I Can Almost Smell It....

It is so close, I can almost smell it...the smell of fresh air, the smell of campfire, the smell of tranquillity...

Is it Saturday yet?

A Simple Woman's Daybook

I have been quite busy lately, I apologize for the lack of posting. Hopefully things will slow down in a month or two and I'll be able to post more regularly.

For today, I have decided to participate in "A Simple Woman's Daybook" from The Simple Woman.

For Today: 8/25/08

Outside my Window...It's very sunny and windy

I am thinking...it would be really nice if I could work outside right now

I am thankful for...my dogs and my husband and the wonderful harvest I've been getting from my garden

From the kitchen...jars of salsa and tomato sauce I made yesterday

I am wearing...black pants and an orange top

I am reading...nothing at the moment

I am hoping...for nice weather this weekend

I am creating...a camping list(of what to bring)

I am hearing...my co-workers talking

Around the house...some laundry needed to be done, carpet needed vacuuming

One of my favorite things...is to go camping

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...grocery shop for camp, pack and go camping this Saturday until next Wednesday, or Thursday or Friday or until we decide to come back

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

11 Days...

11 days to our camping trip at Fish Creek Pond Campground and I can't wait!

We like to make all kinds of food when we go camping: the usual hamburgers and hotdogs, steak, ribs, sausage & pepper and of course BACON!

As for dessert, last year I made a simple apple cake using Giffy yellow cake mix and 1/2 can of apple pie filling. Perhaps this year I will try a Pineapple Upside-Down cake.

Just out of curiosity, do you like camping? What is your must-have camping food? Do you have a favorite dessert at camp fire?

I will end this post with a few pictures from last year's camping trip

Sunflowers

Just wanted to share with you a picture of my sunflowers. This picture was taken at work at my desk. I was able to cut 4 of them from my sunflower plants because these are on the lower part of the plants. The rest are way too high for my reach. My sunflower plants are at least 12 - 14ft tall! I promise to take more pictures of them for you.

I would like to know how to save sunflower seeds for next year's garden. If you have done it before or if you know how to, could you please let me know? I thank you in advance!

>>>Breaking News: This just in, after many hours of back-breaking labor in googling "how to save sunflower seeds", I have came upon a site with very useful information: http://www.southernliving.com/southern/gardens/seasonal_gardens/article/0,28012,1116001,00.html

Homemade Cherry Pitter

I love fresh cherries. If you love cherries you know that the pits are quite a pain, especially if you want to can them for future enjoyment in the winter time. Those of you who own a cherry pitter, it's easy for you. I do not have a cherry pitter, so I have been just cutting the cherries in half then dig out the pit.

Well, not anymore! I have found a way to pit those cherries without a pitter. All you need is a pair of chopsticks(which you can get for free at the Chinese Take-Outs) and an empty glass bottle(small mouth bottle).

Place and hold the cherry on top of the bottle(that's why you need a small mouth bottle, so that the cherry doesn't fall into the bottle). Using just 1 chopstick, poke the cherry in the middle until the pit falls through. The bottle acts as the pit collector.

And there you have it.

I used a glass bottle because it's sturdy. I don't know if a plastic bottle would work as it's not as sturdy. Also I don't think a kabob skewer would work because it's not as think as a chopstick.

It's All About Me

I saw this post at Ann's blog (Velvet Lava) and thought it would be fun to do. This is not a tag, so I won't be tagging anyone. But if you would like other people to get to know you better, you are more than welcome to do the same thing at your blog. Now please don't forget to let me know if you do post about it because I sure would like to get to know you better. If posting this whole list is too much or you don't want to "reveal" that much of yourself, please feel free to just pick one question and answer that in my comment.

Here goes:
1) Last movie you saw in a theater?
Oh I don't remember, it was years ago.
2) What book are you reading?
None right now. Too busy in the summer time. I'll have more time to read in the Winter.
3) Favorite board game?
None
4) Favorite magazine?
Taste of Home
5) Favorite smells?
Basil, Tomato sauce simmering on the stove, my dogs(yes, I'm wierd)
6) Favorite sounds?
Waves, My little June snoring.
7) Worst feeling in the world?
Feeling helpless when hubby or the girls are in pain or sick
8) What is the first thing you think of when you wake?
Am I going to win the lottery today?
9) Favorite fast food place?
Wendy's
10) Future child's name?
Probably won't have any kids but I do love these names: Samantha, Natasha, Aidan, Ethan, Marcus
11) Finish this statement - "If I had a lot of money I'd..."Do what makes me happy, buy land with lots of acerage so I can adopt lots of unwanted/abused/homeless dogs."
12) Do you drive fast?
Yes
13) Do you sleep with a stuffed animal?
Not stuffed but they are animals(including the hubby...hahahaha)
14) Storms - cool or scary?
Cool! I love thunder and lightning.
15) What was your first car?
Ford Taurus
16) Favorite drink?
Bay Breeze, Mai Tai, Iced Coffee(need to be strong), Hot Cocoa
17) Finish this statement - if I had the time, I would......"foster homeless/abused dogs"
18) Do you eat the stems on broccoli?
Yes if it's not too tough.
19) If you could dye your hair any other color, what would be your choice?
Red Wine color.
20) Name all of the different cities/towns you've lived.
Taiping, Malaysia; Baton Rough, LA; and here
21) Favorite sports to watch.
Baseball.
22) One nice thing about the person who sent this to you?
Nobody sent me this. But it came from Ann's blog I will say one nice thing about her - funny!
23) What's under your bed?
Dog hair and dust.
24) Would you like to be born as yourself again?
I don't think so, I would like to be someone else. Not because I don't like my life, I just want to experience something else.
25) Morning person or night owl?
Night owl.
26) Over easy or sunny side up?
Both.
27) Favorite place to relax?
My bed, Fish Creek Pond Campground.
28) Favorite pie?
Coconut cream, Chocolate cream, Apple.
29) Favorite ice cream flavor?
Coffee, Chocolate.
30) Of all the people you have tagged, who is the most likely to respond first?
I am not tagging anyone.

When Life Gives You...

...Raspberries, make JAMS! That's what I've been doing lately.

Before raspberry season started, I said to myself: "Self, gotta go pick some raspberries this year. Better go find out where and when they are available". Well, came to find out, my neightbor across the street has tons of raspberry(red and black) bushes and he said I can pick them because he doesn't pick as much. Woohoo!

So I picked and I picked and I picked somemore.....I think I'm addicted to berry picking. Should I sign up for BPA(Berry Picking Anonymous)?

I've been making jams with these delicious berries. I managed to make a batch of Black Raspberry Jam and 2 batches of Red Raspberry Jams.
I don't normally eat toast or english muffins for breakfast. So, how do I get to enjoy my own homemade jams? Easy, use them in baking. But I have also recently tried something different. Instead of buying flavored yogurt for breakfast, I buy plain yogurt and I just mix in 1 or 2 teaspoons of jam with 8oz. of yogurt and some fresh fruits(or not) . Delicious!

And as for baking, try this:

Raspberry Cheesecake
Recipe taken from Philadelphia Cream Cheese Homepage, with my own twist!

Ingredients:
2 packages of cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or raspberry extract
3 tablespoons raspberry jam (for marble effect)
1 pre-made graham cracker crust
3/4 cup raspberry jam (for extra flavor!)

Instructions:
1) Preheat oven to 350.
2) Mix cream cheese and sugar(with your stand mixer or using hand held mixer) until smooth and creamy.
3) Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time. Scrapping bowl after each addition. Mix until blended.
4) Spread 3/4 cup raspberry jam over graham cracker crust then pour in cream cheese mixture. 5) Dot top of cheesecake by small spoonful with the remaining 3 tablespoons of raspberry jam. Cut through batter with knife several times for marble effect.
6) Bake in oven for 30-35 minutes or until the center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight before serving.

Now go make some and enjoy. If you are nice, you could share but I won't blame you if you don't want to share! :-)

Just Chillin'

What were they doing on MY bed? Did I tell you it's MY bed? They just don't seem to get it. Damn dogs! (Sorry girls, I didn't mean to call you damn dogs, I meant good dogs)

Samantha, just chillin' on the deck.

Samantha is the one always having something in her mouth. June, she just likes to do whatever dogs like to do...SNIFF