Baby it's HOT outside!...and more...

Gracious sakes is it !HOT! outside.... I tell you! ...No joke..you could probably fry an egg out on the pavement it has been so hot here.

Yesterday the plants all looked nice and lush..give it a day and they are so shrivelled up. uggh.

So outside I went this evening, when it got darker..and thoroughly watered everything out there. Poor plants.

But they'll all bounce back.

It has been 90 here today with a heat index of 106. This gal hibernates when it gets that hot out I tell you!

I'm about as fair skinned as they come and me and the sun and heat..well..just put it this way.it's not a pretty sight. Plus..I like my fair complected self and my nice healthy skin..so I try to keep it that way by avoiding excess sun rays.

If you do have to be out in the heat and sun..remember to keep hydrated ,and to wear a hat and sunscreen. Skin cancer is not a fun thing to have to deal with.

Avoid the sun if you can between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. as that is the time of day that the heat and sun rays are at their strongest.

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I have a new product in my etsy shop today! It is so darling..I love it!

I am going to have to make myself one to tote around. They are so very pretty and cheerful.

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We(my daughter and I) harvested all of the pears today..wow! did we wind up with a mess of pears! Fun! Fun! (Our tree is only about 3 yrs old too. So this is terrific..as last year we only had about 5 pears all total and the birds got to them.)

They will ripen off of the tree..I'll have to put some into brown paper bags to help them to ripen.

Then the fun will begin.

I will start creating things with them.

I'm thinking that I'll probably make something akin to an apple butter with a fair amount of them..then probably something like a pear topped coffee cake with some more of them..and I'm thinking that I will try a pear pie or something of that nature.

In either case we have quite a few to get cooked up and it will be interesting to see what I can use these with...but I'm up for the challenge.:0)

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We had an apron full..plus a large bowl full!

Here are the pictures of our harvest! And if you see the photo above ..you'll see that some of them are pretty good sized too.Yum!Well, don't forget to get your name in on the pot for my little drawing here.I'm going to be adding a few surprise items to the mix too..I don't know what yet..it's even a surprise to me..ha..but it will be fun though.

And hey..if you have any pear recipes you want to share..just drop me a line. I could use some ideas.------------I forgot to mention that I stopped by Kmart this evening and bought another pear tree..as I had mentioned that I never know when my neighbor is going to finish butchering hers down. Anyhow the tree was normally $24.99..it was on sale for only $6.20!!! woohoo! Now I have one to help pollinate my tree without worrying about it being hacked to pieces! yippee!

At that price I may go back and grab a couple more..who knows..hee hee. Oooh yeah..I love this country way of life..and growing things for yourself..even in the city! Gotta love it! :0)

Have a great weekend!..and thanks for joining me in "blogland"!

~The Garden Goose~

Nice Matters....

Wow! I recieved my first ever blogging award today. From Sue over at "Country Pleasures"..and Kay from "Cottage Ramblings".

Wow..I'm flattered....

But then I do try my best to be an all around Sweety anyhow though(and no..I don't think that is just because I like my good old southern sweet tea either..ha)...and just hope that it comes through on my blog...and in the comments ,encouragement I try to leave for others.

Too often in this world folks can get caught up in the day to day hurryings and scurryings about..to where niceties get swept aside or forgotten.

The bottom line is Nice matters..and Nice makes a difference.

May you never be too busy to give a smile or offer an encouraging word, or to lend a helping hand along the way in life.

Truly..Nice Does Matter.

And there is such a warm feeling inside when you know that something you have said or done along the way has helped to brighten another person's day along the way.
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Quoting from the person that started this lovely award: "This award will be given to those that are just nice people , good blog friends and those that inspire good feelings and inspiration! Those that care about others, that are there to lend support, or those that are just a positive influence in our blogging world!"
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Now..I'm supposed to find 7 folks to award this to..wish I could award it to more than that..as you that are in my blog friends list and my visitors..are all so very sweet. But the rules to this said 7..so.. it was hard to pick just 7 I tell you that!
So here are the 7 sweeties that I chose to award this to:
2 LMZ Farm-Laura
Eyes of Wonder- Jewels
Freedom Valley Farm- Frannie
Elizabeth's Clothesline-Elizabeth
Whistle Stop Cafe Cooking-Sandra
MadreKarin- Karin
Aunt Jenny's World-Jenny
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~The Garden Goose~

A wee bit busy today...

I was a wee bit busy today..but it was fun.

You see..I have a small online shop over at etsy.com and I'm always trying to come up with unique items to feature in the shop. So, today I worked on both getting some products labeled, photographed and listed in the little shop..as well as helping to get a few items ready to take to a little shop downtown.

Here's a few of the items I worked on today for my online shop:

Actually my husband designed the bookmarks for me, and daughter helped me cut them out, then husband designed labels for both the damiana and lemongrass 2 oz. tins. I applied labels and seals and filled the tins.

I also worked on cutting out some canvas bags...for the shop downtown.

And a few canvas bags that will be featured in my etsy shop.

(As a preview..the canvas handbags that will be featured in my etsy shop will have the same design as the book marks. Aren't they just lovely??)

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I baked a quiche for dinner tonight and 2 small loaves of bread today also.

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I also scheduled all of the Stay at Home Mom meetups for the little group I started here locally..scheduled those through the end of September.. and sent out notices to the folks that had joined the group. To date..I have only had 2 folks show up at the last meeting..not much..when you have had 16-18 women sign up..ha.

Ahh well..like I said when I started this thing..I never get my hopes up anymore.

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School will start here for us next week.

On Monday.

I'll only be teaching one child this year....my 7 yr. old.

My oldest will begin studying for her GED, and will also begin studying about book keeping and business skills.

Things that she can put to practical use on maintaining and running her own business.

Yes..we do tend to be a bit of an entreprenual family.

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It was hot, hot, hot out today.

I must say I will be glad when those dog days of Summer are over.

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Hubby found a few trees at Kmart the other day... they had marked their trees down to just $5!

So he got 2 Yoshino cherry trees that we'll plant on opposite sides of our fenced eating area out back.

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I do need to get another pear tree too while they are on sale.As I never know when my neighbor will wind up hacking hers down..as they've already butchered the poor thing to where it looks just pitiful.It's the only tree in the neighborhood that helps to pollinate my pear tree.And her sons have hacked the poor thing every which way it can be hacked to pieces..it's the ugliest tree...and truly is pitiful looking.

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Well..don't forget to join in the little drawing below if you are interested.:0)

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Hope you all have a really nice evening and are having a good week! Thanks so much for stopping by and saying "howdy!" You come back now ya hear?

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~The GardenGoose~

Time for another drawing here!!!

I'm in the mood for another fun drawing here!

So...join in the fun...

Tell me in 20 words or less what you love about the South!

Then I'll do a drawing on August 15th for a winner..and post on the 16th.

So..get them thinking caps on and tell me what you love about the South!

My list:

front porch sitting

tea sipping

orange blossoms

sunshine

a "hey ya'll"

big ole oak trees

spanish moss

beaches

The winner will recieve a "Breakfast in a Bag" kit

that includes a biscuit mix, a country gravy mix, wooden spoon, and a package of chocolate raspberry coffee.

(and knowing me..I'll probably add a few other fun goodies)

P.S....If you can't think of anything about the South..you can still join in the fun..just leave a comment and I'll toss your name in the hat.The more the merrier!

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Hope you are having a wonderful week thus far.

~The Garden Goose~

I salute you...and more...

Well..if you are a mother or a grandmother....you know full well that children can say and do the funniest things from time to time..those type of things that just send you into bent over with laughter moments....

Such was the case today for me..

My little 3 year old was getting toys out..toy after toy, after toy..and dragging them into the living room and making quite a large pile of toys scattered all over the floor....of course she couldn't play with all of those toys at once..So I told her to not bring anymore out to the living room.

I asked her "Do you understand mommy?..no more toys in the living room..you have enough now"

And she replied "understand"

So I said to her"now sweety..do you understand mommy..no more toys."

She looks over at me..proceeds to stand up perfectly straight..then calmly puts her hand up to her forehead...

and she salutes me!!! and says "Understand!"

Where did that come from???!!! I just stood there..and burst out laughing..I was laughing so hard I had to leave the room and was doubled over with laughter. It was hilarious.

My only guess is that she had to have learned this one from her bigger brother..as they tend to go through the house marching and saying "hup...two..three"..and I have even played along from time to time if I hear her saying it as she walks down the hallway..we'll sing together "hup..two..three"....but where the actual salute came in..that's still a mystery..ha.

I have a feeling this gal will keep me young..or else be the one that causes me to have a few grey hairs...ha. One thing I do know..I'm in for some funny moments along the way. As this gal is certainly gonna be a character..ha

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Well, I mentioned that the little girl duck laid her first egg yesterday morning, and it was ever so teeny tiny..

Well, today she laid another egg, and this time it was normal chicken egg size..so I guess it just takes a little while for a duck, or chickens' body to get used to things.

Since the egg today was filthy..I just tossed it. I'll wait until I have a clean nest box for her before I even start considering using the eggs.

I also want to acquire an incubator so that I can hopefully hatch some out next year/early Spring.

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This afternoon I assisted my daughter in getting some new items posted onto her little etsy shop. She sews really cute items and has them over at

http://www.shesewsbytheseashore.etsy.com/

I helped her set up the shop last year, and have been encouraging her to have her own business.So this is her little business that she has started and is working on to grow. She does a great job with the sewing..and comes up with some really cute items.I'm really proud of her.

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It was a rather lazy Sunday here today.

This evening we all sat outside under the oak tree, sitting and chatting and reading the newspaper together..and I watered the plants and took care of the ducks.

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This evening's dinner was very simple...absolutely nothing fancy..I made large salads for everyone with chicken strips in them.A nice mix of Italian Salad blend and Spring greens blend..then tossed in a handful of fresh sunflowers and some cornbread croutons, sprinkled a little parmesan cheese on top..then drizzled with either Italian dressing or poppy seed dressing..then laid the hot chicken strips on that.

Light, refreshing and healthy.

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My husband and daughter got out to Kmart for a wee bit this afternoon..and found that all of the trees in the garden section were marked wayyyy down...to just $5 a tree.

So..my husband picked up two Yoshino Cherry trees.

We plan to get them planted on opposite sides of our fenced in outdoor eating area.

Looking forward to growing them..I think that if they grow well..that we will enjoy the blossoms for sure.

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The pear tree is just about ready for me to start gathering the fruit from it.

In fact I shall gather the fruit sometime this week, and start getting something made with all of the pears.

I'm thinking something along the lines of a pear honey butter...and I'll probably make a few pear cakes...like coffee cakes but with pear toppings.

And maybe..some pear pie. We'll see. I'm sure I'll come up with some yummy ideas.

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Here's wishing you all a very lovely evening.

Thanks for joining me in "blog land"

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~The Garden Goose~

New Additions to Blog Friends List....and more....

I can never have too many friends..:0)

And I went about to discover for myself a whole lot more...gals that love home making, the simpler ways of life, cottage decorating,farm style living....and just..enjoying life.

I have added their lovely blogs here for you to be able to visit as well.

I've added the following blog sites recently..feel free to visit these charming spots on the "web":

By Grace

Daisy Cottage

Freedom Valley Farm

Down To Earth

Gumbo Lily

Backyard Treasures

Whistle Stop Cafe Cooking

The Cottage Nest

Smart Woman's Guide To A Simple Life

Poppy and Ivy

My Cup Runneth Over

Little Jenny Wren

Notes From A Cottage Industry

Love Homemaking

Homemade Simplicity

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If You have a blog and wish to be included in my blog list..just leave me a comment and I'll stop by and visit with you..and help to spread the news about your blog as well..and will add ya to my list.

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Have a lovely day!

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Ohh..I forgot to mention something today..

My little gal duck..Miz Daisy...laid her first egg either last night or early this morning..as my daughter discovered an egg in the bottom of the cage this morning when letting the ducks out of their cage.

Sad to say though.... the egg was only about 2 inches tall....very much like a bantam chicken egg ,and very unlike a normal duck size egg.It wasn't even small chicken egg size..but more like a bantam chicken sized egg. I'm hoping that when she goes to lay her next egg that it will be more the size it should be. The one she did lay had a thick shell to it..but...was just way too tiny.

We'll see...I'd like to be able to get an incubator..and by Spring have a few baby ducklings to sell..but ..we shall see how her egg laying goes.

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I know I have shared a few recipes already with you all this morning..but let me share with you what I have cooking in the pot this afternoon.

Oh my goodness..but my house smells so yummy right now! Awesome smells coming from the kitchen!

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~Tina's Sausage Stew~

In a large stock pot put the following items:

half of a large package of baby carrots

1/2 of a white onion sliced

4-5 stalks celery/chopped

5-6 red baby potatoes cut in half

6 half pieces of yellow corn on the cob

1 package of polish kielbasa sausage cut into small slices

salt and pepper to taste

italian seasoning to taste (the dry blend that has a variety of spices such as oregano, basil, etc. the green flakes)

6 cups of water to cover

Bring to a low boil..then turn heat down to a low simmer...let simmer for several hours or until ready to serve, and veggies test done.

~Enjoy!...from my kitchen..to yours~

(This is something that you could halve the recipe and put in your crockpot on high and cook for about 4-6 hrs. You can also switch out the varieties of sausage if you'd like..add a hotter variety of sausage. You can also make it more like a gumbo..by adding cooked, diced chicken along with the sausage..and even adding shrimp if you prefer..and a can of diced tomatoes and a few shakes of tobasco sauce for real "kick")

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Have an absolutely lovely evening! And thanks for visiting with me.

~The Garden Goose~

A Good Southern Meal....

Hello Ya'll ... Hope you all are having a most wonderful day today!...
thought I'd share a recipe or two...or maybe even three here with you today.
Yummy Southern Fare.
Hope that you'll enjoy it.
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Baked Krispy Chicken
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6 boneless chicken breast
1 stick melted butter
2 cups Rice Krispies crushed
Salt and black pepper to taste

Dip chicken in melted butter, then into crushed Rice Krispies. Place chicken on sprayed baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.
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Corney Cornbread
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1 box Jiffy Muffin Mix
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup cream corn
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped onion (you can omit this if you don't care for onions)

Mix ingredients until just blended. Pour into a sprayed 9 by 13 baking pan. bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes until golden brown. Makes 15 generous portions.

(these top 2 recipes from the Ivy House Resturaunt in Williston,FL.)
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Baked Sweet Potatoes
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6 medium sized sweet potatoes
cinnamon,splenda, and butter to taste

Wash and scrub potatoes, using a veggie brush if needed. Pat dry with a towel. Set on baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour.
Remove one potato and test for doneness by slightly squeezing.
Slit potatos in center and squeeze open. Add a dollop of butter, and a generous sprinkling of cinnamon and splenda. Oooh yummy.(this is how my family loves to eat their sweet potatoes)
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This would make a good meal all together...

For some green on the plate..add a serving of whole green beans that have been steamed in your microwave.
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Don't forget to add a pitcher of good ole Southern Iced Tea..add a slice of lemon to the rim of each glass..and you'll have it made!
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Enjoy!
~The Garden Goose~