squash and onions. Combine vinegar and sugar and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.

Put 1 teaspoon mustard seed and 1/2 teaspoon celery seed in each pint jar. (Remember you did not rinse the salt off the squash and onions so no need to add salt.)

Put the vegetables into the jars. Pour the boiling vinegar over, seal, process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

My photo of the day - my mother slipped on her front porch back in March and hit her head on the window facing. After a stroke then triple-bypass heart surgery back in the mid-90s, and two TIAs a couple of years ago, she is on blood thinners. And she did bleed!

We went to the movie one night. I let her out 'up front' and then parked the car. I walked up just as a young man held the door for her. He looked, did a double-take, then looked away. I said, "If you think she looks bad, you should see the guy she put in the hospital." Mama overheard and started laughing.

She now has a pretty ugly L-shaped scar over her left eye - a bit into the eyebrow. She tried the Mederma scar cover/healer stuff but was sensitive to it.

Grandparents

I mentioned my grandmother in my last post. Just in case you are all wondering...when you look up the word "grandmother" in the dictionary, the photo of the lady representing that word is MY grandmother...

Ruby Syble Durham Sanford. Oh, yeah, my grandfather, Grover Weldon "Punk" Sanford was a pretty neat guy too...especially to me. I was raised (as we say in Texas) with a bunch of stinking brothers and male cousins.