Thursday, January 31, 2008

I Love Lucy

I must admit I do love Lucy.  I always have and always
will.  I grew up watching her shows and re-runs.  She's
a zany gal and I love her.  So I will show you my Lucy
doll.  I have had her for years.  She's never been out
out the box.  


The Vitameatavegamin commercial girl:
So tasty too!  Just like candy!



I have been tagged for a meme by Kitten and someone
not too long ago tagged me for this same meme.  I don't
do well getting my meme's done.  This one is the six or
maybe it was seven random things about me meme.  I 
believe I have done this one before.
1.  I love Lucy.
2.  I like chocolate Ovaltine.  I bought some yesterday
for the first time in years.
3.  I seldom watch tv shows until they become re-runs.
Like "Everybody Loves Raymond", I never watched it
until it was over.  Now, unfortunately, I have seen every
episode.  The same with "King of the Hill."  I am watching
this show now and finding it very funny.  I love Bobby
Hill and Hank.  I can't stand Peggy.
4.  I have watched "America's Next Top Model" a few seasons.
Especially when someone from Oklahoma is a contestant.
5.  I don't know why but I like "The Apprentice."
6.  I watched a few seasons of "Survivor."  Not a big fan of
it though.  I would rather watch "Amazing Race."
7.  I love to watch Martha Stewart.
8.  Here's a bonus:  I love cooking shows, gardening show,
anything about houses, like "Trading Spaces" or construction,
selling, decorating.  

I Love Lucy Vitameatavegamin

The answer to all your problems...

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Oklahoma Treasures

These are not pictures I took, I found them on webshots and wikipedia:
When I get time soon I will run over and take the pictures myself and
post my views.  I am looking for pictures from the 1960's or 70's. 

bartlesville towards pawhuska

Pawhuska, gateway to the Tallgrass Prairie.

arch
I love this town.  So many good memories.
Copy of DSC_0064
The picture below used to be the J.C. Penney store.

The picture below used to be the C.R. Anthony store.


You can see the Triangle Building at the end of this block.
It is a very cool old building.  It divides Kihekah, one way
on either side of it.  


Below is where the TG&Y used to be.  Next to it
on the corner was a nice bank building.  It is pictured
above as the white building with apartments or offices above.


The Tulsa skyline at night.  This is not my picture.


This is a view from Talimina Drive.  Ouachita forest.
We drove this road from Wilburton, Oklahoma going
north and east for several miles.  It was beautiful.  We
accidentally took the road thinking it was a shorter way
home.  Not.  But it turned out the most beautiful drive
that went past Robber's Cave too.  This drive is very
close to Arkansas.  


Monday, January 28, 2008

Raspberry Pie


Ok, you asked for the recipe.  You will notice the great
difference of the picture of my pie and what the actual
pie should look like.  Now you can laugh, but the pie
tastes the same even if mine looks sooo different!  It
was my first attempt and I used all the ingredients they
said to.  I used the store-bought pie crust and it shrank
and the sides collapsed in the oven.  You just have to try
to attach the crust better than I did.  I did not grease the
pie dish maybe that would help it stay but even so it tastes
the same.  I just happened to fill the whole dish with the
filling and you could not tell that there was a crust there!
Next time I make it perhaps it will look prettier and I will take
a picture to show.  
Dazzle Berry Pie
1/2 package (15 oz) refrigerated pie crusts (one crust)
1 cup boiling water
1 package (3 oz) raspberry gelatin
1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam
2 sqares (1 oz each) semi-sweet chocolate for baking
1 container (8 oz) sour cream
1 container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
1/2 pint fresh raspberries (about 1 cup) divided
powdered sugar
1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Let pie crst stand at room temperature 15 minutes.
Gently unfold onto lightly floured surface.  Roll to an 11-1/2 inch circle.
Place crust in deep dish pie plate, pressing dough into bottom and up sides.
Prick bottom and sides using pastry tool.  Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool completely.
2.  Stir boiling water into gelatin.  Stir at least 2 minutes until completely dissolved.  
Add jam; stir until smooth.  Cool until gelatin begins to thicken.
3.  Place chocolate in microwavable bowl; microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 1-1/2 minutes,
stirring after each 20-second interval or until chocolate is melted and smooth.  
Pour chocolate into small resealable plastic food storage bag; twist top of bag
and secure.  Cut a small tip off of bag to allow chocolate to flow through.  Pipe chocolate
around top edge of pie crust.  Using remaining chocolate, pipe 8 heart-shaped 
decorations onto wax paper;  refrigerate 15 minutes or until set.
4.  Combine sour cream and 2 cups of the whipped topping.  Add gelatin mixture;
whisk until smooth.  Reserve 1/3 cup raspberries; set aside.  Sprinkle remaining
raspberries evenly over bottom of pie crust; pour filling over berries.  
Chill at least 3 hours or until set.
5. Fill Easy Accent Decorator (Pampered Chef) with remaining whipped topping.
Pipe 8 rosettes evenly around edge of pie.  Arrange chocolate heart decorations 
between rosettes.  Place reserved berries in center.  Lightly sprinkle pie with powdered
sugar.  Cut into wedges and serve.  Yield:  8 servings


Sunday, January 27, 2008

Weekly Winners Sunday Meme


Here we are again.  Sunday Weekly Winner's.
Go visit Lotus at Sarcastic Mom for more
entries.  

This little pie is Raspberry.  It took some effort to make.
I wanted to test it out before Valentine's Day.  It passed
the test.  It was good!

I took this picture one night when I was outside and
I never noticed that my cat got in on the action.
See her head at the right bottom corner?


The hidden "orb" 

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Blast from the Past-Mode-o-Day

Here's a post of something of a past I lived through.  Does anyone remember
Mod-o-Day or Mode-o-Day stores?  I don't know if there are still any around,
maybe in California or Colorado?  When I was young, my mother took us to
another bigger town to shop in that seemed to have every store you could possibly
want, or so I thought.  This was in the 60's and 70's mind you!  This little town
now no longer has a one of these wonderful stores.  The town was booming
back then with oil production and cattle ranchers.  This was the town that
Ree lives not too far from.  Now Ree never shopped here when she was young,
she lived in a much bigger town east of this one.  With golf courses.  But actually
this little town had a very nice golf course too.  I would imagine that MM's 
mother shopped in these little stores though, just like we did.  I couldn't wait
for Saturdays to come around and we could go to shop.  There was a J.C. Penneys,
C.R. Anthony's, TG&Y, (kinda like a Target back then) Montgomery Ward, (I think
this was mostly a catalog place but it always made me think of tires!) and lastly this
wonderful new store called Mod'o'Days.  It was so cool and modern.  I was pre-teen
and finally found some clothes that fit me.  They actually had sizes like 1, 3, 5, etc.
I always had trouble finding small enough sizes.  Most clothes in J. C. Penneys were
labeled S, M, L.  I had to still shop in the children's department to find a fit.  Mod'o'Days
had the new modern styles of California.  Some things seemed a little outrageous for
Oklahoma but it was a fun store.  I found clothes that fit (size 1 back then was a little big
for me, finally they came out with 0's).  I found style!  So great.  Another wonderful
part of this trip was going to the drugstore and getting Dr. Pepper's and ice cream.
This was a time when streets were safe and life was much slower paced.  We had
the time of our lives in this small town.  I still love it.  Memories are good!


Friday, January 25, 2008

Java Junebug

ImageChef.com - Custom comment codes for MySpace, Hi5, Friendster and more

Lee Ann Womack I hope you dance

Lovely message.

Snackalicious Super Snacks

Ready for the snacks?  Join all enthusiasts for the game.
This dip is one I've been asked many times to bring to school for
my kids.

FESTIVE TEXAS DIP
Put everything in layers on large round platter.  
1st layer) 1 large can bean dip, spread 1/2 inch thick.
2nd layer) 2 avocadoes mashed up with 1 tblsp. lemon juice
1-1/2 tblsp. mayo, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 1/2 tsp. onion salt.
3rd layer) 1 pint sour cream.
4th layer) 1 small jar picante sauce.
5th layer) 2 bunches green onions, chopped.
6th layer) 1 can black olives, chopped.
7th layer) 2 medium tomatoes, chopped.
8th layer) 1 pound cheddar cheese, grated.
Chill before serving and eat with Mexican style chips
or corn chips.

Here is another simple recipe:

HAM AND CREAM CHEESE ROLL-UPS
16 oz. ham slices
8 oz. Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
bunch green onion stems
Spread ham slices with cream cheese; place onion stems in center;
Roll up tightly and place in freezer for about 30 minutes.
Cut each rolled-up ham slice in about 1/2-inch slices.

And just for a refreshing different kind of drink:

SPARKLING RASPBERRY TEA
2 cups cold brewed tea
2 cups chilled raspberry or cranberry-raspberry juice
2 cups chilled sparkling water
Raspberries, lime slices or lemon slices, if desired
Fresh mint leaves, if desired
Mix tea, juice and sparkling water.  Serve over ice.
Garnish with raspberries and mint.


Martha Stewart Body + Soul Challenge


I am taking the Martha Stewart Body+Soul Challenge.  It started January 23, 2008, but it's not too late for anyone to get started.  They are just now getting going with exercise and food tips.  You can comment on their blog and get responses back from Dr. Brent and the fitness expert and others.  I need something to motivate me to eat healthier and exercise.  I am looking for a gym near me to participate in aerobics and weights.  I have to get out of the house and pay money to make myself work at exercise.  There is a Fitness For Her about 20 miles away and another gym 20 miles in another town too.  I hate to drive that far but I need to get out to get started.  The school has built a new gymnasium and are allowing people to use it for a couple of hours a morning to walk.  I may try that out too.  I have a treadmill and stairstepper at home, lots of weights and dvd's on pilates, ballet, and aerobics.  I think if I can get back in shape, then I can stay at home and do the rest once more.  I need to do this.  Yes!

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Wordless Wednesday


Moon Nest


For more Wordless Wesnesday go here.

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Weekly Winners Sunday Meme

What you need to do is click on the youtube post under this one and turn on Los Bravos song "Black is black" and listen to it while you are reading this post:

I have made my comeback to Weekly Winner's this week.
This meme was started by the lovely Lotus.
You can pop over there for a list of photo-phenoms.
I never know whether to put my caption above or under
the picture.  What do you say?  I'll try under.

Big Chief tablets.  Does anyone remember going to
grade-school with these babies?  I can remember the
great anticipation I felt going to buy my school supplies
and getting this big red tablet.  They always smelled 
so good to me.  I loved the fresh smell of books and
back then mimeo-graphed copies of papers.  Oh, my!
Those purply- looking ink papers.  I loved that smell too!


I love blue willow patterned plates.  These are Spode
Blue Room and Italian patterns.  The one above called
"Greek".

This one is called "Aesop's Fables".


Anything blue willow, blue delft, blue cobalt appeals
to me.  I collect blue delft and wooden shoes too.

Black is black.  I want my baby back.  It's gray, it's 
gray, since you went away. 

Peering through the vines.  Does she ever terrorize these
ferns.  She gets a little spray of water bottle mist if she
misbehaves.  It helps her with her daily bath.  He he.
Go check out more entries at Sarcastic Mom's.  There's
always room for more!

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Friday, January 18, 2008

French on Friday


Bonjour.  Francais le vendredi.
A little French lesson for you.  I will be posting this little ditty on Fridays.
Une petite lecon francaise pour toi.  Je signalerai cette petite chansonnette le vendredi.
Today's lesson will be simple.  Oh, every lesson will be simple.
La lecon d'aujourd'hui sera simple.  Ah, chaque lecon sera simple.
Because I only know simple phrases.
Puisque je sais seulement des expressions simples.
To begin:
Pour commencer:
Hello.  Do you speak French?
Bonjour.  Parlez-vous francais?
I speak a little French.
Je parle un peu francais.
Numbers.
One- un
two- deux
three- trois
four-  quatre
five-  cinq
six-  six
seven- sept
eight- huit
nine-  neuf
ten-  dix
Days of the week:
Monday- lundi
Tuesday- mardi
Wednesday- mercredi
Thursday- jeudi
Friday- vendredi
Saturday- samedi
Sunday-  dimanche
What did you think?
Que pensez-vous?
Did you like it?
Vous l'aiment?
See you next week!
Voyez-toi la semaine prochaine!
I will give some pronunciation guide later today perhaps.  This is a light-hearted attempt, so please don't judge me harshly if you speak French fluently.  I have always wanted to learn several languages.  I have some German lessons also.  I also need to figure out the keyboard change for French symbols.  Does anyone know how to do that?  I have an iMac.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Pensieve's Poetic License-January


Pensieve's Poetic License for this month of new beginnings is a terza rima.  I had never heard of one before and I will need a lot of poetic license with this one as you'll soon see.

Time Flies
My how time does fly
Who knew how fast
That year went by.

Before we know it
It slips through our hands
Every little bit.

We dare to remember
To number our days
But here comes December.

And out of our sleep
We look back at time
We would like to keep.

So when the clock does chime
We must be ready to climb.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Because I'm a Copy "Cat"

Call me a copy "cat" but I found this so funny on Bossy's blog today that I just had to try it.
Of course, the real person we are copying is HER.
I decided to show you my dance moves wearing my 
lovely new Hunter boots.  I would like to call this
my "first-and-a-half position" but sweet Minne-sota
wanted to come closer to my side.

Now this is my "second-no-fourth position" move.
Notice Marsipan is not as big as a cow.


Now I like to call this my "battlement frappes" position.
Notice I said "I like to" not that it is really.  Notice Marsipan
has spun around for a quick "glissade."


Minne is quite enthralled that I am in this position.
I will call it "focus on the cat plie." Not to be confused
with the "cow pile."


I entertain Minne with a "grand plie" and she does a
"ronds de jambe a terre".  Please take note that "terre"
means "earth."


To be good in ballet it helps to be flexible.
That is why I am wearing rubber boots.
Flexible moves.  Minne looks a little
irritated.  I wonder why?


Hobbes is working on the "cow pie scratch."  He has
got that move down.  

Now just to pick and choose, "which pie do I want?"
Preferably the drier ones work best.  "Plie, anyone?"

The cows hear me laughing.
Pas de deux...

They come for a closer look.
Oh, that might be my zoom lens.

The "rest" of the cows are resting. 



Flowers in her hair




I am a
Snapdragon


What Flower
Are You?


My first attempt came up snapdragon:  meaning I am mischievous and love to make people laugh.  Which is true.  But I went back to get the quote about the snapdragon and couldn't find it so I re-took the test with the same exact answers and they told me I was a sunflower.  Here is the quote about the sunflower:  "When your friends think smile, they think of you.  There is not a day that goes by that you can't find something good about the world and your fellow human."  Now I love this quote because I could only hope that people would say or think that about me.  My blog name being "God put a smile upon my face" hopefully makes you think of me when you think of smile.  I try my best to find the good in everything.  I have to, I can't live any other way but to do this.  Life is too short and would be too sad without looking for the positive and good in it.  I have a poster above my work desk that is Ziggy running with a net full of stars.  It says:  "Capture all the joys life has to offer."  That is my motto.  
Now I will have to thank Sandy for having this little test on her blog.  Thank you, Sandy!

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Andy Griffith

We actually watched this for our Sunday School class. It was a study on temptation. I love these shows. Can you believe they have made Sunday School material out of these?

Spunky the Wonder Dog, More Saga...


Now for the continuation of the saga, where did we leave off?  Ah, yes, the pitter patter of his paws...
Spunky had an unusual habit.  This habit began years ago.  
Spunky started his habit of going to work every day.  After my husband left for work, off Spunky would go (on his own four legs).  Sometimes early, sometimes a little later.  He would walk two miles down the highway to town.  He usually walked in the ditch.  I am sure he had a little rut worn after several years.  You can see in the picture above the rut he had made in our back yard.  He went to work winter, spring, summer, and fall.  (All you'd have to do is call) :D
He started showing up at the shop in town and he would be so happy to be there.  Some one would open the door and in he would go.  This was a machine shop, pretty dirty with oilfield grease, so no problem for Spunky to be inside.  In the spring, summer, and fall the doors would be opened up anyway.  Spunky was in hog heaven.  They kept a cat at the shop, so he had cat food to eat, could follow hubby around, watch the action going on, go outside, stand in the highway, and keep busy pacing back and forth.  (He was like a small soldier-like I said before think "Hitler").  This dog never kept still unless he was asleep.  After a hard day at work, Spunky would walk home and plenty of times my husband gave him a ride in the bed of his pickup.  He would tell Spunky to get in and even though he had short legs, he could jump high.  Spunky's next escapade involved rolling.........to be continued.  The first post about Spunky can be found here.

Monday, January 14, 2008

Fun Monday


I didn't know if I would do Fun Monday this week. I need to clean my house thoroughly. I thought I might post a short one about a website that I found that really did help me. It will probably sound silly but I had never seen a blog before Ree's Pioneer Woman. I was feeling very sad after my dad had passed away and it helped me tremendously to read her blog and laugh. I began to realize that blogging might be something I could do too. I checked out some of her reader's blogs like Janet. I asked her a few questions and got started. It was very helpful to me to record my feelings about Dad and now to blog for fun and post pictures that I take. I needed something like this and reading other's blogs has been pure entertainment and even friendship. It's great!

I found that Breathe Right Strips have helped me through four nights better sleeping. I really hate the sticky strip stuck to my nose but they have helped me breathe better through the night and that's all that matters. Maybe they're also good exfoliators! Sure does hurt to peel them off. :D
Head on over to Ann's for more Fun Monday happiness.

Friday, January 11, 2008