Shirley's World: June 2010

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Any Rose People . . . Help!

Rose Experts!

OK, What's wrong here!!!

This Knockout Rose is blooming but the leaves look like the bush is dying. Is this a bug or a disease or WHAT!!!!!

Shirley

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Eggs and Friendship Bread

Happenings This Week

in Shirley's World

I was driving to the barn as usual and decided to stop at a farm that had a "Fresh Eggs" sign out. I thought I could get some good eggs and maybe learn a little more about raising chickens as an added plus! I got two dozen wonderful looking eggs and saw all the hens and one nasty looking big rooster looking over his "girls". Unfortunately the woman of the house wasn't home, just a teenage (untalkative) boy so I didn't get much information except that their chickens have a huge area, sort of fenced in but they can really go most anywhere. So I guess you'd call them free range. Maybe next time I'll get to talk to the lady of the coop!

Amish Friendship Bread

I suppose everyone has heard of it. I used to make it a lot after someone gave me a "starter". Gosh, I think that was way back when I was working as a nurse. Heavens!! Anyway, my daughter-in-law gave me a "starter" a few weeks ago and I made the traditional cinnamon bread and gave away the 3 starters to unsuspecting friends as required. Then I found out that there are many, many variations you can do with this bread.

Well, of course, I choose the chocolate-chocolate chip one and Oh Mama!!! It is WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!! I could sit and eat the whole loaf myself with ice cream or whipped cream or just plain!!

You've got to find someone to give you a starter and try it!!!!

I'll have more "starters" after Sunday. (Sorry, I can't mail them : )) See, you get to make 2 large loaves or 4 small loaves every 10 days because you always keep a "starter" for yourself! 'Cause there's no tellin' when you'll ever get another if you give them all away!

If you get one, here's the link to the page with all the variations you can make:

http://www.armchair.com/recipe/amish/amshvar2.html

I'm linking this with "What's on the Menu" at Dining With Debbie" Please visit her site for some more delicious things.

http://diningwithdebbie.blogspot.com/

See you tomorrow,

Shirley

Monday, June 28, 2010

Hot Day At The Barn

I'm linking this post to "Tuesday's Show & Tail" at Angela's great blog at West Virginia Treasures.

http://wvtreasures.blogspot.com/

Hot Day At The Barn

It was near 90 and very humid. It rained during the night and in the morning so the horses were inside. They were all standing by their fans. It was too hot for riding too. I just let them out in the arena for awhile.

Satire

Preacher

Echo

Now Echo had a little trailering lesson today. In an hour we didn't get him to go any further than two front hooves on the ramp and his head barely in the door. But we thought we'd better end on that positive note and continue next time!

Maybe we'll take some video of this whole fiasco!!

Shirley

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Horses

Yesterday with Michele's help, I gave Echo and Preacher baths! It was a good hot day for it. You can't bathe a big horse with a hose and not get wet!!! Preacher was good, no problem. Echo is afraid of things and you never know what it may be on any given day. We got him into the wash rack. I've been practicing with him doing that. He doesn't mind the water. One of us just kept talking to him, scratching him or giving him carrots while the other one scrubbed. He only freaked out once and ran out of the wash area. However he came back in with some coaxing. I didn't take any pictures as I was busy trying not to get killed!

Today they experimented putting the two herd of horses together in one large area so they could both get the benefit of the grassier pasture. Things went well and there were no big fights. Just some layed back ears and posturing while they are trying to figure out the new herd dynamics.

(Sorry for the finger. This was on my cell phone!)

I'll be there again tomorrow.

Shirley

Saturday Pinks 6-26

Oops, almost forgot to post my pinks for the week! So I'm a little bit late.

See Beverly's "Pink Saturday" at How Sweet the Sound" for more:

http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/

Looked out in the garden for this week's pinks My astilbe's are in bloom. Two different shades of pink.

And lookie here, this sneaky little pink flower snuck in among all the other blues on this hydrangea bush!!! What a rebel!!

Shirley

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Blueberry Buckle for Friday

I'm joining Michael Lee's group of "foodies" for "Foodie Friday". Michael hosts it every Friday with a multitude of wonderful recipes. See her beautiful blog here:

http://designsbygollum.blogspot.com/

(She's having a great give-a-way too!!)

Blueberry Buckle

Blueberry Buckle Coffee Cake

Betty Crocker Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed and drained) blueberries
Crumb Topping — (recipe follows)
Glaze — (recipe follows)

CRUMB TOPPING
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter or margarine — softened
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

GLAZE
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tbsp hot water

Directions:
Heat oven to 375º. Grease square pan, 9 × 9 × 2 inches, or round pan, 9 × 1 1/2 inches. Blend flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, shortening, milk and egg; beat 30 seconds. Carefully stir in blueberries. Spread batter in pan; sprinkle with Crumb Topping.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Drizzle with Glaze. Serve warm.

CRUMB TOPPING:
Mix all ingredients until crumbly.

GLAZE:
Mix all ingredients until of drizzling consistency.

Here is the batter consistency after I folded in the fresh blueberries.

Cut the softened butter into the sugar, flour, cinnamon ingredients for the topping. (By the way (This is the "Buckle" part.)

Ready for the oven

Not yet Rocky!

After I glazed it I was so anxious to taste it I cut it before the photo!!!!

It is soooo delicious. And just as good without the ice cream!

Why is it called Buckle? I looked it up. See here, 2nd article down.

http://www.word-detective.com/111703.html

Good for breakfast or a desert!!

Shirley

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Finds of the Week 6-24

I'm coming on down to Bloggeritaville to show off some of my thrifty buys of the week.

Find all the other blogger's things here:

http://lbratina.blogspot.com/

All the things I found were from the two places I visit almost weekly. Goodwill and a great Thrift shop in town.

This cute little child's chair was $8.00

This one cup tea pot and tea cup were $5.00 at Goodwill. The teapot stacks and sits atop the teacup. It's a good size cup of tea!

This is my favorite of the week. This is a good size soup tureen with the matching ladle in a gorgeous blue and white pattern. It probably isn't old. It doesn't have any markings.

I couldn't believe the price when I saw the $6.95!!!!!!! I thought maybe they forgot to put a one in front! I love it.

It goes beautifully with my Blue Willow and a lot of other blue and white dishes I have.

I bought this flour tin for a couple dollars because I needed one more white thing on top of my cupboard! It's new.

Now here is a great deal too. (Same Thrift Shop) These are perfect for my dining room chairs that will be painted black very soon. (Really they will!)

Look at this!!! 6 of them for $4.00!!!!!!!!!!!

And last but not least for $1.95, a biscuit cutter. (Really a donut cutter but you can remove the donut hole cutter inside.)

Have fun out there you guys!

Shirley

Vintage Things!

I'm joining "Vintage Thingies Thursday" with a couple different kind of vintage things! Check Colorado Lady's blog to see the others.

http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/

This is a picture of my Grandfather Joseph Wickersham. (My Dad's father.) He died of appendicitis when my Dad was 7 years old. (It was like a year before penicillin!!) I don't know the year of this photo. He was quite a handsome fellow wasn't he. He looks like a movie star playing a part in a movie about the 1800's!

This is my Grandmother Cora Wickersham. Knowing her as I did, this outfit was a little risque for her!! : ))

And then, guess who. This is me 40+++ years ago after graduating from Huron Road School of Nursing in Cleveland, OH.

Oh My. . .

They must have touched this photo up as I don't ever remember my eyebrows being so perfect!

Shirley

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

OK, What the Heck??

It Happened Again!!

Bread Failure!!!!!!!!

My last two times I have used my bread machine, my bread did not raise. That is so discouraging. All those ingredients, and time and I get this!!

It should be twice the size. At least it came out of the pan this time without sticking.

It's very dense!! : )) It's like "pound bread". I'm eating it anyway. And I babysit tomorrow. I bet the kids will like it with enough of my wonderful strawberry freezer jam slathered on it!

What the heck is happening????

Maybe I should make bread the real old fashioned way. Like kneading it and all!

Well, this is on the menu so I'm linking it up with "Whats On The Menu" at Dining With Debbie". Visit her here: http://diningwithdebbie.blogspot.com/

Shirley

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Cheap Stuff

My Cheap (errr inexpensive) Finds

I found these two things at Goodwill. The serving bowl was only $1.00!! and so was the spoon rest. The blue and white bowl isn't old but goes with a lot of things I have.

Black and white cups for $.50 each go with some black plates I already have.

I love these little bowls. All four for $3.00. They're small. The biggest one is only about 8 inches in diameter.

I saw these at Marshalls and had to have them. I think they were $5.00. There's 4 little desert plates. I'm lovin' red more and more.

I just thought this little hand made doily was neat with the beads around the edge.

Well, those are my finds this past week. I'm linking with DebbieDoos for the first time. You can find her here: http://debbie-debbiedoos.blogspot.com/

Have a great week everyone and let me hear from you. I love your feedback.

Shirley

My Porches

I just found out about Rhonda's 3rd "Summer Porch Party". Her blog is called Rose Colored Glasses. So here I am with some pictures of my porches.

Find the link party at: http://rhondisrosecoloredglasses.blogspot.com/

My Home and Her Three Porches.

This is the front door and it's small entrance porch. We don't use this door or the porch much but the cats like to lay here and Rocky (my dog) has a good vantage point of the road from here.