As the saying goes... "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach".... and I have to say... I totally believe this is absolutely true for most of the men I personally know. When you please their palate and their tummy, love will definitely bloom!
You may ask why I believe this to be true... and I would say... it is because I know I can reduce my own husband, who is typically a "Manly Man's Man", to a mushy gushy mess simply with a really delish meal. Let me elaborate on this. My husband Joe and I love to watch 'The Food Network' channel as well as 'The Travel' channel... and one of his particular favorite shows just happens to be Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations".
Several nights ago he was watching an episode that was filmed in Naples Italy, where ragu was the main dish in the spotlight. For over a week after that episode aired and was viewed by him, he would not stop talking about how badly he wanted me to make him some ragu like he saw dished up in that show. I personally did not see this episode, so I could only go by how Joe described how it was made and the ingredients he told me was in it... and really... making spaghetti sauce is more of a 'method' than a 'recipe' of basic and standard ingredients. Anyone will tell you that they all have a treasured "Family Recipe" that has been handed down through the generations, and all will proclaim that their particular recipe is far better than anyone else's... kind of like how people are about their specific chili recipes! I mean... hello!!!... there have been cook-off's in every state and country each year for the Blue Ribbon winners of chili and/or spaghetti recipes! But I digress!... back to ragu night at our house.
Going only by Joe's description, I set out to make him a batch of ragu just to get some peace and quiet in this house! Mind you that he insisted the ragu HAD to cook slowly (or as he said... "it has to burble and gurgle ever soooo slowly over a two day period of time")... and it HAD to be served over penne pasta, and with crusty bread for sopping. I indeed cooked, or actually... 'let the sauce burble and gurgle ever soooo slowly for two days', and on the night I presented my beloved with this much anticipated, and much drooled over ragu... I hit a home run!!!!! He ate, he sopped, he ummed... and then he ate, sopped and ummmed again.... and yes by gum... he ate, he sopped and ummmed again for the third time. His belly was sooo bloated from all that pasta and ragu, but the grin on his face was priceless!
For the rest of that night you would have thought us a newly dating couple instead of an old married couple of 33 years!!! He cooed at me, he rubbed my back, he nuzzled my neck... and while I truly enjoyed all the romantic attention... I just couldn't believe that one pot of ragu could reduce him into such a mushy gushy mess like that! I would have to say he truly not only enjoyed every single bite, but he enjoyed all the time and love I put into making that pot of ragu for him.
He insisted that I freeze the left over ragu into two separate batches so that he could enjoy more ragu on nights when we were pressed for time and need a quickie dinner. But... only one batch remains frozen for a future meal... because tonight he is enjoying round two of ragu... here I must mention that it was only last night that we enjoyed the ragu for the first time, and even tho his belly was full to the rim of bursting with all the ragu he ate last night, he went to bed talking about how he would really like to have it again tonight. Now that is some pretty powerful ragu!!!! I made this batch of ragu more by method and guessing, than by having a recipe, so below I will include a basic recipe/method for anyone who would like to make a batch of their own ragu... note that all ingredients are guesstimations (I think I just made that word up and spell check doesn't like it!) and you are free to add and/or delete ingredients at your own preference and whim.
This is a very rustic, hearty, and earthy kind of spaghetti sauce, so ingredients should be sliced/diced to a thickness so that the vegetables will hold up during the long slow cooking process... that is... unless you want them to dissolve into the sauce for a less chunky sauce.
2-3 stalks of celery, thickly sliced
2-3 carrots, thickly sliced
1 - med-lg onion, roughly chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
3-4 cups of red wine (beef stock may be substituted for the wine)
3-4 lg cans of diced tomatoes
1 small can of tomato paste
2-3 whole dried bay leaves
salt/pepper to taste
a pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
1TBSP of sugar
Vegetable oil
*1-2 veal shanks
*4 beef short ribs
*1-2 pork shanks (NOT smoked)
*any kind of bone-in meat may be used... you are looking for bone in meats for richer flavoring of the sauce... the meat will literally fall off the bones and then you can either toss the bones out, or put them in a side dish for those who enjoy it can eat the melted marrow inside the bones.... as my husband likes to do. I bought family size pkgs of these meats and separated them into several single serving sizes and then froze them for use whenever needed.
** for an even heartier/earthier sauce you may want to add fresh mushrooms to the vegetable mixture and sweat them when you sweat the other vegetables.
Add 2 TBSP of oil to heavy stock pan and heat over medium heat... add celery, carrots, onions, and garlic... sweat the vegetables/garlic to release their flavors for about 3-5 minutes. Remove vegetables/garlic from the pan and set aside. Salt and pepper all sides of all the meats. Add another 2 TBSP of oil to pan and turn heat up to medium-high, and brown all meats on all sides. Brown meats in batchs... DO NOT over crowd the pan... remove all meats from pan and set aside.
Drain oil from pan, on high heat deglaze pan with the red wine/beef stock, or combination of both, then reduce heat to medium-high, and reduce liquid to 1 cup. Add the vegetables, meats, tomatoes, tomato paste and all seasonings in to reduced liquid... add more liquid to pan if needed... liquid should almost, but not quite cover the meat, bring to a boil, then reduce to a slight simmer, cover pot and let simmer for several hours. Turn heat off and let pan stand until cooled. Place pan in refrigerator over night. Next morning, bring pan out of refrigerator, skim fat off the top and discard... then let pot come to room temperature... then place on med-high heat and bring to a slight boil... reduce heat to a slow simmer and again let simmer for several hours.... the sauce should just slightly bubble... such as making a blurp, blurp, blurp sound and not a constant simmer. When ready to serve, cook the penne pasta and heat the bread... remove the meats from the sauce and place in a bowl and set aside, remove and discard all bones (unless the bone marrow is to be enjoyed), drain pasta and place in a deep bowl, add sauce to cover pasta and toss (amount of sauce to pasta is personal preference). In Naples the sauced pasta and sopping bread are eaten first, the meat served after by itself... however... the meats may be added directly to the pasta and sauce and eaten as a one meal dish... either way you serve it... just get ready to enjoy and sop until hearts content!
Even tho this dish should take two days to cook slowly (so that the richness of all the ingredients can meld into each other), it's actually quite easy... in fact it's as easy as the preparations for making a roast beef. After the veggies have been chopped and sweated, the meats have been browned, the pan deglazed and all the ingredients returned to the pot... the work is all done... just a peek at, and a stirring of the sauce every couple of hours is all the labor it takes there after.
Hopefully your beloveds tummy will be as happy as my husband Joe's tummy, and you will be well wooed for all your labor of love!
Bon Appetit!... or as we say down South... YUM YUM YUM... and DIG IN!!!
Friday, September 16, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
The State Fair... Then and Now
I have been going to the State Fair (the Kentucky State Fair for my first 30 years) for as far back as I can remember. Since then, I have been fortunate to visit many State Fairs in several States. There have been many times when I went to the same State Fair several times in the same year... as in... I went with my Grandparents and Cousins, then went again with my Mom, Dad and Brother, then again with my Boyfriend (who is now my husband!), then went again with Girlfriends from school, then went again with my Boyfriends Family. You would think that once was enough... but that just isn't true... because... you experience different things with each person or group you go with... and after all... the State Fair comes but once a year, and is only in town for a couple of weeks.
When I went with my Grandparents and Cousins... Grandpa would walk around and 'work the Fair', checking on his many employees... Grandpa was the owner and operator of a Security Police company, and the State Fair was just one of many sites that hired his company... so while Grandpa did his work thing, Grandma would take us youngsters straight to the Mid-way where she would begin a night full of spoiling us rotten... buying us anything and everything we wanted to eat from all the food venders, and packets of tickets for us to ride any ride we wanted... as many times as we wanted to ride it. Grandma herself did not partake in any of the rides... she would sit or stand near the ride holding all our stuff, smiling and waving and taking pure pleasure in our pleasure. However, Grandma did partake and enjoy in the eating ritual of greasy Fair food... such as corn dogs (her personal must have favorite), corn on the cob, funnel cakes, lemon shake-ups, cotton candy, caramel apples, italian sausages w/peppers and onions, elephant ears, soft serve ice cream, milk shakes... you name it, we ate it. Grandma would also give us all the quarters we needed or wanted to play the various 'Games of Chance'... and again... she would carry and hold all our big winnings while we played our games and continued to ride the rides. When I was a child, I never understood how Grandma said she had as much fun as us kids did, when she never even rode a single ride and insisted on being the pack mule... but now that I have had my own children, whom I have taken to the State Fair and/or to Amusement Parks, and have been the wallet and pack mule... I totally get it! Seeing the pure joy of your Children and Grandchildren is a totally priceless pleasure that just can not be described! Grandma... I'm trying to 'pay it forward' and pass on the joys of childhood you gave to all us kids! After my Grandpa was finished doing his rounds, and Grandma and us kids were finished doing our Mid-way thing... we would gather all together once again and do the rounds of the animal barns, and then go see the Rodeo Show and/or the Horse Show... another particular favorite of both my Grandparents.
When I went to the Fair with my Boyfriend (between the ages of 14 - 19)... we too went straight to the Mid-way... holding on to our wallets/purse tight that held our own hard earned cash or allowance. We were much pickier in rides and our food vending choices (usually sharing our food selections)... and usually we spent every single cent in our wallets/purse... but the experience was totally different from being with Grandma. We would choose the wildest, craziest, FASTEST rides, and the hidden tunnel rides in which we could grab a quick kiss session. We would hold hands and let everyone know... we were a real couple! HA to all you lasses who dared look at my Boyfriend.... he was mine!!!... and to all the fellas who may have looked my way in my short shorts... sorry... I'm with HIM!! Young love... sooo possessive... but just soo cute too!
When I went to the Fair with my Girlfriends (between the ages of 13 - 18)... now that was a different story all together! We would definitely dress for as much attention as we could get... usually short shorts, tank tops and sandals... we would bat our eyes, toss our hair, wiggle our hinnies, and outrageously flirt and giggle with any and every male we could get attention from. Why we thought this was fun... who knows... but I still see the same behavior now at the State Fairs from young lasses, as us young lasses did back then. Now that I am Ohhh so much older and wiser... and have raised three daughters of my own... who I know very well behaved the same way (much to my chagrin!) I see how completely 'see thru' we were, and that no one... well other than the young lads our own age... never took us seriously and were actually laughing at us after we passed by. Once.... a Girlfriend and I decided we would be 'interesting foreign girls', and thus made up our own language to speak to each other... one of us of course would be the 'interpreter' to everyone else.... again.... why we thought we were actually convincing... I have no clue... but we really thought we pulled it off and had a great time all the same! We rode only the rides with the cute workers, and rode nothing that would muss our hair out of place!
When I went to the Fair with my Mom, Dad and Brother... my parents would drag my Brother and I through all the exhibits, we would have to go peruse all the aisles of new fangled farm equipment, and through the mucky stinky animal barns before they would FINALLY take us to the Mid-way for just a 'couple' of rides and a corn dog. We both really actually enjoyed it all... with the exception of the gazing at the boring farm equipment, but... we were kids and the Fair was all about, and only about the Mid-way and the rides! And of course... you had to walk several steps behind or to the side of your parents... so that any friends you may see wouldn't think you were lame and with your parents. Of course all the way home my Brother and I would jabber on and on about how much fun we had all had together.
As an adult taking my own girls to the State Fair... I too tried to instill in them all the values the State Fair has to offer other than just the Mid-way and greasy foods. We would always go view the various art and photo exhibits, the quilts (seems to be everyone's favorite!), peruse through the animal barns, and of course you just have to go see all the HUGE home grown produce Blue Ribbon contestants to "WOW... and OMGOSH... I can't believe that such is such is soooo big"! I now completely understand why my parents made us see all the Fair had to offer before heading to the Mid-way... because A) they really wanted to enjoy the Fair too and see all the oddities that can be seen at any Fair, and B) because their funds were limited and you had to do the Mid-way last, because you didn't want to spend every cent you had in the first 15 minutes of being at the Fair. When we were raising our girls, Joe and I too had a limited income and had to stretch our 'extra State Fair money' between the three daughters and the expense of the greasy Fair food and the tickets needed for each ride as far as we could stretch it, and still give the girls a great time at the Fair.
So that brings me to this year's Fair experience at the Kansas State Fair with just Joe and I. We saw all the bright lights of the Mid-way... and that was all the Mid-way experience we were even remotely interested in.... ahhhh... how times do change!!! Joe and I were more interested in the greasy food venders and the people watching.... cheapest, funniest entertainment available anywhere! My favorite Fair food fare is now the corn on the cob..... OMGOSH.... AMAZING!!! Especially when you make sure they completely douse your cob in all that delish butter!!... we also gave our cob a generous sprinkling of cajun seasoning.... yum yum yum!!!! I would pay the $8 entrance fee to the Fair again... just to get my mouth on another corn on the cob! We ate italian sausage w/onions and peppers, a corn dog, a german sausage, a gyro, a lemon shake-up (Joe enjoyed corona's at the beer tent... which was the main place to people watch), chocolate peanut butter decadence ice cream, and a funnel cake. We heard there was sauerkraut pizza and red velvet funnel cakes... but we weren't able to locate either.... hummm maybe that's even another reason why we should return to the Fair!
Joe and I meandered through food alley, went into the main building to gaze upon the butter sculpture, went to the pig races... which... how hilarious was that!!!??? TOO freaking hilarious!!!... and sat in the beer tent to enjoy our favorite past time of people watching. We saw body piercings in the strangest of places, tatoos (large and small, black and in color), mullets, mohawks, rainbow colored hair, short shorts on those who should not be wearing short shorts, adorable babies and children, the most outrageous outfits imaginable... just to name a few interesting sites that walked past us. As Joe likes to say.... we were watching a slice of America right there at the Kansas State Fair. We enjoyed every minute and I do hope we are able to return for another visit before the Fair packs up and goes away for another year.... I know there is another ear of corn waiting for me to consume!
When I went with my Grandparents and Cousins... Grandpa would walk around and 'work the Fair', checking on his many employees... Grandpa was the owner and operator of a Security Police company, and the State Fair was just one of many sites that hired his company... so while Grandpa did his work thing, Grandma would take us youngsters straight to the Mid-way where she would begin a night full of spoiling us rotten... buying us anything and everything we wanted to eat from all the food venders, and packets of tickets for us to ride any ride we wanted... as many times as we wanted to ride it. Grandma herself did not partake in any of the rides... she would sit or stand near the ride holding all our stuff, smiling and waving and taking pure pleasure in our pleasure. However, Grandma did partake and enjoy in the eating ritual of greasy Fair food... such as corn dogs (her personal must have favorite), corn on the cob, funnel cakes, lemon shake-ups, cotton candy, caramel apples, italian sausages w/peppers and onions, elephant ears, soft serve ice cream, milk shakes... you name it, we ate it. Grandma would also give us all the quarters we needed or wanted to play the various 'Games of Chance'... and again... she would carry and hold all our big winnings while we played our games and continued to ride the rides. When I was a child, I never understood how Grandma said she had as much fun as us kids did, when she never even rode a single ride and insisted on being the pack mule... but now that I have had my own children, whom I have taken to the State Fair and/or to Amusement Parks, and have been the wallet and pack mule... I totally get it! Seeing the pure joy of your Children and Grandchildren is a totally priceless pleasure that just can not be described! Grandma... I'm trying to 'pay it forward' and pass on the joys of childhood you gave to all us kids! After my Grandpa was finished doing his rounds, and Grandma and us kids were finished doing our Mid-way thing... we would gather all together once again and do the rounds of the animal barns, and then go see the Rodeo Show and/or the Horse Show... another particular favorite of both my Grandparents.
When I went to the Fair with my Boyfriend (between the ages of 14 - 19)... we too went straight to the Mid-way... holding on to our wallets/purse tight that held our own hard earned cash or allowance. We were much pickier in rides and our food vending choices (usually sharing our food selections)... and usually we spent every single cent in our wallets/purse... but the experience was totally different from being with Grandma. We would choose the wildest, craziest, FASTEST rides, and the hidden tunnel rides in which we could grab a quick kiss session. We would hold hands and let everyone know... we were a real couple! HA to all you lasses who dared look at my Boyfriend.... he was mine!!!... and to all the fellas who may have looked my way in my short shorts... sorry... I'm with HIM!! Young love... sooo possessive... but just soo cute too!
When I went to the Fair with my Girlfriends (between the ages of 13 - 18)... now that was a different story all together! We would definitely dress for as much attention as we could get... usually short shorts, tank tops and sandals... we would bat our eyes, toss our hair, wiggle our hinnies, and outrageously flirt and giggle with any and every male we could get attention from. Why we thought this was fun... who knows... but I still see the same behavior now at the State Fairs from young lasses, as us young lasses did back then. Now that I am Ohhh so much older and wiser... and have raised three daughters of my own... who I know very well behaved the same way (much to my chagrin!) I see how completely 'see thru' we were, and that no one... well other than the young lads our own age... never took us seriously and were actually laughing at us after we passed by. Once.... a Girlfriend and I decided we would be 'interesting foreign girls', and thus made up our own language to speak to each other... one of us of course would be the 'interpreter' to everyone else.... again.... why we thought we were actually convincing... I have no clue... but we really thought we pulled it off and had a great time all the same! We rode only the rides with the cute workers, and rode nothing that would muss our hair out of place!
When I went to the Fair with my Mom, Dad and Brother... my parents would drag my Brother and I through all the exhibits, we would have to go peruse all the aisles of new fangled farm equipment, and through the mucky stinky animal barns before they would FINALLY take us to the Mid-way for just a 'couple' of rides and a corn dog. We both really actually enjoyed it all... with the exception of the gazing at the boring farm equipment, but... we were kids and the Fair was all about, and only about the Mid-way and the rides! And of course... you had to walk several steps behind or to the side of your parents... so that any friends you may see wouldn't think you were lame and with your parents. Of course all the way home my Brother and I would jabber on and on about how much fun we had all had together.
As an adult taking my own girls to the State Fair... I too tried to instill in them all the values the State Fair has to offer other than just the Mid-way and greasy foods. We would always go view the various art and photo exhibits, the quilts (seems to be everyone's favorite!), peruse through the animal barns, and of course you just have to go see all the HUGE home grown produce Blue Ribbon contestants to "WOW... and OMGOSH... I can't believe that such is such is soooo big"! I now completely understand why my parents made us see all the Fair had to offer before heading to the Mid-way... because A) they really wanted to enjoy the Fair too and see all the oddities that can be seen at any Fair, and B) because their funds were limited and you had to do the Mid-way last, because you didn't want to spend every cent you had in the first 15 minutes of being at the Fair. When we were raising our girls, Joe and I too had a limited income and had to stretch our 'extra State Fair money' between the three daughters and the expense of the greasy Fair food and the tickets needed for each ride as far as we could stretch it, and still give the girls a great time at the Fair.
So that brings me to this year's Fair experience at the Kansas State Fair with just Joe and I. We saw all the bright lights of the Mid-way... and that was all the Mid-way experience we were even remotely interested in.... ahhhh... how times do change!!! Joe and I were more interested in the greasy food venders and the people watching.... cheapest, funniest entertainment available anywhere! My favorite Fair food fare is now the corn on the cob..... OMGOSH.... AMAZING!!! Especially when you make sure they completely douse your cob in all that delish butter!!... we also gave our cob a generous sprinkling of cajun seasoning.... yum yum yum!!!! I would pay the $8 entrance fee to the Fair again... just to get my mouth on another corn on the cob! We ate italian sausage w/onions and peppers, a corn dog, a german sausage, a gyro, a lemon shake-up (Joe enjoyed corona's at the beer tent... which was the main place to people watch), chocolate peanut butter decadence ice cream, and a funnel cake. We heard there was sauerkraut pizza and red velvet funnel cakes... but we weren't able to locate either.... hummm maybe that's even another reason why we should return to the Fair!
Joe and I meandered through food alley, went into the main building to gaze upon the butter sculpture, went to the pig races... which... how hilarious was that!!!??? TOO freaking hilarious!!!... and sat in the beer tent to enjoy our favorite past time of people watching. We saw body piercings in the strangest of places, tatoos (large and small, black and in color), mullets, mohawks, rainbow colored hair, short shorts on those who should not be wearing short shorts, adorable babies and children, the most outrageous outfits imaginable... just to name a few interesting sites that walked past us. As Joe likes to say.... we were watching a slice of America right there at the Kansas State Fair. We enjoyed every minute and I do hope we are able to return for another visit before the Fair packs up and goes away for another year.... I know there is another ear of corn waiting for me to consume!
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Labor Day 2011
I drug my feet.... I screamed at the top of my lungs... NO! NO! NO!!.... but.... the last HOO RAH of Summer... aka... Labor Day... came and went all the same! You just can't stop time from continuing to march onward! However... those of us who live in Kansas enjoyed a spectacular clear sunny day with temps in the 80's.
My husband Joe and I joined some family friends at the pool at noon... where we enjoyed hamburgers, ice cream, popcorn, beverages, lots of sunshine, got in our last laps and splish splashing pool time, and bade 'goodbye til next Summer' to all our other friends. We were blessed and lucky to have such a gorgeous day together... especially since I hear our family and friends back east in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Ohio did not fare as well and had cool/cold temps with dreary rain all weekend.
Our sun-fried crispy little group left the pool at 6:00 p.m. to go home, shower and change, and later meet back up together at "Ken's Pizza" for dinner... which is just the BESTEST pizza EVER!!! We ate pizza, pasta, and salad, we laughed and giggled, and talked about all the fun times we had had together this past Summer... then we all trudged and shuffled to our separate cars, our heads hung low, and our lips drooping, to go home and actually bring an end to the last HOO RAH of Summer to get ready for work and school the next day. The last 4 day Holiday weekend of Summer had come to it's end!
Here in Kansas our temperatures remain in the 80's and 90's this week and next... the nights and mornings are Fall-ishly cool, but the days are still sunny, warm and beautiful... but no matter... it still feels like Fall. Whether I go into a grocery store, a department store, or a craft store.... all I see is pumpkins, Halloween costumes and decorations... and YES!!!!!... even Christmas decorations!!! Which makes me say.... WHAT!!!!!!!... there is just something sooooo wrong in seeing decorated Christmas trees in stores in Sept!!!!!
The Kansas State Fair arrives here in Hutchinson Kansas tomorrow.... WOO HOO!!!!.... I'm really looking forward to that. Then next weekend Joe and I are going to our first Fall Arts and Crafts show of the season... and so thus stealthily and quietly Fall approaches with it's pumpkins, gourds, scare crows, caramel apples, apple cider and hot chocolate! I'm still not ready to bid adieu to Summer... but... Fall is coming right on schedule, just like it does every year.
Once Fall has arrived... I do enjoy the season... begrudgingly!... but I do enjoy it's specialness... and then my pouty pants whine begins again... when Winter begins to show up! No offense to Winter... but the older I get, the more I just DO NOT LIKE WINTER... even though I LOVE the Holidays... I just HATE the cold, and all the clothing layers needed, and heavy coats! ICK ICK ICK!!! I'm like a bear and try my best to hibernate through as much of Winter as possible, waiting for the first signs of Spring... when along with my Winter clothes, I put away my pouty pants whine and bring out my smile of blissfulness that the warm sunny days have returned once again!
Hello Fall, and to Fall Festivals, Football season, Pumpkin Patches, Fire pits and roasted marshmallows, Trick or Treating, Chili season, and to all the rest of what the Fall season brings with it!
My husband Joe and I joined some family friends at the pool at noon... where we enjoyed hamburgers, ice cream, popcorn, beverages, lots of sunshine, got in our last laps and splish splashing pool time, and bade 'goodbye til next Summer' to all our other friends. We were blessed and lucky to have such a gorgeous day together... especially since I hear our family and friends back east in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Ohio did not fare as well and had cool/cold temps with dreary rain all weekend.
Our sun-fried crispy little group left the pool at 6:00 p.m. to go home, shower and change, and later meet back up together at "Ken's Pizza" for dinner... which is just the BESTEST pizza EVER!!! We ate pizza, pasta, and salad, we laughed and giggled, and talked about all the fun times we had had together this past Summer... then we all trudged and shuffled to our separate cars, our heads hung low, and our lips drooping, to go home and actually bring an end to the last HOO RAH of Summer to get ready for work and school the next day. The last 4 day Holiday weekend of Summer had come to it's end!
Here in Kansas our temperatures remain in the 80's and 90's this week and next... the nights and mornings are Fall-ishly cool, but the days are still sunny, warm and beautiful... but no matter... it still feels like Fall. Whether I go into a grocery store, a department store, or a craft store.... all I see is pumpkins, Halloween costumes and decorations... and YES!!!!!... even Christmas decorations!!! Which makes me say.... WHAT!!!!!!!... there is just something sooooo wrong in seeing decorated Christmas trees in stores in Sept!!!!!
The Kansas State Fair arrives here in Hutchinson Kansas tomorrow.... WOO HOO!!!!.... I'm really looking forward to that. Then next weekend Joe and I are going to our first Fall Arts and Crafts show of the season... and so thus stealthily and quietly Fall approaches with it's pumpkins, gourds, scare crows, caramel apples, apple cider and hot chocolate! I'm still not ready to bid adieu to Summer... but... Fall is coming right on schedule, just like it does every year.
Once Fall has arrived... I do enjoy the season... begrudgingly!... but I do enjoy it's specialness... and then my pouty pants whine begins again... when Winter begins to show up! No offense to Winter... but the older I get, the more I just DO NOT LIKE WINTER... even though I LOVE the Holidays... I just HATE the cold, and all the clothing layers needed, and heavy coats! ICK ICK ICK!!! I'm like a bear and try my best to hibernate through as much of Winter as possible, waiting for the first signs of Spring... when along with my Winter clothes, I put away my pouty pants whine and bring out my smile of blissfulness that the warm sunny days have returned once again!
Hello Fall, and to Fall Festivals, Football season, Pumpkin Patches, Fire pits and roasted marshmallows, Trick or Treating, Chili season, and to all the rest of what the Fall season brings with it!
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Celebrating Another Birthday!
Today is my 53rd Birthday (GEESH.... can't believe I just shared that... but... it is what it is... and another year older is ALWAYS a good thing, and the direction I want to keep heading in!)... and I must say... a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who made my day special with all your Happy Birthday wishes via email, FB, texts, and phone calls!! It was indeed a VERY special day! (Dad.... I got your email.... Sorry I wasn't able to get your call.... but I KNOW you ALWAYS think of me on my special day... HUGS Victoria!!!!)
This Birthday is just a tweener year Birthday... that's the years in between the BIG celebrations... such as, 1st Birthdays (the first of anything is always special!)... 13th Birthdays (entrance into the teen years)... 18th Birthdays (usually graduation year and legally allowed to vote)... 21st Birthdays (one of the really BIG Birthdays as you enter into official and legal adulthood)... 25th Birthdays (celebrating 1st quarter of a century)... 30th Birthdays (the beginning of celebrating entrance into new decades)... 40th Birthdays (another decade passes)... 50th Birthdays (BIGGER than 21... marking a half century... the entrance into 'middle age'... usually involves a "Surprise Birthday Party")... 60th Birthdays (another decade passes)... 70th Birthdays (another decade passes)... 75th Birthdays (celebrating 3/4 of a century)... 80th Birthdays (another decade passes... fewer Birthdays are expected to come your way at this point)... 90th Birthdays (another decade passes... unbelievably!!!)... and then... if you are really lucky and blessed 100th Birthdays (celebrating the rare century of Birthday's... not that you will remember the party or celebration of this Birthday... but it's the BIGGEST one of all!!) So... this year was just another tweener year... it was a long distance Birthday and yet I am sooo moved and touched by all those who went out of their way to remember me today, and reached out to tell me so! I kinda like the quieter tweener years because, there is less expectation and pressure of everyone knowing it is a year that needs to be celebrated, and I love the unexpected joy and surprise of those who make it special all the same!
I am indeed quite Blessed to have lots of family and very close friends who are in my life, and who let me know I am loved! I received LOTS of Happy Mail this week, as well as, was taken out to lunch and a movie by a dear friend, received balloons, a cookbook from my Dad, a necklace and candle from a friend, sweet treats, a new dress from my eldest Daughter/Fiance, and a new watch from my sweet Husband, who also took me out to our favorite Bistro for dinner... pretty good loot if you ask me... and especially for just a 'tweener' year! I blew out candles, made wishes, laughed, shared in lots of memories of the past with loved ones, and just had a really good day!
I don't mind getting older, and have never minded sharing what my true age is. I mentally feel much younger than I actually am... yet my body tends to argue with me on that! : ) I hope to be one of those special few who get the BIG century celebration as I turn 100! I want my old wrinkly, toothless, sweet face to be on the Smucker's jelly jar on the Today Show! But.... DON'T make me wear a silly hat!!!! I have younger family members who have promised to have my back on that one and prevent anyone from placing a silly hat on my head! I don't mind having my walker or wheelchair (if I am in the need of either) decorated with balloons and/or streamers... but NO HAT ON MY HEAD! I just don't like that little piece of elastic under my chin... have never liked it, even when I was a child.
As I read through the latest FB status messages... I noticed that a favorite cousin gave birth to her daughter this afternoon... I feel honored to share my birth date with Miss Avery!!! Congratulations to Sandy, Nicole and Jeff and the safe arrival of their sweet bundle of joy!
Thanks again to all of you!!! Wishing you all a safe and happy Labor Day weekend!
This Birthday is just a tweener year Birthday... that's the years in between the BIG celebrations... such as, 1st Birthdays (the first of anything is always special!)... 13th Birthdays (entrance into the teen years)... 18th Birthdays (usually graduation year and legally allowed to vote)... 21st Birthdays (one of the really BIG Birthdays as you enter into official and legal adulthood)... 25th Birthdays (celebrating 1st quarter of a century)... 30th Birthdays (the beginning of celebrating entrance into new decades)... 40th Birthdays (another decade passes)... 50th Birthdays (BIGGER than 21... marking a half century... the entrance into 'middle age'... usually involves a "Surprise Birthday Party")... 60th Birthdays (another decade passes)... 70th Birthdays (another decade passes)... 75th Birthdays (celebrating 3/4 of a century)... 80th Birthdays (another decade passes... fewer Birthdays are expected to come your way at this point)... 90th Birthdays (another decade passes... unbelievably!!!)... and then... if you are really lucky and blessed 100th Birthdays (celebrating the rare century of Birthday's... not that you will remember the party or celebration of this Birthday... but it's the BIGGEST one of all!!) So... this year was just another tweener year... it was a long distance Birthday and yet I am sooo moved and touched by all those who went out of their way to remember me today, and reached out to tell me so! I kinda like the quieter tweener years because, there is less expectation and pressure of everyone knowing it is a year that needs to be celebrated, and I love the unexpected joy and surprise of those who make it special all the same!
I am indeed quite Blessed to have lots of family and very close friends who are in my life, and who let me know I am loved! I received LOTS of Happy Mail this week, as well as, was taken out to lunch and a movie by a dear friend, received balloons, a cookbook from my Dad, a necklace and candle from a friend, sweet treats, a new dress from my eldest Daughter/Fiance, and a new watch from my sweet Husband, who also took me out to our favorite Bistro for dinner... pretty good loot if you ask me... and especially for just a 'tweener' year! I blew out candles, made wishes, laughed, shared in lots of memories of the past with loved ones, and just had a really good day!
I don't mind getting older, and have never minded sharing what my true age is. I mentally feel much younger than I actually am... yet my body tends to argue with me on that! : ) I hope to be one of those special few who get the BIG century celebration as I turn 100! I want my old wrinkly, toothless, sweet face to be on the Smucker's jelly jar on the Today Show! But.... DON'T make me wear a silly hat!!!! I have younger family members who have promised to have my back on that one and prevent anyone from placing a silly hat on my head! I don't mind having my walker or wheelchair (if I am in the need of either) decorated with balloons and/or streamers... but NO HAT ON MY HEAD! I just don't like that little piece of elastic under my chin... have never liked it, even when I was a child.
As I read through the latest FB status messages... I noticed that a favorite cousin gave birth to her daughter this afternoon... I feel honored to share my birth date with Miss Avery!!! Congratulations to Sandy, Nicole and Jeff and the safe arrival of their sweet bundle of joy!
Thanks again to all of you!!! Wishing you all a safe and happy Labor Day weekend!
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Before I even begin explaining and blogging about "Pinterest".... I must do my "Lost In Space" imitation of the robot... including with my arms waving and flailing in earnest as I shout... (Yes... I'm aware this shows my age!)..... WARNING!!! WARNING!!! WARNING!!!... the website I'm about to blog about can be VERY ADDICTIVE!!!! So you now have the choice to stop reading and decide that you don't want to become an addicted Pinterest person.... or.... you can curiously keep reading and see what the heck I'm talking about.
Pinterest.... This is a website "pinterest.com" that basically is a common HUGE, never ending bulletin board, where internet users all over the world find 'interesting' things from other websites all over the internet, and 'pin' these interests/findings on to this common main bulletin board.... THUS.... "Pinterest" literally means.... "pinning interests".
What?.... you may ask are the interesting things people pin on this common board? Well..... for instance... you will find recipes for all sorts of dishes, pastries, desserts, etc., decorating ideas, fashion, photo's of amazing nature scenes, quotes, recommendations for books to read, craft ideas and instructions, DYI ideas and instructions, clever new products available, clever tips for cleaning and organizing.... you name it, you can find it on pinterest.com. The website changes literally by the minute because people all over the world are constantly pinning on this board.
You have two options of perusing this website... you can A) just go to the web address and peruse the main board as long as you like... or B) you can select the button on the top of the page "request invite". Anyone, at any time, can go to the web address and enjoy... but if you request an invite (your invite can take any where from a few minutes to a week or two.... don't take it personally if it takes a couple weeks... this web site is VERY busy). Once you have your invitation to join, you can then set up your own personal account.... IT'S FREE!!!!!.... no personal info is required.... you just basically need an email address and a password.... that's it!!!! After setting up your own account/page... you can then 'repin' interesting things you find on Pinterest and make your own bulletin boards for your own personal use, and for others to follow as well.
Why would you want your own bulletin board when you can just go to the website any time and peruse without the bother of having to set up your own page? The answer to that question is... because the main board changes literally by the minute... what you saw/found on a visit to the website on an earlier visit, may no longer be easy to find on your next visit... but if you have your own board, and you have repined your interest to your board, you can easily access the info any time you want. If you haven't set up your own page, you can't 'save' any pins you saw and liked on earlier visits.
This has been a wonderful diversion this summer when there has been NOTHING to watch on tv other than reruns. At night when I have nothing else to do, I sit at my computer and go to the Pinterest website and enjoy finding wonderful items of interest at my finger tips... I can get lost in this website for hours! I find myself seeing something on this website and thinking... "WOW!!! That's really cool".... or.... "Hmmmmm I should try that!!".... or.... "I need to share this with so and so"..... etc.
This website allows you to share the interesting things you find with friends on Facebook, by simply clicking on the interest, highlighting the web address, clicking on your 'Edit' button, clicking on 'Copy', then clicking on your "File" button, clicking on 'New Window', and clicking on Facebook.... then I click on the friend I want to share it with, then just go to my 'Edit' button and clicking on 'Paste'. This may sound complicated.... but really it is just a few computer keyboard clicks. You can also look for friends/family who have accounts on this website and see what they find interesting, you can follow their boards, and/or they can follow yours. It's just a BIG HUGE board of sharing fun and interesting things with others!
I challenge you to give this website a look-see.... you might find yourself amazed at the things others have posted to this website. If nothing else, you can at least have the knowledge of what others are talking about when they speak about 'Pinterest'. I personally find it quite fascinating... and yes... addicting! It's a very lazy way of perusing the internet/web by viewing what other internet/web users have searched and discovered the hard way!
P.S. I have 37 boards I have created on my personal page... thus proving my warning of addiction! : )
Pinterest.... This is a website "pinterest.com" that basically is a common HUGE, never ending bulletin board, where internet users all over the world find 'interesting' things from other websites all over the internet, and 'pin' these interests/findings on to this common main bulletin board.... THUS.... "Pinterest" literally means.... "pinning interests".
What?.... you may ask are the interesting things people pin on this common board? Well..... for instance... you will find recipes for all sorts of dishes, pastries, desserts, etc., decorating ideas, fashion, photo's of amazing nature scenes, quotes, recommendations for books to read, craft ideas and instructions, DYI ideas and instructions, clever new products available, clever tips for cleaning and organizing.... you name it, you can find it on pinterest.com. The website changes literally by the minute because people all over the world are constantly pinning on this board.
You have two options of perusing this website... you can A) just go to the web address and peruse the main board as long as you like... or B) you can select the button on the top of the page "request invite". Anyone, at any time, can go to the web address and enjoy... but if you request an invite (your invite can take any where from a few minutes to a week or two.... don't take it personally if it takes a couple weeks... this web site is VERY busy). Once you have your invitation to join, you can then set up your own personal account.... IT'S FREE!!!!!.... no personal info is required.... you just basically need an email address and a password.... that's it!!!! After setting up your own account/page... you can then 'repin' interesting things you find on Pinterest and make your own bulletin boards for your own personal use, and for others to follow as well.
Why would you want your own bulletin board when you can just go to the website any time and peruse without the bother of having to set up your own page? The answer to that question is... because the main board changes literally by the minute... what you saw/found on a visit to the website on an earlier visit, may no longer be easy to find on your next visit... but if you have your own board, and you have repined your interest to your board, you can easily access the info any time you want. If you haven't set up your own page, you can't 'save' any pins you saw and liked on earlier visits.
This has been a wonderful diversion this summer when there has been NOTHING to watch on tv other than reruns. At night when I have nothing else to do, I sit at my computer and go to the Pinterest website and enjoy finding wonderful items of interest at my finger tips... I can get lost in this website for hours! I find myself seeing something on this website and thinking... "WOW!!! That's really cool".... or.... "Hmmmmm I should try that!!".... or.... "I need to share this with so and so"..... etc.
This website allows you to share the interesting things you find with friends on Facebook, by simply clicking on the interest, highlighting the web address, clicking on your 'Edit' button, clicking on 'Copy', then clicking on your "File" button, clicking on 'New Window', and clicking on Facebook.... then I click on the friend I want to share it with, then just go to my 'Edit' button and clicking on 'Paste'. This may sound complicated.... but really it is just a few computer keyboard clicks. You can also look for friends/family who have accounts on this website and see what they find interesting, you can follow their boards, and/or they can follow yours. It's just a BIG HUGE board of sharing fun and interesting things with others!
I challenge you to give this website a look-see.... you might find yourself amazed at the things others have posted to this website. If nothing else, you can at least have the knowledge of what others are talking about when they speak about 'Pinterest'. I personally find it quite fascinating... and yes... addicting! It's a very lazy way of perusing the internet/web by viewing what other internet/web users have searched and discovered the hard way!
P.S. I have 37 boards I have created on my personal page... thus proving my warning of addiction! : )
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About Me
- Vickie G
- I am a short little lady with a passion for cooking and pilates. I have been married for 31 years to my high school sweetheart (my soulmate and love of my life!!!) and we have 3 amazing daughters. I am 50 years old and love living life with as much zest as possible.