Gypsy

This is Gypsy

she is my grand dog.

She is also Roxy's sister.

Gypsy lives with my daughter Kristen but comes to grandma's house often to play.


Lilly is never too pleased when Gypsy comes to play.

Have a great week!

The NOT Heart Healthy Breakfast

If you are on a diet, watching your carbs or just a healthy eater, this is not something you would eat for breakfast. But if you are a southern girl with a manly man for a husband and a teenage son, I highly recommend biscuits and sausage gravy to start out your day.



This is the way to start a busy day.

Photography Lessons #1

Last summer I decided to take a photography class at a Bedford's Camera & Video here in central Arkansas. I still had my Cannon AE One camera my father purchased for me when I was the photographer for my high school newspaper. That was 30 years ago. I wanted to bone up on my skills and get back to something I have always enjoyed doing.

Periodically I would like to share some of my experiences with you.

First, after the second class and seeing some of the photos taken by others in the class, I went out and purchased myself a Nikon digital camera. I love this camera. I could feel my confidence growing and wanted to plan trips to take photos.

One of the classes was on shutter speed.

What I discovered was the camera did it's part the problem was timing.


Too soon!


Too late!


Third time is a charm.

Funny Signs

Have you ever been driving along and seen a billboard that just made you laugh? Could be the picture on it or the message itself.

Last summer while we were spending some time up at the white river so that Les and Lake could do some trout fishing, Les and I ran to the grocery store to pick up a few items. I was sitting in the truck looking around and I spotted this sign,



Huh?

Is there a vintage, antique or non-modern elevator?

I hope this sign has been there a while. Just forgotten and not something that was put up last year!

I hope that this one puts a smile on your face too.

The Eyes Have It

I wanted to share some of my daughter Kristen's artwork. She did a series of different colored eyes.


Beautiful blue


Lovely green


Elizabeth Taylor violet


And one I like to call, A Look Into The Future

Until next time.

What I Love About Winter

There's not much that I like about winter. We don't get much snow here in central Arkansas. We might get inch every couple of years but usually if we get anything, it's ice and that's a nightmare.

So, what do I love about winter?


A lovely warm fire!

Lilly Bell and Roxanne

I'd like to introduce you to my babies.



Lilly Bell aka Lilly, a 5 year black Pomeranian who started out as my grand dog that I adopted (okay stole) from my daughter. Lilly has always thought that she was a guard dog and now that we have Roxy she really acts like the Queen of the house.



Roxanne aka Roxy, is a 9 month old yellow Labrador, is my first experience with a big dog. She does let Lilly win most battles, which cracks me and my husband up daily. Roxy does not like to go outside until Lilly gives the okay. Roxy will just run to the door and run back to Lilly as to say, "Come on, it will be fun" until Lilly finally gives in and goes outside.

I have had more fun with these two, even when I am picking up the 5, 6 or 10 toys they have pulled out of their toy basket.

Cooking Day

Today was cooking day. Les had boiled a whole turkey for me last weekend in anticipation for turkey andouille gumbo this weekend.

I ran to the store this morning for some last minute items needed and returned to start my cook-a-thon.

First up, the cutting and chopping for the gumbo. The recipe I used was Emeril's Turkey Andouille Gumbo. How could I go wrong. It turned out great.

I also put together turkey spaghetti, turkey pot pie and turkey salad for later in the week. I made a bacon cheese fritatta to freeze for breakfast.

For dessert, chocolate chip cookies.

I know you want to see the photos. Unfortunately I haven't mastered the cook-a-thon and taking photos. I promise to practice.

All in all, a very successful cooking day!

New Years Day - Southern Style

Happy New Year!

In the tradition of eating certain foods to bring good luck for the upcoming year, we had a meal fit for a southern king.

Pork - so that you will have a fat wallet during the year. I read somewhere that if you eat chicken you will have to scratch all year (I must have cooked chicken last year LOL).

I choose a pork roast with all the fixin's.

On it's way to the oven.

The finished product. So good, some couldn't keep their hands off of it!

The yummy vegetables.

Greens and black-eye peas to represent dollar bills and coins. Now I only like mixed greens and I am not too fond of black-eye peas so I didn't want to cook big pots of these from scratch. So to make Sandra Lee (of Semi-homemade fame) proud, I choose to take my super market finds and enhance them.


One of the tricks I have learned is to take the canned variety of items and make them your own. So I have this handy dandy strainer that I use for canned foods. This was something that I purchased when a co-worker had a pampered chef party and I just had to buy something (you know those kind of parties)but I'm sure that these can be found at any kitchen specialty store.



I then drain and rinse the food and continue to use my spices and additions to make the final product my own recipe.

My greens.

My black-eye peas.

Of course, corn bread is a must with greens and black-eye peas.

The well seasoned cast iron skillet.

Perfection!

My mother and daughter came over to enjoy the meal with my husband, my son and myself. It was a wonderful way to start the new year!