We've seen our local Barred Owl off and on over the years. We never thought too much about him (or her), but this year we are seeing him nearly everyday. We have a lot of snow pack this year, so hunting for rodents has gotten a lot harder for the owls. He currently comes to … Continue reading How we Care for our Owl Neighbors
I have a penchant for wooden cutting boards & wooden spoons. I appreciate the beauty of these items - the color, grain, feel, the way wood fits in my hand. My kitchen and floors are all hickory. Too much wood some would say, but not for me. I like seeing the grain, the knots and … Continue reading How to Care for Wooden Cutting Boards and Spoons
My family loves snacks. And friends know I'm a good cook. So there's always the questions of what is there to eat? Or What's for dessert today? So here's a very easy cake that can be cut into wedges and eaten plain as a snack, or add a dollop of whipped cream to make it … Continue reading Cranberry Cornmeal Snack Cake
I love salad, but I really wanted my greens to be crisp and snap like a salad in a restaurant. Here's the way I developed that works for me. First wash the greens well in cold water. Yes, even if the container says pre-washed. It's not so much about making sure the greens are clean … Continue reading How to Keep Greens Fresh & Crisp
We all do laundry, in some way, shape or form. And I bet most of the time whatever is in the hamper is what goes into the washer.Some not so obvious thing, though, also really need to be laundered to wash away bacteria, virus, and even fungus or parasites. Reusable shopping bags laundry bags or … Continue reading Things you should wash, but probably don’t often enough!
This weeks polar vortex and snow hitting the mid-west and northeast USA prompt me to remind everyone to protect and care for our four-legged friends. Extreme cold cannot be tolerated by dogs and cats, even those used to being outside. It was -27 here a few days ago - that was the actual morning temperature, … Continue reading Protecting Outdoor Pets in Cold and Snow
Weeks during the winter I can be found in the kitchen making a pot of soup for the week. We often have it for a quick lunch, or as an addition to dinner. Although we don't really eat much spicy food, this soup has a small kick from the sausage. I use sweet sausage as … Continue reading Making a Sausage Soup on Saturday
I love cooking (and eating) chicken thighs. Bone in. They have so much more flavor than breast meat. And while white meat has a place, I's rather serve chicken legs and thighs. But I often find myself falling into a rut on how to prepare them differently. Today I spied a small jar of orange … Continue reading Chicken Thighs with Orange Sauce
Stuffed shells - my husbands has been asking for them for several days, so today I have time to make them. We are having a friend over for dinner though, who has an aversion to ricotta cheese. In the past, I have made lasagna with cottage cheese, so why not stuffed shells? The trick is … Continue reading Stuffed Shells – one of my Husbands favorite meals
New Year's Day, and I am sorting, cleaning and making new bird "suet" blocks for the local wildlife. The holiday season has flown by. Actually all of December passed quickly. Forget that, the whole year 0f 2018 disappeared. So what happened in it? My pet shipping business was busy all year. My mother passed away … Continue reading New Bird Blocks at my New Full-time Home