Shirley's World: October 2013

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Planting grass seed late!

My daughter has been trying to get me over to her house with my little Mantis tiller to till an area where a large tree was removed so she can get some grass seed planted.

I hope it's not too late in the fall, I don't think so. If it doesn't take well, we'll just redo in the Spring.

Here's a few photos. My sister took them for me.

Sometimes getting it started is a slight problem!

It does a great job though. I used to have a big Troybilt tiller but couldn't handle that anymore.

This one is just right.

I can just throw it in my backseat and take it anywhere!!

We threw seed down and a little peat moss and said a little prayer!

All done.

Michele invited us in for coffee. Don't look so excited about it Michele!

Her new Keurig coffee maker.

Here's her lab, Trouble.

We got him for her about 10 years ago as a little puppy.

Here's a link to the Christmas video when she got the puppy.

Love it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6X_O9Mb0L8k

Shirley

My New iMac

Last week, I finally got my new big computer.

I've been putting it off for a couple years but my old Mac was getting painfully slow because it was so full! After all it has almost 18,000 photos and movies in iPhoto and iMovie!

This new one is a big 27" screen and 3 Terabytes!!

I'm hoping to not run out of space again but then that's what I always think!

After the nice computer gurus in the Apple Store transferred everything onto my new computer, they wiped my old one clean and returned it to factory settings. I'm going to give that one to my son which will be a step up from what he has.

Ava, my grand-daughter already gets homework on-line!! And she's only in first grade!!

Here I am waiting for the rest of the up-grades to finish.

I've always had Macs ever since the very first ones!!

I would never think of getting a PC!!!!

Love my Apple products!

They took away a couple things I liked when they moved to System 7.

(They should've asked me!!)

I'm hoping when they do an up-grade they'll fix that!

The new iPhone and iPad are great!

I'm 71 and have always loved the whole computer thing.

I can never understand people that have never learned.

How on earth do they communicate!

Don't get me wrong, I still talk to people and socialize but most everything else is done on-line!

I'd be lost without emails and FB!

I love having my animals and my chickens for eggs and growing my own food but I'd sure hate to have to not be in this computer age.

Thinking back, before my first little tiny Mac, I had an Atari!!!!!!

Wow, I'm old!!

Shirley

Indoor Trail Contest

Last weekend was the
2nd Annual Trick-or-Treat Tail Contest
at the barn.

Last year I rode Preacher and I think we came in dead LAST!

We did rear, which was exciting . . .

But . . . we choked!

It's a timed event. Best times win.

This year because he is semi-retired and I hurt my back, we did the contest in-hand.

(There were two different categories; In- hand or Under Saddle.)

I practiced things with him the month preceding this big event but we could only guess as to what the obstacles would be. Of course it was different than last year.

This year there were 8 obstacles and 14 contestants!

We were the 6th to "show".

Here we are entering the arena.

Preacher and me. Doesn't he look excited!

Waiting for the "go"

After pressing the stop watch on the wall, the first obstacle was a wooden, tipping bridge with water on both sides.

He did pretty good.

Then we had to head to the back. We had to pass on one that he wouldn't complete but he ran through the tunnels along the back wall which had other hanging tarps inside plus tarps to walk on and a mattress to walk across. No problem for him.

He trotted through that hanging shower curtain and went through the "noodle gate" without a hitch.

There were scary things all around the course that made noises also!

Here I picked up a long rope and dragged a log behind us while we walked over the logs.

He did good.

We had to pass on that big tire in the back. He was supposed to put both front feet up on it.

No way! It was HIGH!

Each obstacle you pass, costs you a 30 second penalty.

OK, here was the one obstacle that we had practiced all month. (Well, a few times anyway.)

Backing through the double L.

He had done it many times but I guess we aren't good under pressure. : ))

Finally had to pass : (((

Here was an apple hanging on a rope which he (or I ) had to take a bite out of.

No hands.

He tried and tried but I ended up trapping it against his jaw and taking a bite myself.

A race to the stop watch!

Come-on Preacher!!

Our time wasn't good after 3 penalties but we weren't last!!

A group of young girls with Hafflingers came and sort of kicked our butts!

Those youngsters have no fear!

Here's the winners.

My girl friend, Ellen won the in-hand with her little mini named Jelly Bean.

I didn't know the girl who won under saddle but she and her Hafflinger were really fast!

Only a few horses would brave the big tire.

Here is one over-achiever who got all the way up!

It was a really fun day and I'm sure there will be a 3rd Annual next year.

Shirley

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

I Baked a Pie

My sister, Sue, is visiting for a couple weeks. She got here just in time to experience the chill when my boiler wasn't working for two days! While my plumbers were downstairs fixing it, I kept my oven on and baked. One of the things I baked was an apple pie. I can't remember the last time I made one. It came out so good that now I want to make another one. This one was made with the refrigerated crust that you unroll. Maybe I'll make my own crust for the next one.

My Apple Pie!

It was super good!
It's gone now : ))

The filling:
(a "loose" recipe like my grandmother used to make!)

3-4 granny smith apples sliced
3-4 macintosh apples sliced
(I use my apple peeler)
Put in bowl and coat with 3 cups sugar, shake in some cinnamon and add a couple Tbsp flour.
There was also a couple squirts of Real Lemon on the apples.
Fill bottom pie crust.
Mine could've been heaping a little more because, of course the apples cook down.
Dot with butter.
Roll top crust on and bake at 375 degrees for 45-60 minutes.
Cover crust edge with foil if it starts to get too brown.

Enjoy!

Shirley

Friday, October 18, 2013

Crockpot Bread Pudding

Last evening I put together the ingredients for bread pudding in a crockpot. It only cooks for about 3 hours so I could do it in the evening and refrigerate it.

The recipe is from allrecipes.com and I will have that at the end of the post.

I cubed up the bread I had on hand. Some wheat and the last of my cinnamon raisin bread. 4 cups of bread goes into the crockpot first with some added raisins.

Then you mix up the rest of the ingredients and pour over the bread, tossing to coat.

That's it. Easy peasy.

Now just cook on low for a little over 3 hours or until a knife inserted comes out clean.

It seemed a little dry last night when I put it away. BUT this morning I warmed up a dish with some milk over it (cream would be even better!) and it made a delicious breakfast!!!

Here's the recipe:

I'm linking this to "Foodie Friday"

Found Here:

http://designsbygollum.blogspot.com/

Shirley

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Beautiful Autumn

Tomorrow is supposed to be pretty nice, 60 and sunny. However, looking at the 8 day forecast for this area, it's going to get mighty chilly and rain, maybe even wet snow. YUK!

So we'd better enjoy these scenes while we can!

Shirley

New Things in the Mail!

New Chicken Book

Yesterday was a great, fun mail day! I love getting packages.

(even though I ordered them!)

I preordered this book quite awhile ago so I knew it was coming soon and yesterday was the day.

It is written by Lisa Steele who writes a blog that I've been following for a long time called

Fresh Eggs Daily.

I hope to eventually raise my few hens as naturally as she does. This book gives all that information to us chicken lovers.

It's a beautifully written and illustrated book with lots of photos.

I just started reading it and already have learned a lot.

(Like what's included in a good stocked first aid kit for your chickens . . . I have to do that!)

You can get her book on Amazon.

Tea Cozys

I recently ordered a couple tea pot cozys for my tea pots. Every time I took my tea out on the deck, my tea in the pot would be cold before I could pour my second cup.

I like my tea HOT!

I went on eBay to see if I could find one and there where quite a few.

I eventually will crochet one but I needed one (or two) now!

This one is for my 6 cup pot.

They are insulated so should work really well.