Keepin' Busy

Today my great grandsons celebrate their 2nd birthday. The weather is currently heavy rain. What a shame. They are really cute little guys and loved by so many! I played with a few of their recent photos. Their mom told me they move so much that it is really difficult to get a clear shot. She gets them sleeping often - sometimes with the cats or dog.

You will have to look closely to see the "double exposure" effect. I've just started experimenting with this option. 

Here are the originals:

And I baked a bread pudding. I added almond slivers and golden raisins this time. Soooo good!

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Sundry Sunday

 Did I tell you that our new (August 2020) Sharp Ninja vacuum cleaner bit the dust? Well, after a couple of calls to the company, it was determined that the head needed replacement because it wasn't jammed and just would not make the brush rollers roll! It was working one day and then the next, nada! Since it has a 5 year warranty, a new head arrived today via Fed-Ex and there was NO charge for anything at all! And, we don't have to return the failed part. Ordered on Dec. 14 arrived on Dec. 20. Now that is good service and customer relations! (I did have to call twice because I couldn't understand the first person as he talked way too fast. The second call was a woman and she really took her time helping to solve the issue.)

Our yard, lawn and snow assistant asked for a gingerbread recipe and I had just the thing for deliciousness! It is a tried and true recipe and he sent me proof that anyone can bake them! He and his wife made them together and that made me so happy! They have four teenagers at home and I'm sure they will all be devoured soon! These are their photos.

The little guy (great grandson) won't be two until February but he has joined the family of very hard workers. I guess his twin brother was hiding.

The next two are sweet shots and I'll be sure to show his brother another time.

The next picture is from a couple, Laurie and Paul Lobbregt, who specialize in landscape and wildlife photography near Milford PA. It is especially beautiful because of the thick fluffy coat the deer sports. The caption says, "On Thursday morning after the snow storm there were White-tailed deer searching for food in my backyard."

                      Their Facebook page is -

https://www.facebook.com/EdgeOfTownPhotography/

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In case you forgot to save it earlier.....

RECIPE for the Chewy Easy Gingerbread Cookies

CHEWY GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Ingredients

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar (I use dark)

1 egg

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons molasses

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher (coarse) salt

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

2/3 cup granulated or coarse sugar (I used Demerara coarse sugar as I didn’t have white coarse sugar)

Steps

1. In large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in egg and molasses. Stir in the remaining ingredients except the sugar. Cover; refrigerate for at least 2 hours!

2. Heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. (I have parchment paper, it only takes one sheet for entire batch.) Put the sugar in a small bowl. Shape the dough into 1 inch balls (about the size of a walnut) and roll in the sugar. Place the balls about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet.

3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or just until set and soft in the center. (10 minutes worked for me and I used a timer.)  Cool 2 minutes and then transfer from cookie sheet to cooling racks. Store tightly covered up to one week. (I stacked them on a covered cake container and they will not last one week, I know it!)

Makes 60 cookies! 

Pumpkin Players

Every year our grandson grows large pumpkins. Every year they are larger than the year before. This one will be weighed October 3 and he thinks it might go to 800 lbs. His partner is the yard art decorator and she really has a good eye for autumn beautification at their home. She is also the photographer for his sister's family this time. The twin boys posed last year as well.

please click on image to view much larger!

  

Time Marches On

The great grandson twins are growing and thriving well.  Just thought you might like to see recent photos. Such different personalities are developing and these two little men will soon be talking a blue streak! No big fair or contests this year due to Covid-19 so they won't be winning another first place ribbon in their age category, but there is always next year. 

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Recent Family Activities

Grandson's girlfriend caught this 17" - 3 lb. bass the other evening when they came over to go fishing in the boat. She also caught another and as she was reeling it in the resident snapping turtle tried to grab it away. It was an exciting evening for sure! They don't keep their catches and throw them back. She took these photos.

More news came from a grandson in NJ who has just been accepted to the University of Tampa for his continuing education. I don't know who took the picture and didn't ask him if I could use it so I cropped it a little!

A granddaughter is honing in her art skills. This is a pretty one!

This Muscovy duck wandered into my daughter's yard and she has no idea where it came from! It looks to me as if it has had a rough time! Missy also tells me that a great blue heron is stealing her Koi fish right out of her backyard pond!

A NJ daughter moved into a smaller home and had a 64th birthday. She's been VERY busy! 

Our local daughter joined her for the celebration. She just turned 60.

And the twins are doing well.

That's enough catchup for today. 

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The Day is Good

At 8:15 this morning a hummingbird came, took a drink, and then checked out the porch hangings. Since last year there are new and different ones and it wanted to be sure none were a threat. First he flew up to "Elmer" the old whirlygig that is constantly moving and often spinning. Then it went to look closer at the 70mm Swarovski crystal ball suncatcher and the spinning Corona flower that I created. It continued to check out the teasel and stayed mid-air there being sure that ugly thing wouldn't attack it! After having a close look at the rainsticks it returned for two more visits and was so relaxed when sitting and sipping that it made me very happy! Now hopefully, it will signal to others coming up from the south to stop in because the area is safe to have a good drink. I was so mesmerized watching its actions that I didn't even consider getting out the camera for some pictures. 

My new flowers are on the kitchen counter because we expect a snow event on Saturday and the nighttime temperatures are predicted to be record lows! 

The twins and their family have moved into larger quarters about two miles from their grandparent's home where they have been since birth. They have a very large playpen!

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Today...

If you feel anxious because what we've all been going through, I get it. 

I, personally am not bothered by being confined or by being kinda/sorta alone, or having my normal routines out of order. I have not lost my social contacts and am not struggling to not unglue from the constant news reports. Some of you are, and have trials. 

If this time is overwhelming to you, it needs to be corrected - any way you can.

Look out your windows. Look at your surroundings with a positive attitude. Smile. Find something to do with your hands. Call someone. Wait. Bake. Cook. Clean. Read. Create. Write a story. Draw a picture. Take a walk and pick up trash. Stay safe. Don't let the uncertainty and stress take over. Just DON'T. Look forward to good days.

Here in Northeast Pennsylvania, pretty soon we will see Spring's renewal and beauty. Appreciate what you have wherever you live. 

Ok lecture over.

Great Grandsons getting fresh air. Oblivious of world worries.

F-F-F-F-F-F Friday

Fresh From Farmer's Field Fruit Frenzy!
This is the second half of our second one. The sweetness and juiciness is so worth the trip out to the local farm market. Of course, we also bought some corn. I'm now fermenting some cantaloupe seeds and hope that my brother, grandson, daughter, and neighbor will give a try to grow a few next year. They would have to be started indoors three to four weeks before transplanting. They like it dry and warm in fertile and well-drained soil.

OH! Two more "F's" for Friday! 

I wanted to mention that it is a wonderful sight to see a Father Feeding his sons!

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Sum! Sum! Summertime!

We took a ride to daughter's so son-in-law could put new front brake pads on car, to see great grandsons, and check out her green thumb garden of today. It was like a jungle with so many wonderful flowers and vegetable plants everywhere and I'll show you a few. We came home with a couple of Oxheart tomatoes with more on the vine. Upon arriving home there were two zucchini beauties waiting for us by the back door. Later on I found out my friend and neighbor dropped them off when she came to visit and found us gone. After returning home I made a large bowl of coleslaw from cabbage that I bought from the farm market last Friday. 
D-licious!

Get ready for colorful sights now.........I have about 20 others of her garden but not showing them yet.

 The boys are really growing too!

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By the way, very fresh corn on the cob for supper!