Friday, August 31, 2007

Cinnamon Spiced Pear Topped Cake...

Developed another pear recipe today. This one is a very moist cake. It's not the prettiest cake around..and best served with whipped topping or a scoop of vanilla icecream..but none the less..very tasty.



~CINNAMON SPICED PEAR TOPPED CAKE
in a large mixing bowl combine the following:

3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Mix together well.

In another bowl cream together:

2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
4 heaping Tbs. softened Smart Balance spread/margarine, or butter

Pour this mixture into your dry ingredients and mix together well. Mixture should resemble a crumbly texture.

Pour in 1 1/2 cups milk
Beat well for about 2 minutes.

Pour into a buttered 9 by 13 pan.

Meanwhile combine 7 peeled,cored and thinly sliced pears
with 1 Tbsp. lemon juice.
Toss well until coated.
Add 1/2 cup sugar. Toss well.
Add 2 Tbs. cinnamon. Toss well until pear slices are well coated.

Gently spoon on top of cake batter.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Cake will be very moist.
Best served with whipped topping or a scoop of ice cream.
ENJOY!

~The Garden Goose~

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Well..I did it..and more...

Well..today I went ahead and sent in a digital portfolio to the photography company that has an opening here in my town.

I figured.."why not?" It's worth a try anyhow.
:0)
I'm letting the photos do the talking for me..and I figured that if the company is interested I'll get a call. ..but..at least I did try. So..it's the good ole' "wait and see" now.
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Okey dokey..let's talk about something else now shall we?
I'm feeling lots better today..thanks so much for your well wishes.
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I had something really comical happen today....shocked me..and then I started laughing out loud! ...As I just could not believe what my eyes had just seen...haha.

Well... the last few weeks I have been noticing a few dove feathers on the ground around the bird bath by my kitchen window
...I knew something was up..but what?? I wasn't sure.
..but had a sneaking suspicion that my male duck was probably behind it. But..I had no real solid proof..until this afternoon..
I happened to be at my kitchen sink this afternoon getting dinner prepared, when I glanced out the window and saw a big fat Eurasian collared dove land at the bird bath and sit on the edge ...getting ready to take a nice enjoyable sip of water..right??
hmm..well..that's what I'd have thought would have been going on... when all of the sudden here comes the male duck just waddling up as nonchalant as you please....
until he is positioned right up under that big doves butt!!
... then he(the duck) reaches up and takes a big bite!!! right out of that doves tail feathers!!
There stood the duck with a mouth full of dove feathers that he quickly spit out..and off flew that dove! haha. I just stood there in shock..then burst out laughing.
That poor dove didn't even see that one coming..as the duck didn't run up to the dove..but just slowly waddled right up there..LOL oh dear..I start laughing about it all over again when I think about it.
I think perhaps I should make a sign for my yard that says "Warning to all Doves: Derriere Biting Duck on Premises"
LOL
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Got a nice surprise in the mail today from the "Farm"! Wow!
Mary Jane and Meg sent out a "thank you" package to those of us that had participated in the recent pinkeep making contest over at "Mary Jane's Farm Connection".
A really nice package of Farmgirl Budget Mix , and a jar of Strawberry/Rhubarb jam..and a lovely card from Mary Jane and Meg. :0) What a lovely surprise!
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If you have never visited the "Mary Jane's Farm Connection" I encourage you to do so. It is a very fun way to connect with other farm women/farm girls at heart (those who either live in/or long for the country or farm way of life) and share about everything from "how to create your own handmade laundry soap" to "having a backyard flock of ducks in the city", and everything in between. Loads of information, fun,laughter, and caring and sharing.

(You'll find the link to the site up under my"websites I like to visit")
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Thank you for joining me in "blogland" this evening. I hope that you all have had a very pleasant day..and a wonderful evening.
~The Garden Goose~

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Hi there friends...

Hi there friends.....hey..I like saying that word.."friends"

And indeed I have "met" some very sweet people through this blog, and through doing the Small Town Living Magazine..and from being a part of the Farm Connections Forum at Mary Jane's Farm...and also with being a part of a forum called "Women who Farm".
It has been such a joy to share and laugh with you all.
Thanks so much for stopping by and saying "howdy" every now and then.:0)
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Well..I must admit the last few days I have been a wee bit on the puny side..uggh. Nothing serious..just a touch under the weather and feeling wore out.Fighting an infection.
No biggy.But I've been laying low the last 2 days.
-----------------
But...I do have a few fun items that have been posted over at my little etsy shop today.Posted an image on canvas of this cute Halloween scene. It is a reproduction onto canvas of a vintage Halloween postcard.
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And...I'm contemplating applying for a job at a photo studio in town..applying at least..as I don't know if I'd even have a chance.. because they want someone with studio experience, wedding experience and adobe photoshop experience..all of which I do NOT have..but I figure..ahh what the hey..might be worth a shot anyhow.. once they see some of my work and what I can do without a studio and without all that other high falutin stuff..ha.Just think what I could do with all the other though..whoa...now that would be fun..but we'll see. Definitely NOT getting my hopes up about any of it. Just gonna toss some stuff out there and if they bite..then I'll get excited.
-------------
We are gonna let Daffy the girl duck set on a few of her eggs..and see if she actually will be a good mama or not. It's worth a try to see. We have been letting the ducks stay out all night the last few evenings..and have discovered that Daffy has created a small nesting site up under the hedges against the back of the house. And so far there are 2 eggs in the nest. So..we shall see how she does with the eggs and setting on them within the next few days..once she has a small clutch of them.We have just been collecting the eggs thus far and daughter has been blowing the eggs out of the shells so that we can use them for crafts.
-----------------
I'll be creating some handpainted ornaments for my etsy shop soon with them.
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This evening I am putting little labels on another small product for my etsy shop. Wee little "miniature meadows" ...wildflower seed selections... in tiny round tins.
They are a selection of drought tolerant wildflowers.
Great little stocking stuffers.I have to get a photo of them soon and then posted into the shop.
------------------
The little Country Girl handbags have been proving to be a popular item in my shop thus far. And I actually have one for myself now to tote around. :0) yay!
I absolutely adore the design and am so excited about it.
-----------
I will also have a handbag in the shop soon that is the same design as the large Halloween print.(above) An absolutely cute Halloween purse to tote around. That is coming soon..so stay tuned.
-----------
The pear harvest is starting to ripen up now..yay..the pears are finally starting to soften and ripen and turn a lovely golden yellow color. I have about 6-7 of them ripened on the counter..will get them peeled,cored,sliced hopefully this evening. I have an idea for a new recipe to try out and hopefully share with you all here soon.
---------------
Well..that's all for now.
Hope you all have a wonderful evening.
Thanks for joining me in "blogland" and thanks for your lovely comments about my last post.."corners of my home".
~The Garden Goose~

Monday, August 27, 2007

Corners of My Home...

Thought I'd share some "corners of my home" photos and descriptions with you all.
Of course..this is how it looks now..but I'm always changing things around from time to time...ha.
Anyhow..thought I'd share a few peeks into my home.
First..this is my entry way......> with my entry display table..a small table that my husband made several years ago.
The walls in the hallway are all a minty green color with the wallpaper in a parchment color with the apple tree type print.

------------------Around the corner from the entry and just past the office area(actually a tiny living room area that we coverted into our "office") is my pantry areas..I have 2 pantry doors with shelving areas behind the doors on this wall. I set up a tiny table with some milk bottles in a crate..the crate my husband just found and bought for me several days ago at the antique mall downtown. My daughter made the gourd ducks several years ago. The sunflowers are inside of an old milking pail.---------------------------
My kitchen area. I love birds and my kitchen has alot of bird related items and small plants here and there. I put 2 small framed mirrors above my stove also to create a feeling of more space.






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Right above the kitchen counter/bar area is an area of wall in the dining room area..I have put some of my vintage look signs on the wall and a shelf with 2 Amish looking dolls







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In the dining area we have an antique buffet with mirror that I store my tea cup collection and vintage aprons as well as some of my display items in. On the buffet is where I like to create small vignettes , I change this area out about every few months..and around each Holiday I try to create a themed display.
Right now the theme is "farm life".
But up above the mirror on the buffet I have some antique lace with small metal floral pears and mini birds and a garden type print.
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Leading into the living room and directly past the pantry area... is a tiny alcove area where I keep a cupboard with our homeschool supplies, but up on the top of that is a fun display area and hanging on the wall is a shelf of tea cups... there is a hook in the ceiling from which one of my all time favorites hangs..a vintage look pedal bike airplane piece..I love it..it is so whimisical!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Directly past the dining area are our french doors and living room area..I do have plans to paint all the dark panelling a white color..one day. As you can tell I do like a burgundy red color throughout areas of my home.
The quilt is directly to the left of the French doors in the living room.



Then we have the fireplace area in the living room..I set a Norman Rockwell farm style print over the fireplace. And part of my little dutch shoe collection near the fireplace and a vintage churn crock.
Then here is the opposite side of my living room near the garage door.
This wall is where our couch sits..facing the french doors.
On this wall I put some more of my vintage look signs and a small quilted piece and a farm wife print. Fun! Fun!

Well...there you have it..."the grande tour"..ha.
Hope you enjoyed a peek into my home.
Hope you all have a lovely evening!
Thanks for joining me in "blogland"
~The Garden Goose~

Saturday, August 25, 2007

Fun day...

Had a fun day today...oldest daughter and I got up earlier than the rest of the family and headed out to some garage sales and thrift shops until noon today. It was fun. I found some nice things.

Then after we got back..hubby and I went out for a little bit to the shop downtown to see about selling my photos and some canvas prints..they bought everything I took in..which was nice.:0)

I've been working on re arranging my wall decor and actually created a fun item today....
I took a piece of board and white washed it with some acrylic white paint..then attached saw tooth hangers to the back. On the front I took 3 of my antique bottles and wired it to the board using some nails and wrapping the wire around the neck of the bottles and then around the nails. It looks so cute. I stuck some cute floral sprays in them.

Well, that's all for now! Hope you had a great day today!
~The Garden Goose~

Friday, August 24, 2007

Good evening!....

Hi ya'll. I hope you had a good day today and a restful evening with family.

I managed to get 14 of my photos matted and in little protective bags for the shop downtown that is located in a refurbished area near the marina. There are new condos built right next to the marina, and alot of the businesses have been renovated. Anyhow there is a cute little boutique down there that is run by two sisters..and they like my nautical black and white images. So I mat those with a black mat and put a backing to them and into protective photo sleeves..and I have a happy buyer.:0)
And hopefully get a little word out about my photography at the same time through the shop.:0)

I posted 2 new handbags over at my etsy shop. They are really cute.

I worked this afternoon on colorizing a copy of the Farm Wife Print (I have one available also on my etsy shop.) ....and I framed it for my dining room re-do. I'm going to hang it near my french doors in my dining room area next to the buffet.
Well...I discovered that the pears turn a nice golden yellow color when they ripen..which is nice. They taste pretty good too..nearly like an apple would.
So..I shall wait until they turn a golden yellow color before using any more of them..the ones that I used in the pie were still green..ha. Ahh well..the pie was still delicious though.
Well...all this evening it was looking like rain...pretty dark on the horizon..but wouldn't ya know..not a drop of rain fell! Maybe it will rain during the night/early morning hours.
The sign business has been doing well this week..and I helped hubby with that by addressing a mail out, and running a few errands here and there. Interesting thing happened this week..he was contacted by a Presidential Candidate..a woman up North ... that is running for President! How cool is that? He designed her campaign bumper stickers.
Well..that's all the new and noteworthy things from my day today.
Hope that you all have a very nice evening.
Thanks for joining me in "blogland"
~The Garden Goose~

A nice day to you!...


Well, it seems like our residential hummer is back in the area. Last year it was a visitor around October..and hung around our bottle brush tree sipping nectar in the evenings. It would also stop to rest periodically in our drake elm tree and also on some branches of the bottle brush tree. See the pictures to the right. You can click on the box to get a better view of this winged jewel. It is a female ruby throated hummer.
This morning we set up the nectar feeder up under the drake elm tree on a shepherd's hook. I'm hoping that I'll be able to get some more images of our winged friend this year.


Well..today I have some more errands to run..to the bank, post office and to get some nautical images printed out at the photo lab for a shop downtown that wishes to buy some more of my small matted images..yay!

I've been working on doing a little decor re-arranging in my house..moving the wall decor around and creating a new look. It's the frugal girl's way of creating an all new look..on the cheap! ha.
but hey..it works..and it's actually fun.

Well..I've got to get these errands whipped out today. I hope that you all have a very nice day today!
Thanks for joining me in "blogland."
~The Garden Goose~

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

have you ever...

Have you ever tried one of those little quizzes that ask you "What kind of flower are you?"
Well..I decided ..o.k...I'll try it and see what it comes up with..
so..here it is... just something for a little fun.(awww...blush..blush...how sweet :0)

You Are A Lily

You are a nurturer and all around natural therapist.
People see you as their rock. And they are able to depend on you.
You are a soothing influence. You can make people feel better with a few words.
Your caring has more of an impact than even you realize.

A trip down memory lane...

I visited Aunt Jenny's Blog(Aunt Jenny's World) the other evening..and she happened to mention the flurry of activity around her house as members of her family were preparing their entries for the Country Fair.

Well..that got me to thinking...rather remembering a few events from my childhood..and one of my funniest memories that involved a Country Fair in a way...
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Well..one year I was oh..I guess about 13 yrs old..and ..
My dad worked in the orange groves..running a backhoe helping to keep the huge drainage ditches clear of debris in the groves.

We kids never knew what type of critter would wind up making its way home to us by way of traveling in either dad's shirt pocket..or tucked into his large black lunchbox.


Well...one evening here comes dad..with a big grin on his face..home from the groves..the work van dropping him off..us kids running out to greet him. The big orange igloo cooler in one hand, his black lunch box in the other.


He quickly told us 3 girls..(I am the oldest girl, with two twin sisters that are 3 yrs. younger than I, and a big brother that was 2 yrs. older than I.)
to gather round on the rug in the living room. And for me..since I was the oldest to get in the middle..and for all of us to get really close to the lunch box.

So here we were.. us 3 girls ..all huddling over this big black lunch box. With our faces all pressed close together. And dad says"oh..you gotta get closer" So we are as close as we can possibly get without tumbling over..just as excited as anything.

So dad says to me" carefully and slowly open the lid Tina Michelle"
So..I did....and....

There sitting in that big black lunch box were 6 big ole ugly eyes just a staring back at us!!..and all of the sudden ...all 3 of us shot up out of that floor like a cannon had gone off!

Oh land sakes alive! One of us went towards the front door, one of us headed towards the hallway..and me..I took off like greased lightning for the back door! We screamed to the high heavens!

Big ole bullfrogs had a taken' off after us! and were proceeding to jump all over the living room and landing on the kitchen table!

Once we figured out what they were...we gathered our wits about us..and my sisters proceeded to capture said frogs..me..I wanted nothing to do with those slimy critters.

But..I'll tell you what..Dad had just brought home the entries for the Country Fairs first ever "Frog Jumping Contest!"

I think back now as to why dad had that silly grin on his face..I think he well knew what those frogs would do..and the reaction it would cause once we saw those big ole ugly eyes staring back at us!..ha

Those frogs were so big they had to be kept in a small birdcage.

My sisters took the frogs to the fair..and one of them won a trophy.

My grandmother used to set up a craft booth at the fair with her crocheted items for sale. After the frog jumping contest..my sisters kept the prize winning frog/frogs in a cage up under the table. Folks kept coming by looking at those huge bull frogs and asking if they could buy them for frog legs. My dad told them "No" they aren't for frog legs, but if you want to buy them to use as breeding stock in your pond..then I'll sell them." He wound up selling them for I think it was about $10-$12.
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I used to be involved with 4-H as a kid..and our 4-H group was called "The Hillsborough Hillbillies" because we lived on a road called Hillsborough.
I was the treasurer/secretary of our club. Our neighbor was the club coordinator.
The things that I remember studying about in 4-H were horticulture, and poultry.
I remember entering art work..mostly oil paintings I had done.
It was always fun to bring home a ribbon.
I also always loved the livestock exhibits...and the craft booths..that was really my most favorite part of the fair..seeing the animals and the crafts that folks would make. I wasn't ever very interested in the rides.
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So..there you have it..a few of my memories from "way back when"...that had to do with the "Country Fair" :0)
Thanks for joining me in "blogland"
Have a wonderful evening!
~The Garden Goose~

Monday, August 20, 2007

"Glowingly Yours...and more...


In case you haven't figured it out by now...
I'm not fond of hot weather
...nope..nadah..no way!

Sure it produces that good old "Southern Belle Glow"...ha..and of course that depends upon what Southern Belle is telling the tale too.

...let's be honest here..the sweat drips off of ya in rivers and leaves puddles under your feet...

So in case you are outside standing on a sidewalk being friendly with the neighbors...you might wanna make sure you are carrying a glass of tea that you can sort of act like you have suddenly spilled it..so as not to look like you have peed on the pavement...
or even a jar of pickles and just ya know sort of..drop them..cause that big puddle of sweat that has dripped down your legs while you are trying to show forth a little bit of "Southern Hospitality".... has really created a big spot. (Now tell me..what is feminine about that???)and there it is creating rivulets in parts of your anatomy that..well..the sun just aint supposed to shine there!
It's just plain disgustin'..there aint' nothing feminine about it...
what's with this.."glow" stuff anyhow. It's hotter than who knows what..and when it gets this hot..well..a "Southern Belle"..I don't care who she is..can get grumpy in this kind of stuff I tell you!
Yep..it's been HOT here. Temps in the mid 90's with heat indexes from 106 to 110..uggh.
I'll try to stay sweet..honest I will... and I'll try to say that I'm just "glowing"...ha.

So next time I sign a letter to ya "Glowingly Yours"...you'll know what I really mean...haha.
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It was a nice relaxing sort of weekend here. ..define that as ...very uneventful...or as a teenager would say..."boring". But it was relaxing none the less.
I think my big accomplishment was to come up with the pear recipe that I shared here. Hope you get a chance to try it. It was practically inhaled here at my house..ha.
My crew really enjoyed it.
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Last night I sat on the couch watching my 3 yr. old play on the rug..what fun!
The imagination that kids have at that age! How fascinating! I watched her as she made cars "zoom!" across the floor, and lined little farm animals up in a row. It was so very fun to just sit and watch her play in her own little way.
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Tonight I took a few photos from the yard..there wasn't much blooming at all..just one rose bush and a zinnia. Everything else I guess is just happy to be alive in this heat..and has not been blooming lately. I've posted some of the photos of the roses though for you to enjoy.
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Well...that's all for now. I hope that you have a wonderful evening!
Thanks for joining me in "blogland"

~The Garden Goose~

Saturday, August 18, 2007

Deep Dish Struesel Topped Pear Pie

I did tell you all that I would start creating something with the pears gathered from off of my pear tree..and this is a recipe that I invented this evening..yummy too! and not too difficult.







DEEP DISH STRUESEL TOPPED PEAR PIE

1 frozen pie crust..thawed and placed into bottom of a deep dish pie plate/crimp sides slightly.

4-6 pears, peeled, cored and sliced
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 TBS cinnamon
1 cup packed sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar

Cook in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat until pears are tender (about 25 minutes cook time)

Remove from heat and quickly stir in 2 TBS. tapioca pearls.
Let sit about 5 minutes.
Pour over into your pie crust.Spread out evenly.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile prepare struesel topping:

1/4 cup sugar
2 TBS. cinnamon
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup quick cook oats
2 TBS. softened butter or margarine
mix together with a fork until resembles a slightly crumbly mixture.

After the pie has baked for 30 minutes..remove and top with your struesel topping. Add 2 more TBSp. of soft butter to the top of the struesel in the very middle of the pie.
Return to oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Remove and let cool slightly before slicing.
Top with icecream or whip topping if preferred.
Enjoy!

~The Garden Goose~

"Shine! Shine!"...and "Just To BE"....

This morning being a Saturday..we all slept in a bit. ...but wee 3 yr. old and I were up earlier than everyone else and so we decided to rouse the others.


My little one went in by her dad and declared "Shine!..Shine!" (she hasn't figured out yet that it's actually.."Rise and Shine!") So she'll say.. in her little 3 yr. old darling sing-songy way..."Shine!Shine!" ..then she will dance around the room twirling around and holding her arms over her head as she twirls about..."Shine! Shine!"

What an awesome way to be greeted in the morning..and what a beaming outlook!
So... here's to you all...I hope that every day you remember to "Shine!...Shine!"
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I was thinking today about a few things ....perhaps a bit of a different thing than what I normally mention here...but a thought/thoughts I had none the less.....

.... how so often folks are in a hurry, skurrying about, going and doing...hardly time for taking a break and just "Be-ing" anymore.
Seems that so often folks are shaped by their peers and societies ideas...from a very early age.
Shaped by what others think they should be, where they should go..what they should do...how they should act.

(I'm not saying that sometimes these things aren't necessary..indeed they are..especially when it comes to the raising of young children..we try so hard to steer our children in the right directions through life.)

What I am talking about though..is how so often into the adult years there is so much the mentality of ..."being like the Joneses", ..the "I must have this".."I must dress this way because it's the latest fad"..or "I must drive such and such style of car because it's the latest status symbol" ..or the comparisons of salaries amongst folks or the "my kid is better than your kid because.." or the "my house cost more than your house"...anyhow..you get the picture I'm trying to paint here...
So often the "trying to be what society says we should be like"....that they lose sight of who they are...

Too often folks lose sight of the real thing......
The simplicity of life and the joys found therein.

The joy of simply..."Just to BE"...

Just to be who you are..with no airs being put on.
No falsity. No hypocrisy.
No doing things because it's what someone else thinks you should do/be...or what society deems as "having arrived"....
having arrived at what?... perhaps a state of being in debt? and worrying about everything...how bills will be payed..etc... because of those high dollar toys that were bought to "keep up with the Joneses"?

Oh no!....the art of "Just to BE" is very special indeeed....
It's the taking time to breathe in a breath of fresh air..exhaling slowly...and taking the time to watch the spider in it's web. The bird on the wing.
Listening to the hum of a lawn mower a few houses away. The sound of crickets chirping in the evening.
It's the letting your hair down and walking around barefoot in the grass if you want to.
It's the "I'm being me!" mentality.
Try it sometime...you may actually enjoy the new you that you find along the way!
It's the art of ..."Just to BE!" (no strings attached)
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~The Garden Goose~

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Ode to the South!...

Another of the entries in the little contest ..I thought this one was deserving of a post all by itself..because I just loved it!


Miz Frannie from Freedom Valley Farm wrote this:(I think it sums it up pretty good)

Twenty Short Words To Describe The South

Would Drip Like Honey From My Mouth.

I'd Tell Of All My Kith And Kin

And Then I'dTell It All O'er Agin.

The Stories OfCountry Before The Town

Of Those Who Plowed Our Fertile Ground.

Our Fathers And Mothers Who Came And Stayed

On Whose Foundation Our South Is Laid.

All The Traditions They Brought With Them

The Songs They Sang And The Worship Hymn.

The Stories, The Lessons,TheStrength,TheLove

Always Thanking The One Above.

Teaching Goodness By Living The Part

Showing Kindness Is From The Heart.

A Hard Earned Dollar

For A Hard Day's Work

We're Taught In Life Never To Shirk.

The South Is Lasting

The South Is True

We Give Our Best In All We Do.

This Is Of What The South Is Made

Not For North, OrEast, NorWest I'dTrade.

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(and I say..Amen! ) :0)

~The Garden Goose~

And the winner is.... and more...

Today was the drawing for the "Breakfast in the Bag"

I put all of the names on strips of index card and then put them in a large bowl and had my hubby draw a name....and the winner is....

KAY from "Cottage Ramblings"

Congratulations Kay!
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First of all I wanted to talk a little about friendship..and how that I have been fortunate to find a few wonderful women folk online...and it seems that we are all kindred spirits indeed.

I so very much enjoy the fact that you all visit here with me, as well as over at Mary Jane's Farm..and also take the time to email with me once in a while.It is a real treat and a blessing to me. Thanks so much!
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One of those dear friends shared her favorite poem with me..and I must say I love this poem also.
(thank you Miz Frannie from "Freedom Valley Farm-Kentucky)
I shot an arrow into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For, so swiftly it flew,
the sightCould not follow it in its flight.
I breathed a song into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For who has sight so keen and strong,
That it can follow the flight of song?
Long, long afterward,
in an oakI found the arrow,
still unbroke;
And the song,
from beginning to end,
I found again
in the heart of a friend.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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Here are some of the "Odes to the South" that some of you entered in the contest..some of you were so very creative. I enjoyed all of the input. Thanks so much!

from Laura:
1- sweet tea 2- lazy summer days 3- grits( girls raised in the south)4-saw mill gravy 5-porch sitting 6-boiled peanuts 7-the blues 8-farmed raised catfish 9-tomato sandwiches 10-banana sandwiches 11-black-eyed peas 12-magnolias in the spring 13-the gulf 14-b.b.king 15-redbuds in the spring 16-best cornbread on earth 17-overalls are business casual 18-moon pies 19-where else can a blue tick hound sit at the dinner table(lol) and the last 20- ELVIS!!!

from Angie:
Grandma's porch swing and buttermilk biscuits. Talking "southern" when I am tired or mad, because it's always in your soul.

from Denise S.:
They have a way down South we could all take a lesson from at one time or another.Manners, most southerners still have wonderful manners and aren't afraid to use them.Accents, the most melodic sound in the world to me,my relatives live there.Food,oh baby the list is endless but a few favorites are catfish,shrimp,slow & low BBQ,hushpuppies,berry cobblers,black eyed peas and greens,crab boils,pecan pie,and beautiful woman wearing aprons.So much to love about the South!

from Sandi @the WhistleStop Cafe:
Southern kindness~ gentle men~ straw hats~ gracious ladies~ sweet tea~ kudzu~ ocean breezes~ buffalo rock gingerale~ fried green tomatoes!

from Bright Meadow Farms:
Bare feet on red clay.
The lake has alligators.
Georgia, five years old.
Big farmhouse -iron beds
Family's arms spreading wide
Biscuits feather-light

from Aunt George:
I nteresting museums

L ittle shops
O ld magnolias
V iolets
E arnest folks

T arheels
H ot Cornbread
E everything Fried

S unrises
O cean
U ptown Richmond
T acos
H am

from Janet:
Catfish fries,
Pecan pies…
Kudzu jelly,“Miss Melly…
”Storytelling, Quite compelling…
Mansion ghosts,Sugar coasts…
Yakkity-yak,“Y’all come back!”

from Miz Frannie over at Freedom Valley Farm:
AN OPEN HEART ..
AND GENTLE MIND ...
THE SOUTH'S SOUL CAPTURES
THE ESSENCE OF "KIND"
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Thank you all so very much! I enjoyed all of the input and the poetry that sprang forth from your hearts.

~The Garden Goose~

Monday, August 13, 2007

Some Recipes to Share....


Today I was "errand girl"...ha. Almost sounds like I should have a cape to go with that title and be endowed with some sort of a Super Power now huh? Gee ..I wonder what type of outfit I would wear? hmm..maybe an apron and a cape together huh? Now wouldn't that be cool?..:0)
Anyhow... First I had a delivery to another sign shop this afternoon, then immediately following that I had to be at a dr's appointment with dear son..waited about half an hour in the waiting room, didn't get out of there til about 3:30...rushed over to shoe store for daughter to find a pair of shoes... then had to get to the post office...the post office way across town near home..closes at 4:30..so I had to get packages sent out today..go to the post office and they were packed..had to wait about 20 minutes in line there to get my packages sent...then back home to finish up school lessons with dear son..then afterwards had to vaccuum and straighten up some areas of the house...busy day!

At least not everyday is spent running...but "Super Mom"/errand girl" got every thing done..and saved the day...yet once again! Hooray!...ha
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Well...I have a few of my grandmother's recipes that I'm going to share tonight...
First up is a recipe for a type of pancake syrup my grandmother used to make:

KOOLAID SYRUP (makes 1 1/2 to 2 cups)
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2 cups brown sugar
1 cup prepared KoolAid (any flavor..but granny used to use the red varieties/punch types)
1 tsp. vanilla extract

In small saucepan combine all. Cook on high until boiling. Cover and turn down heat. Simmer for 10-20 minutes or until thickened. Do NOT stir.
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EASY APPLE PIE
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6-8 apples,peeled,cored,sliced and cooked until tender
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup sugar
4 TBS. butter
3/4 cup plain flour
Dash of salt
1/2 cup milk

Combine all ingredients except apples.
Then gently fold in apples.
Bake at 450 degrees until crust is brown. About 20 minutes.
(grease and use a pie pan for this)
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Well..there are a few of my sweet Granny Helen's recipes that I have shared with you this evening.
My granny used to own a resturaunt many years ago(back in the early 60's) in Euphrata, Wa.
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Enjoy!

Hope you all have a lovely evening!
Thanks for joining me in "blogland"

~The Garden Goose~

Sunday, August 12, 2007

Whoa! Nellie...


Well, I decided to just jump in and start re-arranging things around here today...oh my! ha.
It becomes a full time effort..nearly all day long..moving this object from this room ..then to that room, and figuring out a new look for a room.

It's an undertaking..but after it is completed it's a very inexpensive way to get a whole new look too.

I've been re-arranging areas of my living room today..still haven't finished that yet.

Then daughter and I decided that her room can be converted to a crafting room/studio. We still have lots to tackle in there.
But we are switching out some room sets/dressers and ..well..boy howdy..you can imagine!
..ha
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Making some progress on things..and it's looking nice though.
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Well...we recieved a little bit of rain today..and for that I am glad. It has been too hot.
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Daisy the duck laid 2 eggs on the patio by my back door today..both were very thin shelled and nearly see through..she only started laying eggs last week..some have been perfectly fine, while others have been real small..then some have had the really thin shells. I was told that it takes them a while to "get the hormones in balance". I hope that eventually things balance out for her and she can lay decent eggs.
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It really hasn't been very exciting here today..just alot of room clean up and re- arranging. ...and dear daughter is excited about transforming her bedroom into a studio/crafting area.
And I'm glad that I have created a whole new look for my master bedroom...for free..ha.
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Well...I hope that you all have had a good weekend.
As of tomorrow my summer break is officially over, and I will again resume the role of teacher.
I'm actually looking forward to it..and so is my son.
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That's all for tonight...short and sweet. I'll make it up to you all later this week though...I promise.:0)
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Have a good evening!
~The Garden Goose~

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Holding on to the Memories...







We all have very precious memories in our lives that we hold on to very strongly..for me one of my memories is that of my dear Grandmother. Today marks 3 yrs. since she has been gone from my life...and I miss her terribly still.
She was such a sweet presence in my life. The one from whom I gained a love of cooking and for the simpler things in life.

So many things I remember about her.
Her lovely smile. Sitting crocheting in her room , sipping sweet tea, or iced coffee. Always every day wearing an apron.
Homemade bread baking.
The best meals your mouth ever tasted.
Making homemade noodles together.
Just sitting in silence..just free to be us.
Heart strings tied together.
Hard to describe the bond..but it was precious. So very precious to me.
Granny..I miss you.
~Tina