Apricot Jam

I have another quick recipe for you..This is so simple I had to write about it..It came from Heloise and I have had it for years..
8 ounce package of dried apricots, 1/2 cup sugar and half of a fresh lemon..Put 4 cups of water in pot, put in apricots and sugar. Slice half of lemon extremely thin slices and then chop in tiny pieces. Add to the pot. Cook over medium heat for 30 minutes, without lid. After 20 minutes you can mash the fruit to break it up. After the 30 minutes, see if it is thick enough, if not cook a little longer..Let sit until room temp..then put in jars, then into the refrigerator..Once I added one knox unflavored gelatin pack in the end, and it set really good, some may like it a bit more sweet, so add more sugar.. I am going to try it with Agave, the organic sweetener..always use the dried organic fruit..I try and share these quick recipes just for your health..When you see your jars of jam in the fridge, you have a feeling of well being and you know what you are eating..You have to admit, this is a fun recipe and quick.

Till next time, keep looking up...

My Birthday Blog..

Won't really write about much...taking a break for my birthday. Will enjoy family and a nice meal..
Have a very happy day and
till next time, keep looking up...

Put up a few pictures of the home...just so you can see..we do have four fireplaces/three working..Indian shutters in living/den..hope you enjoy the pictures.

This Old House...

Thought I would show you just a few of our treasures from our home..When we got this house, windows were broken, ceilings were falling down and "no" heat..Just two wood stoves and a kerosene stove in the kitchen,which was broken. For some reason that didn't matter to us, we thought the home was beautiful..It was built 1832 for a Captain Kaler. I will tell you, the move into this home was Dec 2.,four children(had the last child here), never in our life burned wood..was one of the coldest February's in Maine that year..need I say more?
Now on to a little history found here..When my husband was digging the garden, he found the first coin, 1797 penny, looks pretty good..the second penny was dug up by the dog and not a good sample..We found bottles, this is just a few, under the barn and few in the cellar..The clay pipe was found when we dug under the porch..
Thought it might be interesting to share a little history of our home.
It is really too big for us now and time to move on, but the love this house has, you can feel it in the rooms..

Till next time, keep looking up..

Spring just got lost..

I wrote a nice little blog a few days ago, about spring and the smell in the air..Would you believe, it is snowing and we are going to get around 3-6 "....I opened my mouth too soon . I do remember having a blizzard on April 7th, so this really doesn't surprise me.
Will pull on my positive energy today, do something creative and be very thankful.

Till next time, keep looking up..

Good Blogs to read.

I am writing about three blogs, since they don't belong to Etsy and I think they are worth reading..Two are from Distressing Delilah'family.. Lordorlady.blogspot.com/ and Sewnanawhereareyou.blogspot.com/..Lord or Lady is about their genealogy..what great stories..they are so interesting. I am always checking for his update..Sew Nana. is his wife and she has good recipes and pictures of beautiful things that have memories..She talks about many things and is very interesting..Then we have my oldest daughter,musicluvamutha.blogspot.com/, don't let the name fool you..She writes about music and is well versed in that area..even gives a little quiz, one that I fail all the time..Oh well, it doesn't mean I am well versed..Ask me about Ray Conniff and I am fine.
If you have time, try these three blogs..I think you will agree, they are very interesting and you won't be sorry..Anything that is positive and happy, is worth the read..
Till next time, keep looking up..

Energy Log

Want to share a nice recipe for adults /children..I know many children are allergic to peanuts, but for those that still can eat peanut butter, this is great. It is called, Energy Log..
1 Cup powdered milk
1 Cup honey
2 Cups peanut butter
Mix and roll in a log shape, wrap in wax paper, put in freezer..when serving, just cut off a slice..You can add chopped apricots/raisins..
With all the power bars and stuff out there, you can't beat this recipe..Healthy and not expensive..I can't stress this enough. The more you know what goes in your mouth, the better off you are. The recipes I share are usually fast and easy, but you have to control the products..read labels.

Till next time, keep looking up..

Weather is getting warmer..

Isn't it funny how the weather can change your mood? It is starting to get warmer and you really feel the spring in the air. The air even smells different, sweeter.
When my poppies come up, that will still be awhile. I will usually take pictures..then I will try a watercolor or pastel..did start an oil painting, but never finished. Pastels are one of my favorite mediums. Acrylics are fun and I have done primitive winter scenes in them..Some say acrylics look plastic, but I don't see them that way..one thing I really enjoy about acrylics, they dry fast. I think that gave a hint about me...impatient, something I am working on. One thing about Maine, it teaches patience, you never can count on the seasons being normal.
May you all have a very productive day..just remember, no matter what you are doing, it is important.

Till next time, keep looking up.

Everything is back to normal..

Wonderful day yesterday and now it is time to get going..Will get back to my painting room and get serious..I have been distracted with the holiday.
Hope to get inspired with another angel or painting of some sort..
Someone once told me, even if you don't feel like doing anything, go into your studio, start straightening things out and just look around..look at pictures, different things you have done. Sometimes that will stir a desire to start a new project..
So, I am off to a new venture..How about you?
Have fun and think happy thoughts..

Till next time, keep looking up.

Happy Easter to you all...

Starting my resurrection rolls for this mornings breakfast...Oh Happy Day!
May you all have a wonderful day and enjoy each other..be thankful for what you have and sorry you all can't be here with us..I tell you , you would have a good time.
Happy Easter!


Till next time, keep looking up...

Coffee creamer

I just had to write about this coffee creamer recipe from Recipe Goldmine..Do you buy those flavored creamers in the store.? If so, this is for you..
1 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk and 1 1/2 cups skim milk, put your favorite flavoring in..
Choc. almond: 1 TBS cocoa powder, 1 tsp. almond extract.
Vanilla: 2 tsp. vanilla extract
Cappuccino: 1 tsp cocoa powder, 2 TBS orange extract. Make it what you want and without all the chemicals. Store in the fridge and it will keep for two weeks..
I have a thing about chemicals. We try and buy organic as much as we can. I do think the foods are doing us in and causing much problems with our bodies. A healthy body makes for a healthy mind..I can't stress this enough..read all labels..I try an never blog off a soap box, but this is one thing I want you all to pay close attention to..

Till next time, keep looking up..

My Hero..

Today ,I will write about someone that is my hero..This man would always help someone out and never look for anything in return..Children just flocked around him and felt his love...Everywhere he went, people would follow and scream his name..He did nothing to humiliate anyone, just shared everything he owned.Didn't judge anyone either. Told everyone to forgive those that wronged them. His strongest message was love,love one another..yet, He was nailed to a cross.
This is not about religion, but about a man that walked this earth, did nothing but good and spread only love, what happened? Doesn't it make you wonder?
I know this He is my hero and I try, notice the try, to follow His message..
Pull out the good, forgive as best you can, hate is truly a cancer and nothing good comes from it..try and spread your love. If all of us just followed what this man taught, what a world this would be...

Till next time, keep looking up...

Time for another recipe..

I will bore all of you to death, but it is time for my cheese ball recipe..
8 oz. cream cheese, 8-16 oz grated cheddar cheese, 1 pack of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing, 1/2 cup each Milk/Mayo...Mix milk/mayo combo with packet of Hidden Vally dressing mix, add to cream cheese/cheddar cheese mix..Put into freezer 20 minutes. Make into balls and roll into nuts.
Put back into the freezer for 5 minutes..then into fridge till you serve..This is quick and tasty..
I didn't make this up, it came from Hidden Valley...have to give credit where the credit is due..
As I have said before, things that are quick and tasty are fun, especially when you have a crowd coming over. Puts less stress on you...Now you wonder why my treadmill is getting a workout..
Have fun and keep it simple.

Till next time, keep looking up..

I am a pack rat...

I really am a pack rat..Every time the kids are throwing something out, they ask me if I want it.
Do you think I say no?? Your right, I don't..so I bring the stuff home..They all laugh at me, but my husband is just as bad..Now I will tell you my theory...Since I have the room to put things somewhere, I do..There have been times someone has needed something and I came to the rescue.
It is fun to help out people and we get joy from it..I have to be truthful, there are things in this house that have to be handed down to the girls, just because they are a part of our life/history.
Have to say, I am not attached to anything material..my saying is, "I came in with nothing and will leave the same way"..This does not mean we don't enjoy good things, we do..but I always keep things in perspective. Just like money, gives you freedom, but wouldn't sell my soul for it...So on that note, enjoy all the things you have, share what you can. This is what will make you really happy..
Till next time, keep looking up...

Getting ready for Easter.

This week will be spent cooking and getting ready for family on Sunday..We do have quite a house full and many laughs. When I was growing up, we usually went to my grandmother's home on my mother's side.
Food was always bought out and the table was full..Home made bread was a staple, as well as many other things my grandmother made. So, my Easter is a take off of my childhood.
I always try and keep things simple, so we can all sit and enjoy each other..Now I won't kid you, never do I bring out the china/silver to eat off of. It is paper plates/cups all the way..Don't want anyone wasting time with dishes. I want to enjoy every minute we have together. The kids bring all kinds of food and when we put everything together, it is a feast. When the girls were living home, I had them bring some of their friends..There were people from Bulgaria, India, Bangladesh, Cyprus, Japan and Canada, just to name a few, that have enjoyed our fun..When they headed back to their homes, they will always carry a little bit of our family with them..Share your happiness, it could help change the world.

Till next time, keep looking up.

Erin Go Blog..

A little note about St.Patrick..His name was Maewyn Succat and born in the British Isles, a town near Dumbarton, Scotland. At 16, he was kidnapped and taken to Ireland to be a slave. Much of his time was on the slopes of the Flemish Mts tending to his masters sheep. His lonely hours were spent praying, morning and night, something that gave him great comfort. Six years passed and he escaped by ship, only to return years later. Ireland was full of paganism, Idolatry prevailed and with his great faith he led them to the Lord ..This is really an interesting story, and one that came from something he wrote..My thoughts on this story,
what is our purpose in life? You never know who's life you can change for the better..Listen to the voice inside you and pay close attention. We are not here for material wealth. What is of this earth, stays on this earth..but what is inside of you, for me it is the soul, will leave and join those we love in another life.. Happy St. Patrick's Day to you all..

Till next time, keep looking up..

Palm Sunday and my memories...

Palm Sunday always brings me back home..My mother was first generation Polish and I must tell you, she was full of fun..When Palm Sunday came, she would go out and break a small branch off a tree and head to the bedrooms..we would be hiding under the blankets, we knew she would be coming..She would come in and hit the blankets, very gently I might say, and say a verse in Polish, which told us to get up, it is an important day, she wasn't hitting you the branch was...I am not sure I have the meaning right, but I learned the Polish words and did the same thing to my girls on Palm Sunday..One of my joys in life was, I took care of mom for awhile and she lived here with us and I had a chance to wake her up with my thin branch, on Palm Sunday..We had quite a few laughs over it..Would you believe, it was my mother's last Easter on earth...
Remember to show those you care about, how much you care...

Till next time, keep looking up...

Touching story.

I just read a beautiful story about a dolphin saving two pygmy sperm whales in New Zealand..What a story. It told how the whales get beached in this certain area near a sandbar. I believe there is some sort of narrow channel there and they can't figure out how to get out..Well, this dolphin led them through the channel and out to sea.
All I kept thinking is, if we all worked together what a world we could have.
You know the key to this world is love..with holy week coming upon us, it always makes me think about why am I here? We can not change the things that have happened to us, but we can change today. This is not an easy thing to do, but can be done with positive thoughts..Don't let the negative take over..you never know what is around the corner..Look at the female pygmy whale and her calf..did she know a dolphin was waiting to save them from certain death?

Till next time, keep looking up...

Two sites to visit.

I realize I told you about www.recipegoldmine.com/ and all the recipes..Well, this one I have to share for St.Patrick's Day..Bit-of-Irish Cheesecake..it is made with Irish cream liqueur in it.
Will be making it tomorrow to take to my daughter/son's Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday. Please go to the site and try it, I think it will be really tasty. I just hope the weather holds out, would hate to eat this cheesecake by myself, especially since my husband is on a low fat diet..
Next site is Lion Brand yarn..you have to sign in and have a password, but they have many knit/crochet patterns free..Well, they sent an email yesterday and had a cute bunny to crochet.
What fun to make for children/grandchildren..Check out these sites..I know they will bring you a lot of fun..As you know with my blog, I try and bring as much happiness into all our lives, something we can all use.

Till next time, keep looking up..

Shamrock pin.

We are almost to St.Patrick's Day..A quick little pin you can make is done with a pipe cleaner.
Shape it into a shamrock and crochet all around it with a nice green yarn, tack a little safety pin on the back and there you go..Isn't that a fast little project? Now if you want to get fancy, put some sparkles on the shamrock. Use a little glue that will dry clear and sprinkle green/gold glitter on it, then let it dry.
Just a little fun project I thought you might like.

Till next time, keep looking up.

Freezing tomatoes.

Yesterday, I wrote about gardens and freezing/canning your food. As you know, tomatoes are one of the best fruit/vegetables for you..( some call them a fruit, I call them a vegetable). When you get so many tomatoes and you don't know what to do with them..My mother would just wash and core them, put them in freezer bags and freeze..She wouldn't take the skins off or do anything else to them. In winter, if you want to make sauce/soup with them. Cook them down and put them through the food mill..that is all you have to do. I will take the tomato sauce, put it in a large pot and in a pan fry up sweet sausage, cook one pepper/onion, put in your own seasonings, I use basil/oregano, salt/pepper/little sugar and let it cook into a wonderful soup, when near the end of cooking, I will add some parm. cheese. Then cook up separately a bag of tortellini and as you serve the soup, put some in the bowl..Serve with a nice bread..Now let me ask you, is there anything easier? I have to admit, each time I make the soup, I do something different, maybe add corn, kidney beans..be creative..Folks this is called "comfort food" and it makes a person very happy..
This is what my blog is about...Be happy and try and have as much fun as you can..I know we all have tough times, but I want to give you a little joy.
Till next time, keep looking up..

I'm late this morning..

Took me awhile to get this blog going..I looked up a couple of seed catalog web sites to put here.
We have to start thinking spring and planting...These two web sites sell organic seed and that is what I would recommend to plant..www.johnnyseeds.com and www.fedcoseeds.com.
Since it is hard to just plant seeds here, very short season. We have to have our plants started now.
My favorite crops are squash, zucchini, tomato, lettuce, roma beans, snap peas, cabbage red/green and potatoes. Sometimes, beets and onions..Lettuce/peas/beans you can plant again in the middle of summer and get a crop in the early fall.
There is nothing more exciting than picking your own veggies. If you have more than enough, you can share with family/ friends and neighbors..When you have taken care of everyone, you can freeze/can the rest..It makes everyone happy and will really make you happy in the winter when you look at all you save by freezing/canning some of your own food..Something very rewarding when you do this..You start to be thankful for things you took for granted.
Till next time, keep looking up..

Have you every made Easter Candy?

One Easter I really got into the candy making. I made butter cream, peanut butter,cherry, coconut and chocolate eggs..I dipped them in melted chocolate chips for the coating. It was a lot of work, but fun. I think the butter cream was my favorite..I used nothing but the best ingredients..When you go through all this trouble, make it worth your while. There are plenty of recipe links and I am sure you will find candy making there..Give it a try.
In all honesty, the more you learn to do, the more fun you have in life. Again, it is a form of creating..also you know what you are eating..and that is a big plus.
Remember, the simple things in life are our joys..yet we get so busy running here and there, we don't stop and smell the roses..

Till next time, keep looking up...

Spring is coming....

Well, we sprung ahead an hour and that is a good sign..We had rain all yesterday another good sign..This is getting exciting.
There is nothing more beautiful to me, than spring..All the flowers coming up, trees getting their leaves back and the birds return. Such a happy time.
I saw a nest, in one of my bushes from last year..I will watch for some action this year and have the camera ready. Many times the birds use the same nest.
The humming birds are fun too. I put a feeder on my patio door and we sit in the breakfast nook and watch them eat. I laugh when you see pictures of them sharing the feeder..that isn't the way it goes here. They dive bomb each other..All you see is a flash and off they go, chasing one another. Then one will venture back for the food.
They bring a lot of entertainment in this house.
It is amazing what joy we miss and it is right in front of us. Don't let this happen to you...Till next time, keep looking up.

On making the rhubarb wine..

Didn't write this in my making the wine..Make sure all bottles/crocks are clean..Use a small amount of bleach with water to clean the stuff you will make the wine in..Rinse throughly..and then rinse again..I get a little carried away..The important thing is, everything must be clean.
You can use plastic tubs/containers to put wine in, but do not use metal..I use wooden spoons to stir..Now I think I have said it all..

Wine recipe

4 lbs Rhubarb (any fruit), 4 quarts boiling water, 4 slices orange, 4 slices lemon, (make sure no white is on fruit), 4 lbs sugar..1 yeast cake, (I used a package), I slice bread toasted, 1/4 c water.
Pour the water over fruit, let stand for four days, strain. Then to the strained juice add the sugar.
Dissolve yeast in water and soak the toast in the yeast, add this to mixture, let stand another four days, strain and bottle..I did not bottle, knowing the yeast would still be working. I did strain and put in gallon jugs, but did not cork..I had corks with a special top you add a little water to and will show how it is still working..You can find these in a store for wine supplies. Since this was an old recipe, they used regular yeast and I am sure they kept the crock/bottle covered with cheese cloth..
I did use frozen rhubarb, easier to get the juice from. This is the way I did it. I just left the wine for about six months in the jugs..I kept thinking it wouldn't clear, it didn't look like it did, till I poured it. Now I am going to strain and bottle it.
Please remember, this is an old recipe, hand written by my mother, which I am sure is having a good laugh at me from heaven..Have fun, till next time, keep looking up.

Rhubarb Wine.

This fall I had so much rhubarb left over and I found an old rhubarb wine recipe my mother had written on paper.Well, I thought I would try making it. Very simple and easy.
I put it in my, what they call in this house, butler's pantry and forgot about it.
Yesterday, I was in the pantry and there it sat, three gallons of my wine. So I took one gallon out to check and it looked clear. I want to tell you, it is wonderful.
Tomorrow, I will write the recipe on the blog, for those that would like to try it..It is a very smooth and not too sweet of a wine.
It is very rewarding to make your own things, like jam/jellies. At least this way, you know what you are eating.
Rhubarb comes every spring and I look forward to getting it..right now, it is buried under snow, but won't be for long..
Till next time, keep looking up.

St. Patrick's Day Punch

Here is a great recipe you all might enjoy for St.Patrick's Day..
1/2 gallon lime sherbet
2 liter 7up/Sprite
Let the sherbet soften, mix with soda, till smooth..Add a few scoops of sherbet on top. Enjoy..
Who wouldn't enjoy a glass of that?
Even if you aren't Irish, it is fun to celebrate St.Patrick's Day..Anything that brings a little joy in our life is fun..When you have children, they never forget it..I am all about happy memories..Something,I always tried to give our girls and now the girls are giving the memories to their children..Let kids be kids...as I have said before, they have plenty of time to be adults..

Till next time, keep looking up..

Joe's New Book.

Was very excited to hear from Joe DiLalla and how he is doing on his new book..He is co/authoring and it will be about a conspiracy involving a drug company..Based on actual events that took place in 1979-80..Right now the book is at the publishers waiting to be released..The title is "The Chosen Few".. I can not wait to get it..
It will probably scare the life out of me, knowing it is based on fact. Once it is released I will surely let you all know..Again, if you haven't read "Bloodlines" by Joseph DiLalla, please give it a try..It is such a great book and deserves so many readers..Even the Times Review in Riverhead, N.Y. gave it a great review, so you know it isn't just me.
This is great weather for a great book..give it a try.

Till next time, keep looking up..

Summing things up.

I have talked a little about Astrology, Numerology and a great book to read..
It is interesting to learn a little about everything, at least, I think it is fun..I only talk about a few things that are interesting to me, but there is so much more out there.
With learning different things, you grow..your less apt to judge others and you start to see things in a different light.
Keeping your mind open and in use, doesn't take money..but can keep you very healthy in many ways.

Till next time, keep looking up.

Numerology

Today I will share another interesting subject..Numerology.
This is a different way of looking at your life and making choices, all through numbers.
Glynis McCants has a great book out, "Glynis Has Your Number", which makes finding your numbers very easy... Of course, the more you read, the more you understand. It is very interesting and can be fun..Glynis also has a newsletter she sends out every month, numberslady@numberslady.ccsend.com .. in it, she will answer questions that people wrote about..It is a nice newsletter and again, something else to think about..keep your mind going...

Till next time, keep looking up..

Where's the bluebird?

Instead of, "Where's Waldo", I ask, "Where is my bluebird"? Just take a look to the right and see his home..Then you will know why you don't see him..Going to warm up the next few days, there is still hope they will start returning to Maine, soon.
Isn't it wonderful to appreciate all the little things in life? Have you ever noticed how material things give you a short burst of happiness? You get something new, have enjoyment for a while and then think about the next thing you can buy..But when you enjoy life, it is the gift that just keeps giving..What is sad about this, and I include myself, sometimes we get so overloaded with things, we forget to enjoy it. So, even though my little bluebird isn't here, I do enjoy seeing my cardinal, chickadees and all the other birds at the feeder..
So with that said, I will be thankful for what I do have and not worry about what I don't have..

Till next time, keep looking up..

A fun site.

Every month I get an email on daily Astrology..The site is www.carolbarbeau.com/.
Carol is really a very positive person and she uses her positive thoughts, when talking about Astrology..This is why I enjoy reading what she has to say.
I have to admit, in my younger days I did study Astrology, but have forgotten much of what I learned..It is something you must keep up with..In order to be good at it.
Many people think it is just foolishness, but that is where they are wrong..There is much to be said about how the stars/planets work in our lives..One lesson I have learned in life is, to try and keep an open mind about things..Somethings, I have a hard time believing, but who is to say? A closed mind can be dangerous, no room for adventure..

Till next time, keep looking up..