Scatter Brained and Canning

Ok, I know sometimes/most of the time/ all the time I am a bit scatter brained. Last night had to take the cake for not keeping my mind in one place.

I was busy getting the information I had "gathered" for The Weekly Mailer's "School Zone" ready to send to the Editor, and decided to go outside to talk to Kirk while he was working in the garden. While I was out there, I could see that we had lots of red tomatoes, the next thing I knew I was picking tomatoes, pulling carrots and onions and heading for the house.

A couple of hours later...TADA...Veggie Soup Mix! This batch doesn't have celery, well because I don't have any in my garden, but there are still plenty of more veggies out there and I am sure I will have a couple of batches with celery before the end of fall.

I was just glad when I was done canning I remember what I was doing when I went out to talk to Kirk for a minute. I think I got everything sent to the editor. Who knows maybe he ended up with just a veggie soup recipe!

Veggie Soup Mix:

15-30 carrots, sliced

1 Large Bunch celery, sliced

2 - 5 lbs of Onions, cut in chunks

1/2 Bushel Tomatoes, blanch, peel and crush

1/2 Cup Salt

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Pearl Barley

Cook carrots, celery and onions in a large pot with enough water to cover everything for 20 mins. Add Salt and Sugar (I will cut the sugar down a little next time it was just a little to sweet for me) and cook for 10 more minutes or until veggies are tender. Add tomatoes and barley. Cook 5 mins. Bottle, Seal and pressure cook at 15# for 25 mins. It made 9 quarts Recipe from Lorna Arbogast

I like to use this to make Chicken Veggie Soup during the winter, add a can of chicken meat, or cook a boneless, skinless chicken breast in water or chicken broth. When it is done add veggie mix and bring to a warm simmer. OH YEA!!! It is a simple and easy meal during the winter when you are running out the door for a High School Football Game!

Surpise!!

My Sister-in-law know my vice for lemons and showed up with these...

OH MY GOSH They are soooo gooood! Here is her recipe:

Sorry, I had the wrong cookies on the picture!

Pam's Lemon and Zucchini Cookies

1/2 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup packed Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup Butter

2 Eggs

2 1/2 Cups Flour

1 1/2 Cups Shredded Zucchini

1/2 Cup Fine Chopped Nuts

1 teaspoon grated Lemon Peel

1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

2 teaspoon Baking Powder

1 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon Salt

Heat Oven to 375*

Mix Sugar, Butter, and Eggs.
Add remaining ingredients

Drop dough by rounded teaspoons onto a greased cookie sheet.

Bake 8 - 10 mins. ( or until almost no indentation is left if touched)

Lemon Frosting:

3 Cups Powdered Sugar

1/4 Cup Butter (Softened)

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice or more to taste
1 Tablespoon Water

Mix all ingredients and frost

SPT

Citius~Faster

Lelly's SPT Theme

See these neat little peppers?

They are a new type we are trying this year. They are shaped like bell peppers

but are a Dark Green

And they are HOT!!! Today I was pretty darn fast getting to the sink to rinse my mouth and tongue off.

I am sure if you look close enough there are blisters on my tongue!!! NO REALLY, I now know my husband needs glasses because he couldn't see any...but TRUST ME...they are there!!!!

Award

I feel so special!!! Thanks to Deb, for the honor!

You know there have to be "Rules", so here they are:

The rules of this award.
1. The receiver can put the logo on their blog
2. Link the person you received your award from
3. Nominate at least 7 other bloggers.
4. Put links of those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message on the blogs of those you mentioned.

This is the part I do not like...hum...where to start....
Lene- http://embracethechaos-lene.blogspot.com/
Jan- http://crazyladyonroad80.blogspot.com/
Michelle- http://countryvintageblog.blogspot.com/
Jennifer- http://halffulllife.blogspot.com/
Kelly- http://www.according-to-kelly.com/
Sayda- http://callsjournal.blogspot.com/
Liz- http://lizacrazyredhead.blogspot.com/

Thanks again Deb for thinking of me today!
Niece

At It Again

Sweet Relish If you like sweet pickle relish you will LOVE this!

Zucchini Relish

10 Cups Zucchini (the big old ones work Great!)

4 Cups Chopped Onions (I used Walla Walla's and Reds)

2 Large Green Bell Pepers

2 Red Bell Peppers (just for the color) You can use Green if you want

In a Large Bowl (Plastic or Glass)

Grate Zucchini with skins on, add chopped onions and peppers

Add 1/3 Cup Canning Salt Mix together

Cover and put in fridge over night

Next Day:

Drain and Rinse with cold water

Add:

1 1/4 teaspoons temeric

1 teaspoon celery seed

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 Tablespoon Corn Starch

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 1/2 Cup DARK vinegar

4 1/2 Cups Sugar

Bring to a boil. Boil for 25-30 mins. I get my bubbling and then turn down the heat. It scorches very easy!

Place in jars, and process in steamer for 20 mins. 10 lbs of pressure.

Before & After

BeforeAfter
Now I just need to color!
It feels so good to have my hair cut!!!!

On A Spiritual High

Our Weekend has been amazing!

Saturday Night we attended the Youth Cultural Celebration

where 3000 youth from the age of 12 to 18, whom had practiced at least once a week for the past 6 months, performed dances for the audience and Thomas S. Monson, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Elder Eyring, Elder Cook and Elder Costa

and their wifes accompanied Pres. Thomas S. MonsonPresident Monson counseled the youth to listen to their parents.

He also gave them the 3- D's

Decisions

Determination

Destiny

He laughed and joked with the youth before they started their presentation.

And then they begin the EVENT...

"Living Water"

the theme comes from John 4:10, 14

We saw a modern day miracle. It was in the 90's as the evening begin. As the youth began to perform clouds came in, there was no wind (that in it's self is a miracle) and no rain, just clouds to cool the evening off. The performance was beyond words. The youth did such an amazing job.

Today we had the dedication of the Twin Falls, Idaho Temple.

Yes, it has been a spiritual high

Just Smiling & Think Of You

I was just thinking...I love blogging, the friends I am making and the smiles that come with them. I appreciate all who visit my silly little world. I love reading your comments and visiting your sites too! Yea, nothing happening today, I was just thinking about each of you.

The School Zone

Here is the first addition of the School Zone...who knows with the email I sent the Editor it very well could be my last.

I hope not, but then I was hoping for something different here too.

Update: It is all good! It is a work in progress and will be awesome!

SPT

Today I am having a bit of a pity party. The 1st addition of "School Zone" was distributed in The Weekly Mailer, and it looks nice, but it was not what I had in mind for the page. So, I stomped around most of the afternoon, and then thought about the SPT for the week.

The Olympics motto is our SPT this month. Lelly always has something fun for us to think about!Last Night as I watch the Olympics and saw Nastia Liukin get the silver medal in the uneven bars. I was amazed at her composure and public attitude as she tied for gold, but due to the way they break the tie, she was given the silver. An OLYMPIC MEDAL and I am pouting about a page in a local paper!

I think she showed the true spirit of the Olympics and I am proud of her and the way she represented the USA.

IN GOD WE TRUST

NBC is taking a poll on 'In God We Trust'

Here's your chance to let the media know where the people stand on ourfaith in God, as a nation. NBC is taking a poll on 'In God We Trust' to stay on our American currency. Please do it rightaway, before NBC takes this off the web page. Poll is still open so you can vote.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10103521/

My greatest fear is the day we forget God in the blessings that we have.
This morning it was 44% remove God, to 56% not to forget Him.
I hope you will take time to vote.

Beauty

As I look in the mirror today, my hair needs colored, my wrinkles look deeper, and my teeth need fixed.
Then I look in the mirror again, and hope that HIS countenance can be seen in my eyes.

First Canning Of The Year

When I got up at 8am I could hear Kirk in the kitchen. I walked in to see he had finished picking, cutting and canning the green beans! Yes, there are only 3 pints but he said if heavenly Father was going to bless the garden with 3 pints of beans he was going to make sure they got taken care of.Now, I know you are all thinking WOW what a guy, but let me tell you, he does have flaws...he leaves the toliet seat up and he loves to run around the house with no clothes on, but I think I can live with that if he is going to help with canning this year!

Memories

I got this from my sister, 'Lene's blog I thought this would be fun. I hope you will play along. Here are the directions: 1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember! 2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. I know some of you don't know me personally, so you can just share a funny memory of your own if you would like. Share your bloopers with me & lets all have a Great laugh...

County Fair Time

One of the nice things about living in small town America is each year we get to enjoy a real county fair, with Rodeos, Animals, FFA, 4-H, Home made projects and most importantly GREAT food...what is it about a hamburger at the fair that is so darn good, or corn on the cob...oh my gosh HOMEMADE Maple Bars...OH YEA BABY, now we are talking!

But, before all that happens we have the Cassia County Parade, I haven't seen it for seveal years now because I am always driving the truck for my son, Josh's Taekwondo School . Every year he has some of his students that help during the parade either by passing out flyers or doing some type of "demo".

It is always great fun.

So, the parade is over and I am off to decide if I am having a hamburger or corn on the cob for dinner...or maybe I will just fill up on maple bars.

Perseid Meteor Showers

I love watching the sky. I watch the seasons change through it, the light cold blue of winter, to the deep blue of summer. The stars amaze me. Though I do not know where all the different constilations are, I can always find the BIG dipper, the North Star, and Orion. One of the first things I asked Kira when she got to Argentina was, "Have you seen the Southern Cross"? It is only seen in the Southern Hemisphere. So, when the Perseid meteor shower is underway I love going out late at night and watching the many "shooting stars".

If you have never done this...take the time in the next few days to enjoy heaven's fireworks.

You will have to go someplace dark, even the moon sometimes gives off to much light to get a good "show".

I wish I could say I took this picture but I got it off spaceweather.com

The forecasters say the best time to look is during the dark hours before dawn on Tuesday, August 12th. The glaring Moon sets around 2:00 a.m., and that's when the Perseids could appear in numbers as high as 60 per hour. The best displays will be seen from rural areas with dark skies. Sky maps, photos and more information are available at http://spaceweather.com/.

SPT

From Lelly's SPT challenge: each week, think about the Olympic motto, and how it can apply to our every day lives. citius. altius. fortius. are we giving our best? can we find victories in the efforts we make every day?

The truth is I am not really good with kids.

I always say the only ones I like are my own, and my niece's and nephews.

I expect even the youngest to be kind and respectful of not only me

but those that are around us.

My brother's family and I were playing the board game "Settlers", and being the anial person I am when playing games I don't like people to touch my dice, cards ect...it brings bad carma...I know silly, but for me it is just the way I am.

My little niece asked if she could be on my "team", though this is not a "team" game, and I told her she could hold my cards (this is a big deal) BUT She COULD NOT touch my dice. At one point she got a bit upset with me because she wanted a turn rolling the dice. She moved across from me and gave me a dirty look...well...ok this is when the not "good with kids" comes in. I snapped at her and asked if I had told her at the begining that she could not touch the dice, she nodded, and I asked if I told her she would ONLY get to hold the cards, she nodded. I said, Ok then don't be giving me that "look".

A few moments later she was snuggled back up next to me and "on my team".

This is where the SPT comes in...am I being forgiving like a little child? Even if someone upsets me do I quickly blow it off and become a team player? I don't know. But I do know that this week I will be paying especially good attention to my actions towards those that might not let me "play" the way I want to, and see. I hope that I find that I am.

Talk about Carma! Glad my little niece still likes her "mean" Aunt

Amazing!

My brother and his family are here visiting. On our way to Twin Falls, we stopped to watch a crop duster.

and to see how much water was coming over Shoshone Falls. It is always so amazing to look at.

It was a good day!

Sometimes You Are Lucky Beyond Words

Yesteray was just a plain average day. I had just set down to watch "Days of Our Lives",

when I heard my door open and in walk my dear friend Kayleen with bucket in hand.

She says to me, "what can I do to help you?"

My answer NOTHING, but you can watch "Days" with me. She agreed to be tortured by my daily soap opera, and then went to work on my house!

I use to clean my house the day before the cleaning lady came (back in the day when I worked 48+hours a week), so to let someone come in and see my home "lived in" was pretty difficult, even if it is my friend, "who loves me no matter what".

So, a couple of hours later the bucket and my dear friend had got their work out for the day, and my house was cleaned top to bottom.

Sometimes we forget what a phone call, email, or a note in the mail can do for someone, or just walking in with a bucket and saying, "What can I do to help". I am lucky, I have been blessed with great friends.

Happy Birthday Sweet Kira

Today is Kira's

22nd Birthday.

When she came home from the hospital

As a little girl she loved to play outside

Check out those legs!!

Picture taken by Peterson's Photography

She paid for college by competing in Miss America Preliminary Pagents. We are so grateful to CSI and the Rotary Club for their suport and scholorships.

Now Kira is working hard in the Agentina Salta Mission

Though Hermana Burgess is not able to see my blogspot,

I hope she has had a great B-day

Happy Birthday Sunshine, I love you.

Signs of Fall

As much as I hate to admit it, I am starting to see signs of fall.

The crisp morning air, the honk of geese, hummingbirds

and these cute little guys passing back through the area.

So, I guess it really is time for school to start, and the canning of the garden to begin!

I LOVE GIFTS

...but then who doesn't right!

Today in my entry way set a box from Michelle.

I was one of her winners in PAY IT FORWARD.

I love it! The Sunflower Plate, the Very Neat Pin, and Buttons!!! SO COOL!!

Thanks Michelle!

I Am Just Sick!

I can not believe what I have done. I was trying to down load the pictures on my camera memory to my SD card, and some how deleted everything off of it.

I wish I could say it was no big deal, but this card had pictures that I can not replace.

My son going into the Mission Training Center (MTC), a video that my father did to my children while he was in the hospital, pictures of my dad and I, my family reunion, pictures of the St. George Temple. It had the cemetery in Pine Valley, Utah where many of Kirk's ancestors are buried. I have wanted to go there for years and finally did just a few months back. Picutres of my nieces & nephews, while I was in Arizona in June, and a picture of my brothers and sister and I together, it was the first time we had been together since our brother Bruce passed away.

I also catalog cemeteries, and had a small cemetery in the Basin Valley that I had been working on, that I had not finished and so I still had not downloaded the pictures yet. Memorial Day pictures...and I know I am still forgetting other things.

So, yea...I am SICK...I just want to cry.

UPDATE: This is a portion of Kira's email today....
So I did have a really bad day this week…I cried like a baby. All of my pictures from Salta were on a computer in the offices and one of the elders was suppose to make me a disc and I have been waiting super patiently…and evidently all the pictures got deleted. I had already deleted my Memory Card…I am serious. I almost died. It was one of the worst feelings in the world. It was like a member of the family had died. I just kept thinking that I lost all of those memories…there were pictures that only I had that now I will never get to see again. And to top it off…they were all of Hna Picketts pictures too so not only did I feel bad for myself…but also the fact that she didn’t have any of the pictures. I cried really bad. It was aweful. I am still trying to get over it a bit…but I tried smiling and we went out and taught….So I am going to be waiting super patiently this week to hear from Hna Pickett to see if she by chance made a CD before she left Salta. I am not going to lie…I have been praying that she has…and if not I will be making a CD of everyone else’s pictures. Super Sucky.

I guess like mother, like daughter...boy can I feel her pain.Hermana Kira and Hermana Marci

in Salta, Argentina

Family of Rafters

I have a family that LOVES to White Water Raft

Let me rephrase that...my family likes to White Water raft. I like to take pictures of them rafting and other pretty things that I find.This is the Lochsa River, it is in the BitterRoot Mountains of North Central Idaho. This is a yearly vacation that we take, along with Kirk's rafting buddies called "The River Rats".

My Daughter, Kira always wears her bright green rain gear and her green converses.
This makes it pretty easy to find her no matter what might be happening at the moment.


Today, a group of ladies from our church when "rafting" on the Snake River; The place we went is called the "Hagerman Stretch", I say rafting because there was very little white water to speak of. So, I decided I was going to give it a try.I grabbed Kira's shoes for good luck.
I would love to show you more pictures of the day, but I forgot my memory card, so this is the only picture I have. I did have lots of fun, but I still do not think I am up for a White Water Trip quite yet.

ok to clarify the pictures...In the front of the raft is Mooch (Kira's boyfriend) and beside him and out of camera range is my youngest son, Derek.

In the middle on the far side (now in the bottom of the boat) is one of the "River Rats".

And then Kira in her lime green gear, behind her is my nephew

On the back row is Kirk...right beside him and in the water is my brother Morris.

Kirk & Morris were accually the only ones to go out... the kids faces were priceless, beings the dads were gone!!!

Thanks for visiting today!