Summer Days

It's hard to believe that summer is almost over. School starts for us on the 13th of August. I love summer because I get to have my daughter at home. It is such a pleasure to be able to just hang out together and talk. She complains when there are weeds to pull, but she's a trooper and she helps out. I know that there will come a day when she will graduate from high school and then off to college and then who knows what the world will hold for her. What ever it holds, she will excel in it.

I've been busy playing with yarn these past two weeks. I'm knitting a stole and I'm also knitting something called a reticule. I'll have to post the directions later, but it's a very interesting change purse.

My parents anniversary is coming up on the 4th, along with my brother's birthday. It's a hard day for many reasons. My mom will have been gone for two years on the 21st of August. I think I"ll go and celebrate her life on that day. Maybe go out and eat at one of her favorite restaurants. Order raspberry iced tea and toast her.

The garden has gone nuts on me. I'm actually keeping up on the weeds this year, but I have been picking about 100 lbs. of tomatoes each Friday and just as many pounds of cucumbers. I love summer. One of my favorite dishes to prepare is cucumber and tomato salad. It's so easy, but it is something we look forward to each year. I also have been playing around with cooking zucchini. We grow two different types - regular green and gold! The two together make such a pretty dish.

Finally got my daughter to try eating beets. At first she said they were gross but after she tried the dish I made, she decided it was pretty good stuff. Then she had the nerve (just kidding) to ask me if beets were good for you. Of course they are! So, she's eating more of them. Guess I better get geared up to make more beet and pineapple salad!

So, I guess maybe I should post the recipes. I'll have to find a picture of one of our cucumbers. You'll be amazed by the size of them. They are armenian cucs and they are delicious. Burpless, don't have to peel them and they don't get bitter. Just be prepared - they can get big!

CUCUMBER AND TOMATO SALAD

1-2 lbs of cucumbers (yes, pounds)

1 large tomato or 2-3 roma tomatoes

salt, pepper and vinegar to taste (I use wine vinegar)

3 T. Wine vinegar

1 T. olive oil

Toss, chill and serve. YUMMY!!!!

GOLD AND GREEN ZUCCHINI

6 c. gold and green zucchini, cut up in bit size pieces
1 large onion, chopped up in pieces
2 T. olive oil
1/2 tsp. savory
1/8 tsp. thyme
1/8 tsp. cumin
salt, pepper and garlic to taste

Toss zucchini and onions in olive oil. Sprinkle seasonings over mixture and toss again. Place in 9x13 pan. Cover with foil. Put in preheated 400 deg. oven. Cook for about 25 min. Stir every 7-10 minutes. Serve hot. Squash should not be mush. It should be firm almost crispy. You may have to add a little bit of salt to enhance the flavor. Test for flavor. Don't overdo it.

CANDIED BEETS

1/3 c. white vinegar
1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
2 T. flour
1 can pineapple tidbits (15 oz)
7-8 beets (tennis ball size)

To cook beets - cut off roots and cut of most of top. Wash, boil until tender. Drain. Slip off skins and cut into bite size pieces.

Boil pineapple juice, vinegar, brown sugar and flour until thick. Pour over diced beets and pineapple. Chill and serve. Soooo good the next day.

The Rainy Day Scarf

This scarf is a combination of a scarf and a shoulder shawl. It has the shape of a triangle, but the ends are rectangular, perfect for tying. Because of the open weave and size of needles, this is a quick knit project. Perfect for a last minute gift! It uses only one skein of yarn, so you can dig through your stash and use what you have readily available. A worsted weight yarn will be a "laceier" scarf and the bulky will be thicker and the detail will not be as visible. It is strictly preference.

Materials

Needles: Size 13 – 24”-30” circular needles
Yarn: One Skein (250 yds.) worsted weight or bulky yarn
2 stitch markers
Knitter’s needle for finishing off the ends

Gauge: There is no gauge

Abbreviations:
CO- Cast on S1 – Slip one
K – Knit P1 – Purl 1
Kfb – Knit front and back YO – Yarn over
K2tog – Knit two together

NOTE: The numbers in () is basically a guide for you to know how many stitches you should have at the end of each row. I left them there as a helper, that is all.

Also, if you want to make the scarf bigger, just add another set of rows before starting the ties.


Set Up Rows:

Cast on 1
Row 1: kfb (2 stitches)
Row 2: kfb, kfb (4 stitches)
Row 3 and 4: kfb, knit to the end of the row (6 stitches)
Row 5: kfb, *[yo, k2tog], repeat * to the last stitch, yo, knit 1 (8 stitches)

Begin Stitch Pattern:

Rows 1-4: kfb, knit to end (12, 24, 36, 48, 60)
Row 5: kfb, *[yo, k2tog], repeat* to the last stitch, yo, knit 1 (14, 26, 38, 50, 62)
Row 6-9: kfb, knit to end (18, 30, 42, 54, 66)
Row 10: kfb, *[yo, k2tog], repeat* to the last stitch, yo, knit 1 (20, 32, 44, 56, 68)
Repeat rows 1-10 until you have 68 stitches on your needle.

Setting up Tie ends:

Row 1: Turn, kfb, knit to end (69 stitches), place marker, cast on 40 stitches
Row 2: Turn, knit across to end, place marker, cast on 41 stitches (150 total stitches)

Stitch Pattern:

Row 1: Sl1, knit across to end
Row 2: Sl1, knit across to end
Row 3: Sl1, *[yo, k2tog], repeat*to last stitch, K1
Row 4: Sl1, knit across to end
Row 5: Sl1, knit across to end
Repeat rows 1-5 until your tie ends measure 3”-4” wide. (Each set of 5 rows is approximately 1” wide).
Bind off loosely after Row 5

Musings From a Busy Mom

I've been sitting here watching the "news" the past few days and came to a conclusion that I'm sure many of you have reached. Our country is nuts.

I have watched our so called "news stations and news updates and news reports" and all they want to talk about is Michael Jackson. What about the real news in this world, country, state, or town? What about the 13 soldiers that died in Afghanistan this past week? Where is the news on them? What about the respect they deserved for standing up for something they believed in - freedom????

Don't get me wrong. I grew up watching the Jackson 5 and later Michael Jackson, Jermaine Jackson and Janet Jackson, independently. I liked their music, but I never considered any of them a god. I grew up in the 70's and 80's. I remember when Thriller debuted and all my friends were so excited. I remember the white glove and the moon walk. None could do it better than Michael. But at some point, the Michael I liked and listened to changed. So, as I grew up I quit listening to most of his music, but every once in a while one of the "golden oldies" would play somewhere and I'd be bopping my head to the beat. It was fun music. So, when I heard that he had passed away, I knew that like Elvis, there was going to be a media circus. There was, to the detriment of our country.

During this past week, I've learned that Michael bleached his skin, had numerous nose jobs, didn't want to look like his dad, had needle marks all over his body, on and on and on.

What I didn't see was discussion of the 13 soldiers that died, the cap and trade bill, the health care bill, California's financial spiral, or any other actual issue concerning our country. The media sold out.

I got my news from the internet. Don't get me wrong, I get a lot of my news from the internet, but not everyone does. So, how can 6 plus hours of coverage be explained away by all the main stream media as news worthy? Why didn't they do a lottery to see which ONE station would carry the event of Michal's memorial?

I see teenagers who are devoting their life to Michael (including kids that I know). They think that he walked on water and that he changed the world for everyone. Well, he did in a way, but not always for the better. I don't think it's a wise choice to make any singer a role model. For that matter, no sports figure either. Find someone in your life to use as a role model. At the very least they will listen to you when you have concerns, issues or dreams for your future. My role model growing up was my Nona. I loved her dearly and she faced a lot of issues that none of us could even dream of, including immigrating to a foreign country and not speaking the language.

So, when will the media really start to cover what is going on in our country and world without commentary? When will they report the news without bias from either direction? I would like to wake up one morning and see that for once our country, even tho divided by party, has come together for the betterment of our country without worrying about who got the bigger or better piece of the pie.

I want a country that is run by a government that is for the people and by the people, not for themselves and by themselves.

So, my rambling is done........think I'll go knit something..........

Townhall Meeting with Harry Teague

Friday night while driving home I heard Mark Levin say that Harry Teague was on the fence on voting for the cap and trade and asked his consituents to contact him. As soon as I got home, I tried. I tried the main switchboard, I tried his direct office line in Washington and I finally had to resort to e-mailing him my opposition to this terrible bill. Welllllllllllllll...............

We sat in front of our TV Friday and watched our representatives vote this country into poverty (more so than they already had). Seven Republicans - SEVEN! Shame on all of you and I will work diligently to help you find the door come 2010. I told my husband that I knew our Rep, Harry Teague voted yes on the bill. He asked me if I was sure. I got on line and found the roll call. Not only did he vote "yes" in the final bill, he voted "yes" in the test vote. The best part about the internet is that yes, you can find things pretty darn fast, much to the chagrin of our representatives in Washington, I'm sure.

It just so happened that Saturday morning we ran into someone who is actively involved in the tea parties and he informed us that Harry would be in town for a "townhall meeting" at 2 pm at a local restaurant. We decided to go to hear what he said and to see if we could voice our opposition to his vote.

So, we pulled into the parking lot and commented on all the pick-up trucks in the parking lot - the FULL parking log. I was very nervous about this. How do I confront a man about a vote and would I even be able to. I had been to John McCain's town hall meeting when he came to town and he stood in the middle of a room with all of us around him. He took questions from anyone who raised their hands. That is what we expected - boy were we wrong.

We walked in to a restaurant. Nothing was out of the ordinary. There were empty tables in places, but pretty much all tables had at least one person. So, we sat down with a friend and we decided that there was no way he would show his face, not that day. But about 15 minutes later, one of his staffers came in and told us that if we wanted to talk to Mr. Teague we would need to sign up. WHAT????? You heard me. He didn't want to talk to us as a group, he wanted to talk to us individually. He didn't want to let others hear what he was saying. He didn't want to be held accountable to the whole group. He showed up shortly beaming from ear to ear, eager to meet his happy constituents. Boy was he wrong. I would say there was approximately 60 people in that restaurant - maybe 6 were there to pat him on the back. The restaurant quickly filled up, with lots of people standing up because there were no more seats. The staffer called people up by name and put them all in a row. My husband got called so he stood up and got in line. Two other people at our table got called up. While they were standing in line, someone who had run in our local elections walked in holding a sign that said "Cap and Trade = Big taxes". The crowd started cheering and yelling. Teague totally ignored the man.

My friend from the tea party then stood up right in front of Teague and asked him in a loud voice to account for his vote. She requested he stand up and give us all an answer, not hide behind a quiet little one on one meeting. We were all there for the same thing. WHY???? This was his response. He told us that he was an oil man, would always be an oil man and that he had put an amendment in the bill to protect the people of NM by exempting the small refineries from the cap and trade tax. He said it would save everyone who drove a vehicle in NM app. 20-45 cents a gallon on taxes. When he was questioned on the actual cost to individuals or house holds he said it would be the cost of a postage stamp. We all know how well the government runs the post office - it's in the red constantly, but that's a whole 'nother ball of wax.

He voted yes because he was protecting his oil buddies in the eastern part of the state, plain and simple.

He voted ye because they were going to pass the bill anyway, so what did it matter if he voted yes? (Yes, that was one of his responses) and finally.........

Did he read the darn bill? The answer Yes...................well, sort of but not really. See, he has staffers that read the ENTIRE bill for him and then gave him a synopsis. He told the crowd that yes, he had read the bill, but he told my husband that no he had not. His. staffers. did.

What's wrong with this picture??

There were many angry people there. There were people telling us to get out because the townhall wasn't for us, but for them, his supporters. REALLY?? REALLY???? I may not have voted for the man, but I did vote. Therefore, I have the RIGHT to be at the meeting and hold my representative or representatives in Washington accountable for their actions, especially when it affects me. It doesn't just affect his happy followers, it affects all of us. We were told that the few that supported him wanted us out because we didn't vote for him. Now, if I hadn't voted, I might be able to see their point, but when you vote, regardless of who you vote for, it is up to you to make sure that your voice is heard.

I learned that it really doesn't matter what we want. That the parties have already decided for us what is best for us. I have learned that our voices are lost. The people we put in office don't represent us - they represent themselves and their own best interests.

I have learned that I need to become more active in politics - I may not be able to run, but I can support those whose beliefs I agree with. I learned that Washington changes people and not for the better, unfortunately.

I learned that our freedom is precious and we better stand up and speak up, or we will lose what little freedome we have left.

Are you listening Mr. Teague???

Salsa - a couple of different ones

Living in the southwest, this is a staple in pretty much every meal. There are tons of recipes out there to choose from. These are just two that I like and that I use the most. They are very different in flavor, but both are equally good.

Tomatillo Salsa

20-25 jalapenos
4-5 Roma tomatoes
4-5 tomatillos
garlic to taste
salt to taste

1) Wash all produce. Remove the husk from the tomatillos. Wash the tomatillos well and wash the husk.
2) Boil the jalapenos, tomatoes, tomatillos and husks. After the water has boiled for a few minutes, remove the leaves and drain the water.
3) Blend the jalapenos, tomatoes and tomatillo in a blender. Add garlic and salt. Chill before serving.

Optional: For some reason, lime tastes really good in this recipe, but add it after the salsa has cooled.



Jalapeno Tomato Salsa

3 jalapenos
1 large can of diced tomatoes (or you can use 2 to 3 fresh tomatoes, diced)
several sprigs of cilantro (I like fresh, but dried will work - 1 tsp.)
1/2 onion, chopped
garlic powder to taste
salt to taste

Blend all in a blender to the consistency you like - I don't like chunks, so I really blend mine. Serve cold with tortilla chips.

Buttermilk Pie

Recipe via Serena Holder - another old family friend

1 unbaked pie shell (see my mom's pie crust recipe for this)
scant 2 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter
1 c. buttermilk
1/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Combine dry ingredients. Melt butter and add to slightly beaten eggs. Add buttermilk. Blend dry ingredients. Add vanilla. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes, then 350 deg. for about 45 minutes, or until knife inserted in middle comes out clean.

Tortillas ala Mom and Nettie Dodson

This recipe comes from my mom and her dear friend Nettie. I can remember as a child sitting at Nettie's home watching her and my mom make these tortillas. She used to cook on an old wood stove and she would roll out her tortillas and toss them onto a cast iron stove lid to cook. My mom also had a stove lid specifically for making tortillas and when I got married - guess what I got as a wedding gift! Yep, a stove lid. Sounds crazy, but they make great tortilla "cookers". If you don't have a cast iron stove lid, then a flat skillet or large skillet will work just as well. Just make sure it's good and hot!

Here we go:

4 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt.
1 1/2 c. water
About 2 T. lard (or shortening)

Mix the dry ingredients together, blend with the lard and then add the water. Mix well and break up into golf ball size pieces of dough. Roll out thin and in a circle (yeah, good luck on that one - I still can't do it - mine are more.........oblong!). Anyway, throw one on the lid or skillet and brown on one side, then flip over and do the other side. The cooking is the best part because the tortilla will get all sorts of bubbles on it. As a child, that's the best part.

This recipe says it makes 24, but those are very small tortillas, so you might want to double this recipe. Or, you don't need to double it, but make fewer and bigger tortillas.

Enjoy!

Just Another Day

Well, it's Monday and like most Mondays, I get up and get ready for the day. I usually start by reading the news on the internet. I don't really watch news on TV anymore. It seems to be more half-truths than not.

Being a Christian and a Conservative are both bad today. I read where the Miss USA participant didn't get the crown and they think it's because of her answer to a question. She answered the question, just not the way they wanted it. To her I say "I salute you!". I'm proud to see a young person stand up for their beliefs, even at the cost of your own goal. I pray that my daughter will one day grow up to be unashamed about her beliefs as you are.

Trying to keep away from soft drinks today. Love the stuff tho. But I live mostly on iced tea anyway, but sometimes don't you just crave a good soft drink? Just like a good chocolate chip cookie? Or a good bowl of posole?

So, tried to figure out what to write today and the only things I could come up with was random stuff.

I used to belong to Ravelry, a knitting website. I joined not too longer after my mom died. I took a couple of classes and decided to knit hats for chemo patients. So, I heard about this wonderful site and signed up for an invitation. True, it does have a wealth of information, but....I woke up a few weeks ago and found out I had been banned, along with about 160 others (We all belonged to a group called "the bunker"). Don't really know why. I, and the others from "the bunker" like the young lady who lost the crown, stood our ground for our beliefs. Were some controversial? yes. Were some anti-"whatever", yep. That's ok. I wrote the owner back (and I wasn't exactly sweet, but I wasn't nasty either) and told him that I was fine with it and I could do just as well without him. I honestly don't miss the trolls that came into the conservative groups I belonged to (and I belonged to a lot of them) and cause trouble. The bad thing was, it was the conservatives that got railroaded, not the trolls. Oh, well, life goes on. I hear they are happier without the voices of reason. That's fine, I think most of us are happier without them, too. I think this just makes me realize that this country is turning a different direction. I would never have thought to spew filth at someone for voicing their opinions in like-minded groups. I would never have thought to post disgusting responses to people who ask honest questions or who are seeking advise. Oh well, life is too short for places like that. Actually, I've been doing more knitting than when I was on Ravelry, so that's a good thing.

I see spring is in the air - or in our case - summer. I really hate the heat. With the heat comes weeds. Did I tell you I hate the heat? But, I love having fresh produce! I can hardly wait for homegrown tomatoes and cucumbers. They make such a great salad.

Well, that's about it. Guess I'll post a few pics for you.

This is the sunset as seen from my front porch. Isn't it beautiful. God truly creates wonderful things. This was taken on a trip to the Grand Canyon a few years ago.

Did anyone see Marley and Me?? Well, I've got one very similiar. She's a total goof.

This is a picture of a flower from a plant that was given to me after my mom died. Love the flowers and it usually has 2 blossoms at the same time. I'm surprised I've kept it alive this long.

Local Tea Party

Says it all, doesn't it.

Everyone was gathering in the park after walking to the park from another location.

Well, April 15 has come and gone and what a day it was. I never thought I would get out and walk in a rally against big government and rising taxes. I also never thought that my child would participate in such an event. It is truly amazing when you realize that your freedoms, that most all of us take for granted, are being threatened. There are so many issues that the government is working on that is not being talked about in the mainstream media. Yesterday made me realize that I needed to get more involved in politics and start raising awareness of what our children will be facing if something isn't done.

The tea party, I would say was a smashing success! The flags, the Pledge of Allegience, the friendliness of the participants. Everyone was happy to be able to speak. Many thanks to the people who showed their support by honking their horns, waving, giving us thumbs up. Isn't it great to be an American? Below are some more pictures of the rally.

Now onto another concern of mine. There are two bills currently in Congress that will greatly affect anyone who grows their own garden or has their own livestock. The two bills are HR875 and SB425. They are bills that are intended to protect us from food borne illnesses (food safety bills). The bills are too broad and as an individual, if these bills pass, I will not be able to grown my own produce or have my own livestock! What is wrong with this picture? HR875 has 40 sponsors! It is backed by four large food producers that I will not name. So, please people, if you care about what you eat or don't eat, please call your Congress men and women and Senators and voice your opposition to these bills.

Accomplishment!

Well, I've basically been teaching myself how to knit and I really enjoy it. One of the things that I have been scared to death to try is lace knitting. So, anywho, some very nice people suggested I try knitting the Forest Canopy Shoulder Shawl by Susan Pierce Lawrence. I went down and bought my yarn (Merino 5 Superwashed wool by Crystal Palace) and got to work. Well, it took me right at a week, knitting at night only and voila! it is done!

I can't wait to make this again.