Wednesday Hodgepodge

 

1. Have you ever had to wear a uniform? If yes, tell us more. Did you love it or hate it?

  I have never had to wear a uniform, and personally I'm glad.

2. April 22nd is Earth Day. What is one thing you do personally to be a good steward of planet Earth?

Recycling, picking up litter beside the road that litterbugs have thrown out.
 

3. Brown rice, quinoa, or couscous...your healthy grain of choice? How often are one of the three on your menu at home?  Given a choice between white rice, brown rice, wild rice, and fried rice which would you go for? 

  I've only ever had couscous once and I was still a picky little girl back then, so I don't think I liked it too much.

  But white rice is eaten quite frequently at my house, whether it is in a casserole, side dish, or in pudding.I love white rice and am eager to try many more dishes where it is present.

4. In your opinion, who has the best job ever?

  I  think a fashion designer has to be one of the best jobs ever, I would  love to have that  job and produce my own clothing line!

5. What's a situation in your life currently requiring patience?

  I was working on crocheting a light pink scarf, and used up all that yarn, and silly as this may seem I'm finding it hard to be patient and wait for more yarn so I can finish it.

6.  Do you live your life around days of the week? Explain.

  I have to say yes, I find that I love schedules and staying on them too, each day has it's own specific task that needs to be done. 

7. In a nod to the A to Z challenge happening around town this month, what 'R word' best describes your April? 

  Ready~ I think I feel more energized and ready to do anything no matter how big.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

  While taking my morning stroll I happened to see these and delighted in taking a picture of them, somehow I think daffodils capture the very essence of spring.

Naming Coffee

  In my family the only person who actually loves, and drinks coffee is my Dad, and every time it is time to buy more coffee he always chooses a different flavor. Currently he's trying all the different flavors of "Boston's Best" coffee. The latest flavor is titled "Jamaican Me Crazy" The only thing wrong with that coffee is that nothing about it has anything to do with Jamaica, I actually think the flavor was "Caramel and Vanilla" now isn't that interesting!  How did that coffee get named Jamaican Me Crazy? It's been driving me crazy trying to come up with different scenarios of how the choosing of the name could have happened.

  My favorite theory goes something like this....
  It was going to be another busy day for Carla Greenwood. So far her day had not been going well. She had overslept and she had forgotten to add water to her coffee maker last night so she couldn't enjoy her regular morning cup of coffee before she headed to work.she was having a slight headache and feeling a little grumpier than usual. Not only was she asked to arrive at the office an hour early, but she was also supposed to attend a conference to decide what to name the newest blend of coffee. She hoped there would be plenty of samples to sip and taste while they brain stormed.
    When she got to the office the elevator wasn't working so she had to slowly trudge up the stairs. At the landing she turned right and entered the CEO's office. Already her fellow co-workers were sitting around the long brown table that occupied most of the room's space. After sitting down immediate discussion broke out, a red headed lady that happened to be Carla's best friend Tanya said "We should name it Caramel Dreams, across the table a brown haired man disagreed heartily and said that obviously we should just name it Caramel and Vanilla Mocha, soon a childish fight broke out and poor Carla sighed and rubbed her aching forehead, the argument had been going on for half an hour when finally Carla yelled "You're making me crazy"  All talking ceased and heads turned and everyone started clapping, " Brilliant Carla, just brilliant" said the brown haired man, "Yes, positively witty" agreed her best friend. "Jamaican me Crazy" is the perfect name. The CEO loved the idea and told Carla  to leave early so she could come up with a presentation the next day. Carla rose weakly from her seat and walked down the stairs to the car parked right outside the building. She decided she would never tell anyone that they had misunderstood what she had been saying.

  The next morning Carla made quite an impression at the presentation and over the next week the company had produced hundreds of packs of their newest coffee.

  And that my dear friends is my favorite theory of how this coffee got its name.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

 

1. Speaking of April 15th...what's the most 'taxing' thing you've done recently?

 This very unfortunate and woeful thing did in fact happen to me five days ago. There I was sitting very cheerfully crocheting my last row of shells onto my afghan when lo and behold the most magnificent tangle came sliding out of my ball of yarn, after spending a tearful afternoon trying to undo the tangle, I finally gave up and finished my afghan with another ball of yarn.

2. When did you last take a taxi somewhere and where was that somewhere?

 I have never been in a taxi, but I have always wanted to jump into one and yell "Follow that car!"    That is actually on my Bucket List.

3. What's something you can do today that you couldn't do a year ago?

 Something that I can do now is crochet, I'm always busy crocheting something, whether it is a beanie, a pair of slippers, an afghan, or a shirt, crocheting is now my favorite hobby.

4. How often is chicken (in some form or fashion) on your menu at home? Which of the following would you most like to see on your table tonight...a chicken salad sandwich, your mom's fried chicken, a Chick-fil-A meal, Cracker Barrel's chicken n' dumplings, a roast chicken dinner with all the trimmings, or 'hold the chicken, I'm a vegetarian'...?

 I'm not just trying to be loyal or something, but nothing beats my Mom's fried chicken.

5. What was your favorite television program when you were a kid? What characters do you remember the most?

 My favorite television shows used to be Hazel and the Dick Van Dyke Show 

6. What was the last piece of 'art' you made?

 The last piece of "art" that I made was my Purple Mountain Majesty afghan which happened to give me a months worth of crocheting cramps while making it.

7. What frustrates you most about the Internet?

 Hmm lets see, considering that I'm an avid crocheter, watching tutorials for inspiration is not uncommon, but those five seconds I have to wait before I can skip an ad and watch the video always frustrate me.

8.  Insert your own random thought here. 

Right now I think that a pan of cookie bars are beckoning to be made by me, so I guess off to the kitchen I go.

Homemade Butter

  I have always thought making homemade butter would be fun. In the Little House series they churned butter, and my Mom used to churn butter, it would simply be marvelously vintage-like, (even romantic) to churn butter. My obsession with vintage things started a year ago and churning butter was a definite "need to try."

  A week or so ago some of our Amish neighbors were giving away free milk because the milkman had some kind of problem and couldn't pick up the milk from their farm. They of course had far too much for their own use, so when they offered it to us my Dad went and got us some and Mom skimmed the cream from it to make butter.

 I was excited! Finally I was getting my chance, but as it turns out we don't have a churn so Mom goes and pours the cream into a quart jars and instructed us to shake it. Well I shook my jar , Diane shook that jar, Eldon shook that jar, even Mom and Dad shook that jar, and finally we had butter. Don't get me wrong, it was delicious and all, and I guess worth the effort. But oh what a let down to my high vintage-y/romantic ideals.

  In case you want to give making butter a try, here are the instructions.

  Oh, and even though it was not at all old-fashioned and dreamy, it was a very good work out.


Home Made Butter

The ingredients you need are as listed:

Cream (approximately two and half cups)
salt, to taste


Pour all your cream into a quart jar leaving space to shake the cream.

  Once you have been shaking for a while your cream should have thickened and have become considerably harder to shake.

After a bit more of shaking your cream will have formed into butter.

Pour out the butter milk and put your lump of butter into a bowl and cover with really cold tap water, chill for five to ten minutes then drain the water and work the butter by using the back of a spoon to squeeze out all the extra buttermilk. Salt your butter by sprinkling the salt over the butter and mix.

When the salt has been mixed in well you can shape your butter any way you like and store in the fridge for an hour before using, though if chilled too long you might have to soften it before it is able to be spread.

We enjoyed it on fresh, warm, homemade bread.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

 

1. Besides left over Easter goodies, what's something currently kept in a basket at your house?

 My sister and I share a bedroom and a small closet, not all our clothing actually fits into the closet, so we store quite a few clothes in a large basket.

2. 'The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.' ~Michelangelo Buonarroti 

So which one are you...the one who aims too high, or the one who aims too low? Have you ever seen The Sistine Chapel? Did you know Michelangelo's surname prior to answering this question?

I most definitely aim too high, even simple things like summer picnics, and birthday dinners show that.

 And no, I did not know Michelangelo's surname. 

3. April 7th is National Beer Day. Hmmm...wonder how that's celebrated? Do you like beer? Have a favorite? If you're not a beer drinker do you have any recipes you enjoy cooking that call for beer?

I am still a smidgeon to young to drink beer, not that I have any plans to once I'm old enough, and we don't cook anything with beer either.

4. When did you last travel somewhere new? Tell us where? How'd it go?

Hmm this doesn't really qualify but a few weeks ago my Mom, Diane, and I went to a birthday party that was lots of fun even though it was a rainy day.

5. The value of _________________________is greatly overrated.

I have to say that the value of  fitting in with everyone else is greatly overrated, and even though you probably have heard this hundreds of times, You don't have to try being someone that you're not.

6. What's a pet peeve of yours when it comes to restaurant dining?

 To a normal person (yes I'm saying I'm abnormal) this would not bother anyone, but me being sarcastic makes that when a waiter, or waitress asks you "are you finished with that" when your plate is completely empty is awfully annoying, I'd love to say "No thanks, I'd like to eat my plate too."

7. It's Poetry Month...share a favorite poem, either the title, a few lines you find meaningful, or the whole kit and caboodle.

  This happens to be my very favorite poem.


    Cruelty of Cooks

If you itemize the terms of cooks,
You'll find we quite deceive our looks.
The things we do sound very cruel,
Like fighting a one sided duel.

We beat the eggs, whip the cream,
Blow pudding up with hot steam.
We mash potatoes, slice the bread,
Tear apart the cabbages head.

We chop the onion, grate the cheese,
Lemons and oranges get a squeeze.
We burn the sugar, gash the steak;
The celery's heart we often take.

We skin the tomatoes, peel the pear,
Scrape the carrots everywhere.
We scald the milk, freeze the salad,
Strain the tea that's really pallid.

We prick the unsuspecting pie,
And remove the baby potatoes eye.
And then if that's not enough,
We smother chickens and other stuff.

Goodness knows what else we do;
I'm really quite abashed aren't you?
We do all this and never cry
'Til we get onions in our eye.



8. Insert your own random thought here. 

I'm planning a birthday breakfast for my sister, Diane later this month. So far I know I'll be making chocolate chip pancakes and bacon, but still need to figure out the rest.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

 

1. In honor of the date...when were you last sent on a 'fool's errand'?

 Well apparently I'm blessed, because I can't think of any fool's errands that I have been on.

2. Peter Rabbit, Bugs Bunny, The Energizer Bunny, The Easter Bunny, Rabbit (Pooh's friend), White Rabbit (of Wonderland fame), or the Trix Rabbit...which of these 'famous' rabbits can you best relate to right now?

 I guess I feel like the Energizer Bunny, because I am getting lots of things done lately.

3. When did you last find yourself scrambling to get something done? Explain.

 After the weekends our house is sometimes " Less than spotless " and unfortunately an unexpected visitor came. Care to put two plus two together?

4. Last time you were up at the literal crack of dawn? Why? Last time you stayed up all night? Why?

 The last time I was up at the crack of dawn was spring last year when my sister and I walked up to our neighboring woods to pick wild flowers and dewy ferns before the bugs had a chance to beat us there.

 I can't remember ever staying up all night.

5. Crack a book, crack a bottle, crack a joke, crack an egg...which have you done most recently?

 I love baking a lot and those Mini Cheesecakes that I made yesterday needed an egg to be cracked.

6. What's your favorite part of a typical weekend? Tell us why that's so.

On a typical Saturday I get to help with Saturday cleaning, but towards the afternoon I'm busy doing puzzles, reading books, or crocheting, so obviously Saturday afternoons is my favorite part of the week.

7. What's something I'd find on a bookshelf in your home? Other than a book I mean!

 I'm afraid that there would be nothing but books, everyone in my family has a habit of collecting more and more books, so things like book ends, pictures, and other objects don't have a rightful place to live on the book shelves in our home. 

8. Insert your own random thought here. 

Spring is finally springing, cows are having calves, the Canadian Geese have settled down, and lo and behold spring flowers are peeking through the ground, they are not budding but they might soon.

 Oh but I love Spring!