To good not to share!

AMEN! I believe!!!

This made me cry! I love it. Hope that you will enjoy it also! For best effect, please be sure and watch it FULL SCREEN!

Pancakes from scratch and fresh pair compote

This morning I made myself a treat. I found this fluffy pancakes recipe on Allrecipes.com and instead of using syrup, I topped them with some pear stew that I made last night. This was very delicious as I'm not fond of overly sweet things, especially not in the morning. 

I wish I would have kept a couple more of those big pickle jars, but I guess I'll have to use other containers. I just love glass for keeping fruit in it.

The pears are ripening as I type, so the rest of the day will be spent juicing, and stewing the rest of them that I have on the counters. Whatever is not usable goes to the bunnies outside and then that will be the last of it. There are still some pears on the tree, but they are too high up and unless I can get someone to climb up a ladder, they birds and insects will have a party with those.

This little tree has outdone itself this year and produced the biggest harvest I've ever seen since living here - besides that, they were juicier and tastier than any previous years. Thank you, little tree and thank you God for letting me enjoy this gift.

Gizzy's been sleeping a lot as he always does in the summer while we're pretty much locked up inside. Early morning and late in the evenings are the only times we venture outside - even though at night the mosquitoes really chew me up, but it could be worse, so I don't dwell on it.

 We get up very early almost every day to meet up with friends down by the little lake. That's always fun!

(Gizzy front and center)

(Gizzy barking at everyone)

At home, we have play times when we can't get out

There is always room for treats which makes my boy very happy too!

All's not lost, not even in the heat of summer - life goes on and it is what you make it. Love you guys! Off to do more juicing and paring of the pears! I found a good recipe for pear bread, so I'll be baking some of that next week.

I have a question to all my fellow bloggers who are also on Facebook:

Do you find Facebook quicker and easier to use than blogging? I find it easier to interact with people by having everything on the same site by not having to leave and go back and forth all the time...plus, the Notes feature acts like a blog where you can post similarly to blogger (more or less!) And sometimes you get a chance to chat with each other and I find that extra special. I also enjoy the You Tube channel because it's so easy to put a video clip on FB and let people see some movies you made that adds an additional dimension to long-distance friendships.

Just curious to see what your opinion is on Facebook vs. Blogger!

Pear Pie

I baked just two pies yesterday (I wanted to bake four), so I'll bake the other two today. As most of you know, I have been blessed with an abundance of pears this year and am finding different ways to cook and preserve them.

Here are the pies going into the oven:

(You can find the recipe here on Cooks.com)

And here is the pie going into the tummies:

(Yes...doggies like'ems the pears too!)

...except Gizzy, he doesn't like much! Sometimes I think he barely likes me;-)

Sandi, I and our dogs had a little breakfast with Pear Streusel Pie and coffee at the lake this morning. Gizzy was whining the whole time because he wasn't allowed on the table for once, since we had it set with table cloth and food for a change.

After we were done eating and everything was put away, I put him up on the picnic table and then he was satisfied, look! Isn't he just rotten? (I wonder how that happened?) In the buggy behind him is his pal Tuffy (r) and the young Miss Sophie (who LOVED the pie!)

Thanks for all your kind comments yesterday. I appreciate your tolerating my venting post - I try not to do that very often, but I have a soft spot for trees and flowers. I will stop by and see you little by little in between baking the other two pies. 

Enjoy your day everyone!

Whatever!

I've opened a new Etsy shop to match the name of my blog. This is what I have in it so far:




I will add more items as soon as I get them all photographed. These hearts are specially priced. I reduced them from $12 to $8 and if any of my blogging friends want one (or more) I will give you another 10% off. I'm trying to make room for more.

Anyway, I have somewhat of disturbing news this morning. I noticed that someone has butchered/vandalized the white Crepe Myrtle outside my apartment. I know it had to have happened in the wee hours between midnight and 6 am because Bobby-Jack didn't leave my apartment till midnight. I had a 3" nail in my tire so it was flat and he came by after his long day's work to plug it for me. I have an educated guess (and a pretty accurate gut feeling about who did it) but no proof! Of course, the party in question denies it and the manager tells me to just let it go - so I have to.

It irritates me though, as I had just told that fellow neighbor to leave the Crepe Myrtle alone because it was in full bloom and the bees are on it. Sure enough, he did it just to be spiteful.

Look at all those blossoms laying in a trash heap of other tree clippings. That guy has no clue as to when is the proper time to trim and he's always up around 5 am to do his cutting jobs and then, denies it, because nobody can proove it.

The Crepe Myrtle still has blossoms, but a lot less and it's thinned out on the bottom so that the little bird's nest inside is exposed...I hope there are no eggs in it - and there are torn and cut branches sticking out every which way. Poor thing!

To top it all off - and to make a poignant passive-aggressive statement, that person decapitated one of my sunflowers.

Nobody can convince me that this broke off naturally - my sunflowers do not break at all - they may bend, but don't break with an even cut like that. I found the flower head stuck in the bushes below.

Sunflwer before:

This was a perfectly healthy sunflower standing upright only yesterday. What kind of sick person has to do that to make themselves feel big and important? Well, it's the same kind of psycho that torments kittens and kicks dogs!

I'm upset over the plants, but more disturbed over knowing that someone dislikes me that much to harm what I love. I don't want to live where my neighbors are capable of being that vindictive. I have no enemies that I know of. I don't socialize much with my neighbors. The few friends I have do not live here. I'm very disappointed. 

I'm so looking forward to Blue Ridge and even though I know people will be pretty much the same no matter where I live, at least Gizzy and I will be able to spend more time outside and enjoy nature so that I won't have to dwell on every little plant that's outside my apartment - heck, I'll probably won't even have to plant anything and let the landscapers do it all (except for a few potted plants on my patio.) Yes, I think the signs are all pointing North. What do you think?

And now I'm going to work on all those pears! They're just the right consistency now after sitting for a week. I'm baking four deep dish pies (one to keep, three to give away: Sandi, Bobby-Jack and Arlene) So, I'll put on some music and be thankful for all the free pears. I will share the pie photos with you later...

I'm off to pare some pears ;-)

Wishing you peace, love and good health!

I found this information through a FB friend and it is too good not to share:





You can learn more at Earthfire Institute and enjoy the beauty and wonder of natural healing.

Also, I want to take this opportunity to express my deepest thanks and gratitude in behalf of my stray cats that I feed every day. I wrote about our community cats in a previous blog post called My very small and simple life.

Since then I received a $20 check and a $50 Gift Certificate for PetSmart to buy cat food with from two dear friends and fellow bloggers. I'm astounded, shocked and extremely thankful for these gifts. I don't want to mention names in case these two benefactors want to remain unanimous, but you know who you are...you are nothing short of Angels!







~Magickal Graphics~

I just wanted to thank you again in behalf of the cats and myself - God bless you! Your gift is a big help and a small miracle. Good things do happen and kind people do exist.

We call him Leggs - he's eating at the cat feeding station where I feed our community cats every morning and night. I'm starting to make mental plans as to what to do about shelter for the winter months. I'm thinking of asking my friend, Bobby-Jack, to make some wooden boxes and nail them up high into the trees so the dogs can't get to them. I'll put some old clothes and stuff in there for when it gets freezing cold....and hope and pray that nobody will tear them down or the owner of the woods won't mind...I will take the boxes down when the weather gets warm again...I still have a little time to finalize my plans.

Wishing you a peaceful, pain free, happy Sunday!

Bee-autiful!

These photos are from earlier this morning when we walked around Lake Irma

I think Gizzy looks cute no matter what, but I miss his long hair. I'm letting it grow back out, especially if we're going to move up north!

I like the look of this vine climbing up a pine tree.

It's loaded with pretty, pink blossoms that the bees seem to like.

I managed to snap a bee in flight and here's the close up to see it better

The next photo shows two bees enjoying the blossoms

When we got back, I took some photos of my incredible sunflowers. One's almost as tall as the roof and the other one keeps producing buds and has flowers growing every which way - the bees are loving it!

Each blossom had a bee or two on it, so I felt compelled to take some close ups:

Around the bend is the white crepe myrtle that is blooming for the second time this year.

When I got closer, I could hear the bees' buzzing and saw them flitting from blossom to blosssom

It was impossible for me to snap a photo of an individual bee, so here's the video I took for you instead:

Lastly, here is my one and only lemon from the little lemon bush I transplanted from it's pot into the ground

With great delight I discovered another blossom so I'll probably get at least one more - don't lemon blossoms smell divine?

When I finally turn around to go inside, I see my Gizzy boy patiently watching and waiting for me

"Gizzy, you are just the bestest flower in the garden! Mommy loves you!"

My Giveaway winner and more juice!

A big Congratulations to Sandie of Chatty Crone for winning my Christmas in July Giveaway.


Sandie won this Santa that I crocheted to be used as a decoration or he could also serve as a Christmas tree topper.

Feel free to see Sandie at Chatty Crone's to congratulate her. She's one of the most positive bloggers I know. I find her blogs very entertaining, full of information, fun facts, games, inspirationals and family happenings.

As you know I have rediscovered my Juiceman juicer due to the abundance of pears I've been blessed with, pears that nobody wants or appreciates because they are green and hard and just not fun, but you know what? I'm making them fun. They are juicy and I'm sure full of vitamins and I've been drinking pear juice since yesterday. 

I did have some vegetable juice last night, though. I juiced 1 carrot + 1 sweet potato + 1/2 scallion and it gave me about 6 oz of juice. It was sweet and spicy and delicious...I could have added a few drops of hot sauce, but I forgot to do that.

This morning I made watermelon juice from this big watermelon I have not been able to eat. It's not the sweetest melon in the world, but it makes for nice refreshing juice, see?

and just for a variation, I tried watermelon and pear and that was great too:

What I like about juicing is that all you have to do is wash your fruits and veggies and only cut off any spoiled or bad parts or skins that you think might taste bitter....I just wash and quarter the pears, but with the watermelon I did cut off the green part of the rind, but left the white. This one was not very sweet, but still made for refreshing juice.

I'm going to experiment more with veggies, but I really loved the sweet potato/carrot juice. I did not peel any of those, just wash and cut off little dark spots. The juicer separates everything and I have a friend who reserves the carrot pulp when she makes juice and then uses it for baking carrot bread. I want to try that next time I make carrot juice.

I've not baked the Pear Streusel Pie yet, but I want to do that today!

Let's make Juice

I'm up to my elbows in pears. Besides making compote out of them, I found a couple of simple recipes on Cooks.com that I want to try, but for now let's just make juice.

I pulled out my trusty Juiceman last night to make some pear juice and it was delicious!

I used the pears I picked last week, so they had a chance to sit around and get a little tastier.

I also tried pear and fresh pineapple and this morning for breakfast, I made pear and blueberry juice.

Looks like a Frappuccino from on top, doesn't it?

All I can say, thanks Bill for giving me a Mr. Juiceman juicer for Christmas several years ago and I'm so glad I didn't leave it behind when I moved from CA to GA. I will use it a lot more from now on. I think I have found a new addiction (just what I need!) ... but at least it's a healthy one!

So, get juicing and drink up! Here's to your health!

I'll be back soon to let you know how my Pear Streusel Pie turned out!

"Whatever, ma!"

A note about Blogger: I've been having some issues with uploading photos to my side bar and today, my profile photo disappeared. When I tried uploading it, blogger tells me its usual blurb: "You've reached your photo uploading quota" and I should pay for more memory on Picasa's web album. I have deleted several photos on my side bar, but that didn't seem to make any difference, so I'm just going to have no profile photo (for now) as long as I can still upload on my posts, I'm just letting it go before I pay for something that may fix itself later after they're done working on blogger and Picasa, etc.

Today is the last day to enter my Christmas in July Giveaway!