For Thursday, September 30th, 2010

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

SEPTEMBER 30th, 2010

If you can't see the bright side of life, polish the dull side

It's THURSDAY!

Can you believe it, I forgot to mention that...

Yesterday was National Coffee Day!

I don’t know about you, but I think every day should be National Coffee Day…at least it is for me!

Thirty-two percent of workers stated they need coffee to get through the workday. Forty-three percent of coffee drinkers reported they are less productive if they don’t drink coffee while on the job. I find the latter to be so true as my brain just doesn’t function as efficiently without the caffeine boost.

Even though I'm a day late, my coffee still tastes mighty good today. I love my cup of good hot coffee!

Everybody should believe in something. I believe I'll have another coffee

Author Unknown

THINKING

Two paths diverged in a yellow wood.

Robert Frost

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.

1 Timothy 6:10

Treasure God's word in your heart, and seek God's teaching.Then you will delight in God as if you owned all you can imagine!

NEW IN THE KITCHEN

Today is National Lemon Ice Cream and Cake Appreciation Day

Lemon Jello Cake

1 box yellow or white cake mix

1 box (3 oz.) lemon jello

water, oil, eggs as directed in cake mix instructions

2 tbsp lemon extract

2 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup water

Preheat oven and prepare pan according to cake mix instructions.

In a large bowl, add the jello mix to the dry cake mix.

Add wet ingredients as directed in cake mix instructions adding 2 tbsp lemon extract as well.

Prepare batter, pour into pan and bake all as directed in cake mix instructions.

Make a glaze for it by combining powdered sugar, water, and vanilla.

Combine the glaze ingredients then let it sit for a few minutes to thicken up and smooth out. Add the water little by little, stopping once you have the consistency you want.

Once your cake has cooled, begin spooning the glaze along the top of the cake allowing it to naturally drip and run down the sides.

PRAYERS

God our Father, whatever our age, may we always have a thirst for knowledge and understanding, and be ready to learn from all of life’s experiences.

Inspire us always with a sense of wonder and a great reverence for life.

Amen

Please pray for God's protection of

our troops and HIS wisdom for their

commanders.

Lord, hold our troops in

your loving hands.

Protect them as they protect us.

Bless them and their families for the

selfless acts they perform for us

in our time of need. I ask this in the

name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

AND bless our Police Officers, Firefighters

and Paramedics and EMT's

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

AROUND HOME

Retirement is one great big giant coffee break

Author Unknown

This weekend is looking mighty chilly (in the 50's for a high) so today I'm heading off to the camper..It should be in the 70's and sunny today so I want to enjoy the weather while I can do so.

Happy Fall Y'all!

COUNTING THE DAYS

Smile - sunshine is good for your teeth

Author Unknown

82 DAYS UNTIL WINTER!

Keep looking ON THE BRIGHT SIDE of things.

A little smile, a word of cheer,
A bit of love from someone near…

Love,

ma

For Wednesday, September 29th, 2010

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

SEPTEMBER 29th, 2010

If you can't see the bright side of life, polish the dull side

It's WEDNESDAY!

Today is Make a List of the Top Ten Happiest Days in Your Life Day. Jot down details (while you can still remember). Do it, it'll be fun

When I look back over the years my happy days include: My wedding day, discovering I was about to be a mom, the birth of each of my children, lots of camping days, my children's graduations and marriages, and the births of my grand children, and now my retirement is making me very

happy. There are more than 10 listed here and I know there were many more happy days too

THINKING

Happiness is like a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you

Nathaniel Hawthorne

NEW IN THE KITCHEN

Today is MICHAELMAS. It's an ancient Celtic celebration in honor of Michael the Archangel.

Foods traditional for Michaelmas include new wine; goose; cakes of oats, barley, and rye; and carrots. Some groups in the United States, such as the Pennsylvania Dutch, have kept Michaelmas, or Harvest Home, traditions alive

Vegetables are an important part of their way of life. To the farmer and gardener, the calendar revolves around the planting and harvesting of their vegetables and Pennsylvania Dutch cook their vegetables until they are soft. Only raw vegetables are served crunchy.

Corn is a popular vegetable among the Pennsylvania Dutch. Among the many different ways it is prepared, corn fritters are a unique favorite to the region as well as to visitors.

There are two general varieties of corn fritters. The first consists of doughy little balls that are deep-fried and laced with corn. The second type is made by shaping a corn and batter mixture into pancakes which are then browned in a skillet. The second version tends to be more nutritious.

Essentially, corn fritters consist of grated corn, eggs, flour, shortening, baking powder and salt which are combined and browned in a skillet or deep-fried

Corn Fritters

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 c. water or milk1 tbsp. cooking oil
1 c. fresh or canned, whole kernel corn

Combine dry ingredients and mix well. Combine remaining ingredients and blend into dry ingredients without overmixing. Drop by tablespoonfuls into preheated 375 degree F. vegetable shortening. Fry until golden brown, turning once. Place on paper lined baking sheet in warm oven until all are cooked. Serve with maple syrup. Yield: about 12 (2 inch) fritters.

PRAYERS

Lord God, keep in me a sense of humor and the ability to laugh at myself.

Lead me always to be positive, looking for the best in people and in situations.

Amen

Please pray for God's protection of

our troops and HIS wisdom for their

commanders.

Lord, hold our troops in

your loving hands.

Protect them as they protect us.

Bless them and their families for the

selfless acts they perform for us

in our time of need. I ask this in the

name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

AND bless our Police Officers, Firefighters

and Paramedics and EMT's

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

AROUND HOME

One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries

A. A. Milne

These gloomy days are already about to get the best of me but no fear today the sun might just pop out and tomorrow will be even better. The forecast for the weekend though, is COLD and cloudy, so I'm really going to have to pack plenty of warm clothing for camping. I do hope we have a few more warm days left this season.

FAMILY

I even have a secret ingredient that I'll share with you. One that you can't get off the shelf. When a loved one praises my meal, my answer is always, Ahh, it's my secret ingredient... LOVE.

Louis Parrish

I've been thinking about the holidays coming up. I hope to really have time to enjoy them this year since I won't be working at all. We are planning to have our family Thanksgiving feast the Saturday after Thanksgiving and for Christmas we'll be celebrating the Sunday after Christmas Day . That way every one will have the actual holiday to spend at home or however they wish.

Beginning in October I'll start my Christmas countdown...these days are flying by way too fast.

COUNTING THE DAYS

To have more, desire less

83 DAYS UNTIL WINTER!

Keep looking ON THE BRIGHT SIDE of things.

A little smile, a word of cheer,
A bit of love from someone near…

Love,

ma

For Tuesday, September 28th, 2010

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

SEPTEMBER 28th, 2010

It's TUESDAY!

And it is Good Neighbor Day.

It's definitely a good thing. Being good neighbors is an important part of the social fiber that makes this country so great. Therefore, it seems only fitting that one day a year honors good neighbors.

This day is to truly recognize and appreciate your good neighbor. Hopefully, one of those good neighbors is you!

While the spirit of neighborliness was important on the frontier bec

ause neighbors were so few, it is even more important now because our neighbors are so many

Lady Bird Johnson

THINKING

Hospitality can fill the emptiness of a lonely heart

Hospitality, therefore, means primarily the creation of a free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend instead of an enemy. Hospitality is not to change people, but to offer them space where change can take place

Henri Nouwen

NEW IN THE KITCHEN

The vibrant colors of autumn aren’t reflected only in the beautiful fall foliage, but in the season’s delicious fresh produce as well. From bright reds and oranges to hues of yellow and green, fall’s coveted treasures include pumpkins, squash, apples, pears, and sweet potatoes. These foods not only complement many meals, but they’re also packed with a wealth of antioxidant vitamins and minerals

Sweet potatoes are often called a superfood, as they contribute plenty of beta-carotene, vitamin C, and other powerful antioxidants to the diet.

Prepare baked sweet-potato fries as a side dish by slicing sweet potatoes lengthwise and baking at 400°F after mixing them with salt, paprika, and extra-virgin olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn and bake another 10 minutes, or until browned and tender

PRAYERS

Lord, Help us place You first in our lives by becoming more prayerful, more focused on loving and caring for our families and our neighbors in need, and by becoming less preoccupied with material things

Amen

Please pray for God's protecti

on ofour troops and HIS wisdom for their

commanders.

Lord, hold our troops in

your loving hands.

Protect them as they protect us

.

Bless them and their families for the

selfless acts they perform for us

in our time of need. I ask this in the

name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

AND bless our Police Officers, Firefighters

and Paramedics and EMT's

GOD BLESS YOU!

AROUND HOME

A good friend sent this advice after reading about our wintertime visitors at the camper. So I thought I'd share it with you all today.

As a long time camper, we always started putting Downy dryer sheets under the sinks in early Sept.......then when we were closing up in Oct. I continued using the sheets in every nook and cranny I could find, especially in the oven, under the mattress and on top and down in the cushions of the couch and chairs. Never had a critter in the 21 yrs. that we permanent camped.

Give it a try. It is well worth the price of the box of dryer sheets.

I have used the dryer sheets in the past but I think I didn't use enough of them so from now on I'm going to put them everywhere.

FAMILY

Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter what fork you use

Emily Post

The magical words of PLEASE and THANK YOU are ones that never grow out of fashion. I am always delighted that my children, and the grand babes too, have learned to use them often.

I found a good crafty thing to do for next weekend.

Bird seed cookies

3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup water

3 Tablespoons corn syrup

4 cups birdseed

Mix it all together.

Pat it out and use cookie cutters to make shapes. Tr

ansfer the cookie cutter and birdseed shape together with a spatula to a drying pan. They will hold together okay when removed the cookie cutter.

Poke holes with a straw and let them dry

let dry overnight

turn them after the first two hours, and then again once more.

When dry, they will be ready to hang in the trees for our bird visitors

COUNTING THE DAYS

Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your own house. Give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to a next door neighbor... Let no one ever come to you without leaving better or happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile; kindness in your warm greeting.

Mother Teresa

84 DAYS UNTIL WINTER!

Keep looking ON THE BRIGHT SIDE of things.

A little smile, a word of cheer,
A bit of love from someone near…

Love,

ma