Find a penny..

Leave a penny.

My sister finds coins - everywhere. Nickles, dimes   but mostly pennies.  We call them Angel Pennies, from her spiritual cheerleaders. 

And she leaves coins for others to find...good karma we decided.  I keep telling her that she needs to start buying Lottery tickets. 

This penny was on the ground by my car at home.  Don't know how it got there, I'm pretty careful with my pennies - maybe I have spiritual cheerleaders too.

Hope you have a safe and happy new year! 

Catermonday report

Gracie here today with a little report for you. 

Well it snowed a WHOLE lot last night.  Clear up to my elbows!!!  So, I'm just hanging out with mummy in bed (she keeps making noises about getting up but I don't see any movement there). Ha ha...

I think it has stopped snowing though and The Shepherd has gone out to check on the sheepies. Mummy says it is supposed to stay cold for a week in the high 20s (what ever that means) brrrr. Maybe I'll figure out how that box of sand works...

Snow day

 I didn't realize it had been such a long time since I posted - Holy cow, Thanksgiving?  Part of the issue is that I've gone back to work - at the office.  4-5 hours a day - kicks my butt some days, but I'll get through it, sooner or later. 

It has snowed the last couple days here.  Self imposed exile here.  Can't afford another fall.  Ever...

Thanksgiving dessert

We're at our friend Nancy's home for Thanksgiving dinner.  I brought creamed corn and pies for dessert.  I made this apple tart this morning trying  those apple roses that you can find on Pinterest.  I think with a little practice I could make them even better.  It makes a fun looking dessert. 

A butterkin pie

Here's the pie I baked yesterday afternoon.  I'm not sure why the crust looks so yellow - must have been from the lighting.  It was OK...pumpkin pie is not exactly my favorite...but the shepherd liked it and that was what counts. 

The view from here

Cloudy and grey here today.  Just finished making a butterkin pie. Butterkins are a cross between pie pumpkins and butternut squash.
(I roasted the left over chunks of the one I used to make a casserole of pork, apples, squash and sweet onion last nights get. It was tasty!). Anyhow -   They have a very similar taste to pumpkin. (Actually the canned "pumpkin" you get in the store is more than likely a hybrid squash as well). If you have never made pumpkin pie from the real deal you are missing something delicious.  And chances are you'll never go back to the canned stuff...I'll take a picture when it comes out of the oven. :--)

What the heck?

OK, it's the 8th of NOVEMBER already - and it is voting day (yes, I dropped my ballot off at the courthouse yesterday :-) )  And it is 72 degrees out!!!!

It is absolutely beautiful out - and the sun actually feels warm - not like that watery cold feeling sun of most Novembers.  Holy cow.  I have a feeling that we are breaking a few temperature records today!  Think I'll go get the sunscreen and sit on the porch - ha ha ha...

Signs of fall

Ah, daylight savings time.  Dark so early!!  I don't do well with darkness anyhow, none of the little solar lights I got from Amazon.com work but what has worked is the roll of "glow in the dark" duck tape that I got. I put it on the feet of my walker, it's on the edges of our bed , door jams so I can find them, etc.  It looks like a swarm of deranged fireflies in here at night.  Ha ha.  But it keeps me from barking my shins on things -whatever works, huh??

My nurse for the evening

I had my first PT appointment today.  Given my injuries he said that 6-10 weeks wouldn't be unusual for recovery back to pre-accident state.  Oh my. 

Gracie has appointed herself my nurse - it's amazing how heavy a 12 pound cat can feel when she is lying across your belly.  How could I be so lucky.  Ha ha

Look mummy, I brought you a get well present!!

Not to be outdone be my friend's flowers, I woke up to a little get well present from Ms Gracie.  At least it was all in one piece and dead...

Our power just came back on after being out for about 36 hours. I think that is about the longest we've had in the 22 years we have lived here.  It got down to 60 degrees over night. I decided I was better off than those living on the streets and heck, some people just keep their thermostat that low anyhow. So, no bitching out of me.  Well, maybe about that rat, ha ha ha.

My nurse caught napping

Not so much for constant supervision, Gracie is at least here most of the day.  Her favorite thing is to sleep on top of me which isn't real comfy for me. Although she does make for a good foot warmer as long as she doesn't attack my toes.

I was reading thru my "hospital" post and noticed I mentioned how cute the paramedics were but I didn't say how kind they were and get this,  one of them was named Captain Dessert. 

We are having bad storms here in the Pacific Northwest.  We lost our power last night at about 11:00.  Our church is installing a new minister tomorrow afternoon.  I think the "show will go on" as the worst of the storm is not supposed to hit until late in the evening.  I have been on the planning committee, but last night John and I  decided that I am not well enough to go. Darn it. 

Thanks again for all your good wishes. I think that this is going to be a long haul and you are keeping me from the dark side.  XOX

What a sweet thing for them to do

Friday afternoon a delivery service brought this pretty bouquet from my friends at my previous job. They did (and continue to) cheer me. What a sweet thing for them to do.

I'm continuing to improve, but it seems to be inch by inch. It's going to be a long process, I think. Thanks for all your kind thoughts and prayers. We appreciate them!! XOX




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Spartan accomodations

Well, so sorry that I have left you all hanging...I finally got into a room at about ten o'clock.  A very small room with a bathroom down the hall, no door just a curtain.  But it was better than Hall Bed #5.  Ha ha.

It was a long day.

The CT scan they did showed no new damage but old breaks to three vertebra and it has been conjectured by more than one person that the fall may have aggravated them, hence why I couldn't walk. 

My stay was overnight and the PT guy released me to go home at about three o'clock or so..  There was some running around to get prescriptions etc. Got home at about five or so.  The Shepherd has been wonderful of course.  At this rate we're going back and forth on taking care of each other.

It is the end of the day on Saturday now.  It seems like I am more sore today than I was on Thursday,which was also predicted.  It is.about time to hit the sack. I'll write more.tomorrow.  blogging from my phone.so please excuse the errors. 

Like the Worst hotel room ever

You know when you get that room where the bathroom is right on the other side of the wall from your head???  Ha ha ha...

Hall bed #5...

So...on my way to the.car this.a.m. and I tripped, or kicked my cane out from under me or something, but all of a.sudden I'm flailing around and the next thing I know I'm flat on my back. My worst nightmare...or Help I've fallen and I can't get up...  Called 911and of course the dishy pAramedics arrive. They were able to get me up but I wasn't able to walk so that earned me a bumpy ride in the back of one of Whatcom County's finest ambulances.  Contacted The Shepherd and my sisters and my office...don't think I'll be there today.  That was at ten this a.m. and after determining that I'm still not able to walk they will be checking me in to chez St Joe's for the night. The Shepherd was here for a while and went home to feed Gracie and the sheep, and to have some dinner.   They are really busy here and I am currently in "hall bed #5". Wonder where the other hall bed people are...more later. 

More fall colors

More fall colors this time from the bonsai collection.  So pretty.

First day of fall

Oh my gosh. Summer is officially over.  It went by so very fast this year. Now it's Seahawk season.  Blue Friday and all that.  'Sept I don't work on Friday. So I guess I'll just dress in blue at home.  All dressed up and nowhere to go.  Ha ha.

Speaking of Seahawks - check out this little Seahawks Gnome.   This little fellow is part of a contest that we are having at work.  Danielle got him on Amazon.com - We have six of them and she is having to watch them like a hawk!  Everyone wants one.  Pretty cute, eh? 

All the lovely ladies

I had to drive to Sumner yesterday for a meeting.  About 125 miles one way.  The Shepherd has been laid up with pneumonia (yes, again!!) so he was in no shape to drive.  And he is normally my chauffeur.  But, I made it down and back. Thanks to Google Maps I only got lost once.  But I was glad to be back in home territory.  How's this for a greeting committee. 

Carrots anyone??

These carrots are from the Shepherd's beautiful garden. Some are white, some are golden, some have purple skins, but orange flesh.  I just realized that the white ones look kind of like bananas, don't they??  Nope. They are indeed carrots, and very tasty ones at that.  The Shepherd does raise good veggies.

Caturday Report

Mommy and I spend a lot of time looking out into space...looking for my brofur George.  We are heartbroken.  We think we see him in the shadows or coming across the field in the afternoon.  Mommy feels guilty that she didn't call him back in the house that last night.  Sigh. 

I think I'll go look out in the field again. 

Seahawks pancakes

The Hawks are playing tonight so of course I had to put some green and blue sprinkles in the pancakes. Ha ha.

Now why didn't I think of that?

I really love watermelon.  But it always seems like such a hassle to deal with we didn't get it very often.  Then came the Slice RIght on TV.  Why didn't I think of that??  Of course I didn't spend the $19.95 to buy one, my big chef's knife works just fine, thank you.  But it is great to have that easy big bowl of melon cubes in the fridge.  Yum.

Gracie and I are really lonely for George.  Nothing new. 

At the beach

We went to Ocean shores the week after the fourth of July.  It seems like it was ages ago.  The weather wasn't real good, but we could sit in the car and listen to the roar of the waves.  Our neighbors were good enough to come down and feed sheep and cats. It was a nice vacation.

Speaking of cats ... I'm sorry to say that George has not come home.  We've had record high temperatures since he went missing, so I just don't know ...  Things don't look to favorable for his return. 

One of my favorite places

We came home the "long way" from our friend's place tonight.  This view of Bellingham & Mt. Baker never fails to thrill me.  

Same old thing

I love pumpkin blossoms.  The bright yellow flower and the verdant leaves.  So much so that I realized that I take this same picture over every year.  Proof that life goes on I guess.  No news about George.  A friend sent me a booklet and video made by a real life pet detective.  She has some good ideas that I will try.  Sigh. 

Nothing new...

Well a week has gone by now. I'd give anything to have him come prancing into the living room and jump on my lap.  They have jokes on Pinterest about humans who turn into skeletons while their cats are napping on their laps. Well not quite the skeleton, but I have sat there and fallen asleep myself. Ha ha.

Trying this from my phone for the first time.... It looks like I need to take the picture first. Or hopefully I can add it later. Thank you again for all your well wishes and prayers.  I'll keep you posted.

*picture added later - It was taken last spring.  

New kids on the block

Sadly I have no new news about George.  If I haven't gotten back to you personally, please accept my belated Thanks to everyone who has left such nice supportive notes.  I am more heartbroken every day.

In the mean time, I'll share some other news with you.  I really need to figure out if I can post to my blog from my phone, because I take picture after picture, thinking "Oh, this will make a good story for my blog" - then the pictures just stay on my phone.  I'm on the computer for 7 hours a day at work, so, sometimes my home time is "off line"  -  well, it's gotten to be "Kindle time" lately - I am such a brat - ha ha...

Anyhow, we have some new sheepies here at the farm.  The brown one, of course, is Katie, from this spring.  But The Shepherd likes to have a buddy the same age for his sheep, so the black one is Kayla, who was born in the Olympia area.  Looks like I needed to have wiped off the lens on my camera - but she is a real pretty girl - black, black, black and very fine wool (which is unusual for black - it tends to be a courser fiber)



This is Jefferson, on the left, in the black coat, and Buddy in the brown coat on the right.  The Shepherd decided that the two ram lambs that we had here were not going to work for his breeding plans, so he drove over to Port Ludlow on the Olympic peninsula and picked Jefferson up from Ananda Hills Farm.  Handsome boy with a black/brown fleece.  Again, much finer than normal blacks, so he's looking for some good lambs in the spring.  Of course he will not breed Kayla until 2017 Fall, so a couple of years out on that one.

And Buddy - the same as with the girls - he likes to have a "friend" of the same age and especially for the boys, company in the pasture.

So, that's the news.  I'll be in touch. 

Missing...

George is missing.

This is a boy who never misses a meal - he's missed two breakfasts and two dinners. 

I'm hoping he carelessly got locked into someone's garage.  Tomorrow I'll check with the Humane Society. 

Many of us who do not have human children, have feline children.  I am just short of brokenhearted.  Please come home. 

With appologies to Rodgers & Hammerstein

The Shepherd, outstanding in his field, on the 3rd of July...

There's a bright golden haze on the meadow, There's a bright golden haze on the meadow,

The corn is as high as an elephant's eye, An' it looks like its climbin' clear up to the sky.

Chorus:

Oh what a beautiful morning, Oh what a beautiful day,

I've got a wonderful feeling, Everything's going my way.

 Wishing everyone a happy, safe & quiet 4th of July! 

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The twins

 

This is Karl & Katie.  Next week The Shepherd is off to points south to pick up so friends for them.  Then on the second day of my 10 day staycation, he is going to wean the whole bunch.  How could I be so lucky?? 

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The best Caturday present EVER

A friend gave me this mug as a gift this week.  She said she saw it on the internet and just had to buy it for me.  Yes, I'm somewhat of a Trekkie - We did have a cat named Neelix you know - but the early cast - done up as cats - Inspired...   Thank you Nina :-)

The Attack of the Zucchinis

 The Shepherd has chosen a new variety of zucchini to grow this year.

It sure started early.  There are three plants and they are covered in blossoms and little zucchinis!

They are a light skinned with dark stripes - sort of like a zebra...but green....

This fine fellow ended up in our dinner last night - a "scramble" - fried potatoes with onions, just a tiny bit of orange bell pepper, a couple of mushrooms, the zucchini, of course and eggs.  Sort of a potato frittata, I guess. 

I put cheese on my part - it was yummy. 




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It's CATURDAAAY!

Come Caturday morning

I'm goin' away with my friend

We'll Caturday-spend till the end of the day

Just I and my friend








 We'll travel for miles in our Caturday smiles










And then we'll move on

But we will remember long after Caturday's gone









Come Caturday morning,

Come Caturday mo - or - ning.....


(With apologies to Ms. Liza Minnelli)
  




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What's growing in The Shepherd's Greenhouse?

 I took a little walk out to the greenhouse today after church.  The Shepherd wanted me to take some pictures of some of his azaleas and to show me how the tomato plants were growing.

Wow, are they ever!  And they are blooming already, so we just may have some tomatoes by the 4th of July...

 He had to plant more runner beans because the other ones bolted on him and became a big tangled mess.

I'm not sure what else he's got coming up here.  But it seems like it only takes a day or so before anything he has planted comes up. 

Snapdragons.  They always remind me of my Grandma Dot. She had these great beds of annuals that would reseed themselves from year to year, to year.  I think these will go on the back porch in pots.

And I have been playing around with the panorama view on my phone.  Just walking out to the greenhouse/barn and back this afternoon I think I took about 100 pictures of plants and sky and cats....

George and Gracie were being a little "aggressive" towards each other.  I don't know what's up with that...But she was hiding out, sort of..

Happy Memorial Day.  Remember to take time to give thanks to all our service men, women, dogs and other animals who give their time and risk their lives for us every day, and to those whose lives were lost so we could live safely. 

Snacks for Church - Very Berry Cream Cheese spread

 

We helped with snacks for after church last weekend.  I made a couple of cream cheese spreads to go on the bagels that we brought.  (Plain bagels and Thomas Limited Edition Banana Bread Bagels, which were delicious, by the way) The spread I made for the plain bagels also worked for the crackers that someone else had brought - it was a Muffaletta spread with cream cheese, olives, jardiniere and salami - oh, it is so good.  The spread I made for the Banana Bread Bagels was, as I called it "Very Berry Cream Cheese Spread".  Quite frankly, it's really so good, who needs a bagel - just scoop it up like frosting - ha ha...

One of the ladies asked me for the recipe, so here it is -

Very Berry Cream Cheese Spread

1 8 oz. pkg. Philly cream cheese - I used Neufchatel style light cream cheese

1/4 cup softened butter (NOT margarine)
1/4 cup Chobani Mixed Berry Greek yogurt
2 or 3 tablespoons Bonne Maman brand jam - I used Raspberry-Apricot because that was what was open in the fridge - (I like Bonne Maman jams because they are just fruit, and sugar.  No other added ingredients - no artificial colors or additives, no high fructose corn syrup and they are free of preservatives)
1-3 teaspoons sugar (to taste - both the cream cheese and the yogurt make this a little bit tart without it)

Beat the cream cheese and the butter until smooth and fluffy.  Beat in the yogurt, add the jam and mix.  Add the sugar to taste - It is good to let it sit in the fridge for a couple of hours so the flavors get all nice and happy. 

Enjoy on bagels or toast, or crackers - or a spoon - (probably if you put a couple of cups of powdered sugar in it would make delicious frosting as well, but I haven't tried that, so only do it if you are adventurous)





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