Followers

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Sweet!

Many years ago when I was a child, I was given a treat that has remained my very favorite through the years. 

Do you like candy? I do. I'm NOT a chocolate lover though. I like sugary stuff, like pectin jellybeans, candy corn, orange slices, pectin fruit-flavored jellies and more. 

The treat I'm enjoying currently is marzipan. First of all, you must love the aroma and taste of almond to like this candy.  What is marzipan, you ask? It is a paste of ground almonds and sugar or honey, formed into a particular shape. Most are painted. The ones I have always enjoyed are the ones that look like various fruits. They are painted that way and the flavor has nothing at all to do with the fruit shape and color.

There are many other shapes and colors, some being festive for a season and others for fun with all tasting the same. Another popular shape is vegetables. Well I'd rather eat the fruit shapes. 
FACTS
According to the Farmers' Almanac, January 12 is National Marzipan Day!

Today at the renowned Niederegger Marzipan Factory in Lubeck, Germany, established in the mid - 19th century, visitors can see a display of 12 famous life-sized statues - including Santa Claus, among others - all made of marzipan!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The reason I'm writing this today is that I recently received a birthday gift box from one of my daughters. There were 54 pieces in this! (And they are each a 60 calorie treat.)
click on image to view larger
I can depend on another box to arrive around Christmastime. 

And.....these are my 2nd place favorite!





Sunday, March 26, 2017

Published Forty Four Years Ago


The Name of our Home is Cabin Tranquillity

"Tranquillity - - no matter how little effort it takes"
THE MOTTO OF A TRUE PORCH SITTER
By Robert K. Irwin–published 7/2/73 The Sun Bulletin, Binghamton, NY

     You’re a member of the great American be-doing-something-constructive-all-the-time generation, right?
     For example: you’ve probably tried golf, tennis, fishing, camping, swimming, boating, water-skiing, bicycling, sailing, and even croquet, right?
     Why not try a little good old-fashioned front-porch sitting this summer?
     Front-porch sitting is an art that few mastered even at the tranquil turn of the century. Even few have mastered it in these frantic times. The first requisite for serious porch-sitting is comfortable clothes–soft, neither warm nor cool and pliable. 
     Second, you must have a comfortable chair. Any old comfortable chair is not good enough. The best for marathon porch-sitting are overstuffed, the kind you sink into and can’t get out of. Use of a hammock is viewed by purists as cheating.
     Next, you should have a proper porch.
     Any old porch can do, but the best porches meet these requisites:
     First, it mush have a roof. Porch-sitting is no fun in the rain.
     Second, it must be open on all three sides, to let the zephyrs of summer in and out. Some like their porches screened, but purists don’t. 
     Third, a set of clear-voiced wind chimes are essential, since they break monotony. If you are a music lover, a record or tape player is essential. Radios are out, since they break in with un-tranquilizing commercials.
     A lethargic pooch and a lap-sitting cat are essential for animal lovers since they provide companionship without distraction.
     There are two schools of thought on the use of drink. One side argues that fine beers and wines, even an occasional tonic drink enhance tranquillity. Opponents argue that it distracts from serious contemplation.
     Running to the refrigerator is a problem, so serious drinking sitters work by the pitcher, magnum or six-pack.
     The most important part of prize-winning porch-sitting, however, is not what you do, but what you take pains to avoid doing.
     A former champion porch sitter recently won laurels by watching a lawnmower disappear in his rank, unmowed front lawn. 
     Another champion, who happened to work nights, watched the moon set every consecutive night for nine months, even when the orb was obscured by fog and vapors.
     Another ribbon winner simultaneously watched the raising of six families of birds in his front yard this spring without so much as turning his head.
     If you are an aspiring porch sitter do not let these tales of glory discourage you. It takes years of practice to learn the talents these layabouts have developed. The best porch sitters all advise fledgling sluggards to begin modestly and work up slowly to the peak of their abilities. 
     Begin with five minutes, empty-handed, on a day with sparkling weather. As you discover your undeveloped talent for doing absolutely nothing, increase the time spent on your porch until you have learned a feeling of mild indulgence for those around you who spend most of their lives rushing from place to place to have fun. 
   Then you will know you have become a member of that least-populous of groups–true porch sitters. And remember, the true porch sitters’ motto is “tranquillity–no matter how little effort it takes.”
Please click on image to view larger

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Aftermath Mar 21, 2017

Reality is setting in...
I'll bake a cake and it will go away!
please click on image to taste cake

One minute 40 second slide show below

Monday, March 20, 2017

Back to "Art?"

I played again ALL morning! Didn't make my bed, comb my hair, or wash breakfast dishes. I saw an art sketch that my friend Meg posted, using some of her skillions of beach glass pieces. She is a beach glass jewelry artist and in 2010 I gave her my big jug of pieces I found in SC. She has created several items of jewelry for me through the years and we remain internet friends.

Here are the recent sketches she has posted.
Below you will see my works. Remember, I only use the FREE applications I find on the internet, along with my Preview and iPhoto apps that came on my laptop.
I finished off the day with a snow monster picture, using my open driveway photo.
To really see the effects please click on a picture and view much larger. 

You can see Meg's jewelry site by clicking on this link.  https://www.madebymeg.net


Sunday, March 19, 2017

Sweet Spring Special

Last year in June we went to the produce market three times just to buy freshly picked strawberries. We were "strawberried out" so I froze a few quarts. I also froze 4 pound cakes that I found on sale due to the season being almost over.  

This was then:  June 20 (NINE months ago!)
Fresh picked from the field
Washed and hulled
Frozen first separated, then bagged
This was today's lunch dessert:
click on image to view larger
We are celebrating the first day of Spring arriving tomorrow, March 20! 


Friday, March 17, 2017

Stella continued - March 17, 2017

All across our region, folks felt the wrath of the blizzard...but few were hit harder than Susquehanna County. We live here and people in all of our area had a hard and long time with snow throwing!
These nearby neighbors had to have someone come to open up the path to their garage with a tractor and bucket loader. Their truck and plow couldn't make the path to the garage and later found their Honda Element named "Toaster," which was left out during the blizzard, got frosted just like a pop tart.
click to view larger
My Mister corrected me in calling the snow thrower a snowblower! Now I know. BUT...it blows and throws. 

He had me call the township road department this morning to have someone come and break through a four foot opening at the road edge so our snow THROWER can make the path to the propane tank and to the burn pile area. We understand how it was plugged in, but it was grass and sod and too large and hard for us to manage.  They came almost as soon as I hung up and the opening is made. I mentioned to the driver how hard it was for the plowman to see the road during the blizzard and forgive him for the mess. He laughed and said it was he who plowed! Now the Mister has to make the paths. Tomorrow... 
Video is only 34 seconds long. 

Thursday, March 16, 2017

After Stella 2nd Day

OK, the camera and I and the Mister are all worn out and cold! There is still more snow to go!

Some day I may get a video camera, well...maybe!

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Blizzard at Lake Chrisann



Snowblowing will start tomorrow.
It's not over yet!
These were taken at 2pm.
 please click on image to view larger

Bizarre Happening

Strange…This happened before the snowstorm arrived.

Last night, after going to bed and having a vivid dream that one of the equipment shed doors was left open, the Mister got up and looked out the back door to see that the doors to that shed were closed. The dream was so very real that he was shocked to find them both closed. Then…he looked at the water pump shed and discovered that the light inside that is aimed on the pump pressure valve had gone out! This light is to keep the pressure valve from freezing. He checks it every evening when temperatures are near freezing, before going to bed. It is important!  (A red tail-light lens is attached to the side over a hole and shows if the light is on or off.) Action needed: back in - get dressed - back out and replace faulty bulb. 
(Old photos above)
The bulbs we have to use now are not efficient or long lasting for our purpose as those were in the past, and cost more as well. A heat bulb would be too hot, but an incandescent floodlight bulb has worked for over 20 years here and stayed lit for all winter! These new types burn out quickly. One lasted 3 weeks, and the last one lasted 5 weeks. We keep a supply now, meaning more than one replacement. 

Today’s bulbs come two to a pack and cost about $28.00 It is better than having the pressure valve freeze, but they have to be monitored constantly, meaning every single night when temperatures are near or below freezing. 


In the product description on line I read:
Life in Hours: 1500 hrs [= 62 days.]  We never got 62 days from one burning 24/7.


Good thing he dreamed about the equipment shed door being open, eh? A friend said she would be very thankful for that surreal dream that helped him realize that he still had work to do before his day could come to an end.

Friday, March 10, 2017

Sadie's First Flight HD 1080p

My nephew is a student pilot. He wasn't taking a lesson in this slide show video. He was taking his beloved Sadie, on her first airplane ride with his pilot friend. I played his actual GoPro movie and took desktop pictures here and there when the movie was running and put together my version with his film. It is about 120 still frames. My idea was to fully focus on the dog.  It might have been fun to see what she did when they exited the plane. He didn't film that part of her final reaction.


The Plane
 The Owner and Pilot





Thursday, March 9, 2017

Pretty Clouds and Sky, Great Lunch Too

Image result for cloud iridescence
Cloud iridescence is the occurrence of colors in a cloud similar to those seen in oil films on puddles, located in the general vicinity of the sun or moon. It is a fairly common phenomenon, most often observed in altocumulus, cirrocumulus, lenticular clouds and cirrus clouds.

That is research to satisfy my mind after seeing my own spectacular view this morning. I was almost home from the laundromat but I didn't have the camera with me when I first saw a massive "rainbow" cloud that was completely encircled with all the colors! When I arrived back home 3 minutes later I took the photos below. They will give you an idea of what I saw on the trip home. The most beautiful one was gone, but these are kinda pretty, anyway.
Later as we left Jenny Leigh's Country Cookin' Restaurant I looked up at the sky and saw these doors. WHY? I'll have to ask her at the next visit.
Jenny's Photo 2016

click on an image to view larger and see the pretty clouds