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Thursday, July 31, 2014

Dinnertime!

You don't know me if you don't know and enjoy the love of living a simple life. Contentment in my final years is a very good feeling. This is an example. CORN! The ears were too large for my smaller pot and I just couldn't subject the Mister to crawl under the cupboard and go way back searching for the large "corn kettle." We "made do." My medium sized roasting pan is perfect! It was already easily accessible.
The Mister husks and washes off the silk that is entrapped in the kernels. We really should have a compost pile. There are no horses or cows close by anymore so into the trash they go. Thank goodness for the old and large sink.

A little water was put into the pan and is brought to a rolling boil. The ears are then popped in and covered with the steam vent open.


After it returns to a full boil I count exactly 10 minutes, and remove all ears with tongs. 

I like lots of pepper on mine. The Mister likes lots of salt, no pepper. We roll each ear on a cold stick of butter. It really doesn't use much butter at all. 
See what was left! 


YUM!   LOCAL CORN!
Don't click on the intact ear images to view larger if you love corn. You will want some.




Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Missed!

This morning as I looked out the window I saw a large brown hairy critter with a big fat tail on the dirt road just a little bit up the hill. It was just sitting there and I yelled to the Mister, "I see a beaver! Come! NOW!" He was in the bathroom and soon came as the critter was moving into the berm grasses. "THAT is NOT a beaver," he said, it's a woodchuck and the largest I have ever seen!" Well darn! I thought I could catch a shot of the beaver that is damaging the trees around here and I was very disappointed, but the Mister was correct, as I soon realized after watching it move. In the photos below (not mine) you might understand why I  was fooled.
woodchuck

 beaver

Today was our usual bi-weekly trip to the grocery store in another town. I said to him as we traveled along, "I should have brought the camera because we might see something interesting." Well, don't you just know at the very moment I completed this statement we came upon  a scrawny and scruffy red fox walking across the road right in front of us! It seemed disoriented and lost and was not loping as we have observed one before. When we slowed down it saw us and turned and walked back to where it had entered. We do not purposely participate in "road killing" and avoid it if possible. When we went on, we talked about the fox's confused looks and agreed that it was either sick or, even worse, had rabies! Poor thing! It might  have been better off if we had run it over then and there. Well...no camera so no proof of this incident. The photo below (not mine) looks somewhat like it.

Further on down the road I saw the most beautiful pattern that was made when a farmer had mowed hay down on a hillside. IF I had my camera with me the lovely sight would have been captured in the lens to show you this pattern. Light green, dark green, ribbons of wavy lines on a hillside and up close to boot! I'm sorry. Lesson learned. 
The field looked like this:
(This is NOT my photo)
The best thing of the day is that we didn't miss the opportunity to pick up fresh corn from our local growers at the farm stand and we shall have a corn-on-the-cob supper!! (Butter supply is now very good after shopping trip.)

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

A Good Day

Not a great one because the sun isn't shining but still.....

First, I got our lightweight quilts washed and hung on the line. I've been meaning to do this for several weeks. 

Second, I pulled out the 58 year old faux fur coat from the closet and aired it as I usually do every year. It had a few small mold spots on the fur and lining this year. They brushed off easily. This coat is special to me because my mother bought it for me to keep warm when carrying my second child through the winter months. It did. Later my girls had to beg to wear it once in a while for playing "grown-up" and one actually wore it as part of her Halloween costume. Somewhere I have a photo of me holding my second child (first boy) while wearing it. I need to dig through the old albums that my brother is keeping. The coat was 65% orlon and 35% dynal. It has never been cleaned - the reason? Well the label says to dry clean by furrier method ONLY! Well that, financially, was certainly out of question. Maybe the mold is from baby spit up or candy! I wore it for warmth through five pregnancies. It is a treasure for me, even though the lining is not good now. The texture is still nice and soft and feels sooo good to touch.

The graphic below is the only one like it that I have ever found on the internet. It was SOLD. 
"VINTAGE WOMENS WINTER COAT LA FRANCE FLEUR DE LIS LARGE BLACK-$99.00"

Third, I captured the Kingfisher! Yes, when old friends were visiting, it appeared and I excused myself to get the pictures. 

All in all, everything is fine, thank you.
Don't forget to click on an image to view larger.


Øops! I almost forgot that I undressed James in preparation for another application of preservative and then to be re-dressed for his 4th birthday on August 14.


Saturday, July 26, 2014

My Town


Montrose is a borough in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States, 46 miles north by west of Scranton, Pennsylvania. The land is elevated about 1,400* feet above sea level.
Well now this is confusing to me:
*Other sources from my Google search of Montrose elevations!
Elevation: 1578 ft.
Elevation: 1619 ft.
Elevation: 1646 ft.
Elevation: 1663 ft.
Elevation: 1670 ft.
Elevation Range, 1303 - 1686 ft.
Elevation of 1778.22 ft.
Elevation of 1791.54 ft.
Elevation of 1800 ft. in the Endless Mountains region of northeastern PA. 

I live just outside of town proper.  It is an old town and is full of wonderful historic places. The town is really changing now and, personally, I do not like change.  Oh well……

Montrose Historic District is a national historic district located at Montrose, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. The district includes 386 contributing buildings and 2 contributing sites in the central business district and surrounding residential areas of Montrose. They were built between about 1812 and 1935, and include textbook examples of Greek Revival, Queen Anne, Italianate, and Gothic Revival style architecture. The district is centered on the Susquehanna County Courthouse Complex. In addition to the Courthouse complex, the Sylvanus Mulford House and Silver Lake Bank are separately listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Other notable buildings include the Montrose Fire Department (c. 1860), Montrose Theater (c. 1920), Lyons Building at 13 Public Avenue, Sayre Building (1894), Loomis Building (1893), Masonic Lodge, Phoenix Block (1854), Tarbell Hotel (1914, 1870), William H. Cooper House (1860), Susquehanna County Historical Society and Free Library Association (1907), Bridgewater Baptist Church, First Presbyterian Church, Montrose United Methodist Church, and Holy Name of Mary Chapel Catholic Church (1886).


It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2011.

My connection to this  old town:
The postcard isn't postmarked, so it is hard to date it. Likely the card is from the 1930s or 1940s - the early years of the Montrose Inn (which opened in 1929). My mom & dad went on their honeymoon there in 1934 and it was the first place I worked at the desk and switchboard when we moved permanently here in 1972. 
The old Montrose Inn is now a bank. 

Come visit! Sometimes it gets really cold and snowy here!
(Don't forget to click on images to view larger!)

Some of these photos came from the Susquehanna County Historical Society.
This is a really nice site to read about the anti slavery movement:

Friday, July 25, 2014

Pleasing to Me

It doesn't take much for me to be happy. A day like this with a soft breeze blowing my laundry dry, a robin pecking grubs on the lawn and a relaxing view are so satisfying. Listen to the quiet! Come over and sit on the front porch with me on the old glider and listen to the birds and the hand crafted chimes and whirlygigs as they swing in the winds moving lightly through the air... close your eyes and smell the freshly cut grass and the very faint odors of the surrounding farmland and forests.


(Click on image to view larger)

Why would I ask for more?



Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Ah! Nature at Work.

And, man at work killing. Yesterday the mister brought in two small wasps that fell out of a hole in the porch post log after he sprayed into the opening. He brought them in to me for identification. They were only about 3/4 inch in size.  He must think I'm magical. I searched for hours and couldn't find the exact one. I hate to loose but did in this case.

Today I made up for it by sitting on the porch and taking pictures of living things. At first I thought the bird on the dam rail was a kingfisher because it kept swooping down into the spillway and then coming back up to the rail. When I uploaded the photos I see it isn't a kingfisher after all. Unidentified and not a good picture with my zoom shot from the porch.

* Thanks to Gail for identifying this bird! EASTERN KINGBIRD

The next thing I saw was a plant I had written about last year - the JoePye weed. 
Last year's pictures were much better because I actually got off of my lazy duff and ventured down the bank at the water's edge. (see below)

I suddenly heard a hum and looked up to see one of our tiny friends at the feeder. There doesn't seem to be the same number of them feeding here this year and I suspect they prefer natural nectar from the multitude of flowers in the area.


THEN! I looked down and see that there is a Japanese Beetle invasion on the 50+ year old ferns! And there is a wasp on my seedum! 

I'm going to get up and off my lazy backside and go indoors now. I've seen enough nature at work for the day.
Don't forget, if you'd like to view any image larger just click on one.
If you would like to learn about the Joe-Pye flower weed, read on. Seeds are actually available and many plant them in their gardens for beauty. The following link gives detailed information.




Sunday, July 20, 2014

Candied Cereal

Such a day! A little ambition kicked in and I made an old time goodie. Mom always made this for us and I love it still when Mr. Sweet Tooth appears.

Boil together for 5 minutes stirring constantly
1 C granulated sugar
1/2 C water
1 tsp.apple cider vinegar
    Then add:
2 T. molasses
1 T. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
Boil, (stirring constantly) until a few drops in cold water becomes hard & brittle.
Stir in 1/2 box Puffed Rice that has been pre-crisped in oven.
Spread on buttered pan to cool.
click on image to view larger

*Can use Kix or Cheerios-no need to pre-crisp them.
3C Cheerios just the right amount. 
I also added 1/4 C of uncooked oatmeal.
*Can add peanuts if desired.

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Get up! Get Going! Go Out!

The bout with bronchitis is almost over so I went outdoors today to wander around the back of the cabin. Back on July 3 when we first arrived home I spotted a wild mullein growing up on the bank. There has never been one there before. We really don't want them there either! I'll cut it down just before it goes to seed. However, a progress report is here now.

Back on July 3, when we first arrived back from the south where I saw my first one up close, I took this photo of mine. (The southern one's story is here: Mullein down South)

click on image to view larger

Today, 16 days later, it continues to reach for the sun. It is not nearly as pretty as the southern one.



THEN! I saw wild sweet peas too! They were never there. I know because it is the view through my bathroom window.  How nice it is to have volunteer flowers to enjoy.



Monday, July 14, 2014

Under the Weather

Yes, I have had bronchitis for ten days now and I seem to be improving a bit. I haven't been up to do much at all.

The rainstorm last night was strong. Just after it, while sitting on the porch,  I noticed a very orange lake scene - one that I had never ever seen before! I have not touched the color in the pictures. Not one bit. It must have been the sun shining through the atmosphere at sunset. 
Click on photo image to enlarge

When I looked to the right the color was quite different. Is my camera sick too?

Nope! I took this picture this morning. All is well.


Friday, July 11, 2014

Eagle

Look closely and you'll see the fish he caught in the shallows by the rocks. He scoped it out in the first picture and landed it next. He was very far away across the lake so my photos aren't very sharp as I was on the front porch at 6:15pm. We often see them (a nice pair) fly over the lake but never have we seen one stay to catch a fish! It looks like a nice bass.
click image to view larger



Oh, if I only had a longer lens.

Sunday, July 6, 2014

Back at the Lake

'Twas the Fourth of July 2014.

It was a beautiful day here in PA on Saturday, the 5th. It was also very peaceful and quiet after the celebration of Independence Day last evening.