Garden Post # 4

HOUSTON we have a problem!  NOT ONE plant is growing!  NOTHING is poking through the soil??

I am hoping that something pops up very soon or I am going to dig them up and see what is going on under all that dirt.  hmmmmm, maybe I don't have the patience for this gardening thing???

On a good note, we finally got the garden/compost mix delivered for the raised bed.  We have been getting so much rain it took over 2 weeks for it to be ready for delivery.   Hopefully something will grow outside.  This weekend we will plant the peas, lettuce and carrots.  Wish us luck- looks like we need it!!

Banana Nugget Cookies

Another great way to use up those bananas turing brown on your countertop!  My mother used to make these for my sister and I when we were little.  This recipe is adapted from Marjorie Standish -Cooking Downeast.

They look almost the same after they bake! 

Banana Nugget Cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 cup shortening (I used 1/2 cup of applesauce and 1/4 butter instead)

1 cup sugar (I used 1/2 honey and 1/2 cup sugar instead)

1 egg

1 1/2 cups flour (I used 1 cup flour and 1/2 cup wheat germ instead)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup banana, mashed (2-3 ripe bananas)

1 3/4 cups quick-cooking oats

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used 1 cup of raisins instead)

Directions

1. Cream shortening, sugar and egg.

2. Add dry ingredients and mashed banana and mix thoroughly.

3. Stir in oats and chocolate chips.

4. Drop onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 about 15 minutes.

Button Baubles

I had this page stored away in my "craft folder" and my oldest daughter and I decided to give it a try over the weekend.   I think she had more fun organizing vs. actually making the rings. 

Here is the link from Family Fun Mag

Finished rings with a bit of hot glue still attached!

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Family Dog!

I have blogged about the cat, now time to give the dog some props and the wonderful organization we got her from!  Thanks North East Rott Rescue!

Tia is actually our third Rottie that we have owned and our second one from NERR.  Sadly we lost Tosh two years ago.  Tosh was the first recipient of the Bobbi Fund at NERR.   After being hit by a car when he was just a puppy and neglected by his owners he needed to have his front right leg amputated.  NERR performed the life saving surgery and Tosh came to us as a foster dog to recover.  Tosh put an end to our fostering days and became a permanent member of our family!

Tosh and Abby

Tia and Tosh

Tia has been a wonderful family dog.  Abby "tolerates" the dog, but Olivia LOVES her. 

Our little dog whisperer.

One VERY patient dog!

Carmel Popcorn

One thing that I have discovered about myself since I started blogging is that I spend a lot of time in the kitchen!   But, this was a fun recipe and my girls thought it was way cool!

Check out the recipe over at  Best Bites!   This is my new favorite cooking site.  The directions were VERY easy to follow and this is what our creation looked like:

Boiling hot carmel.  Yum

It makes a lot and I had my husband take the rest to work the next day to share so we did not over load on it.  (Or should I say I can't be left home alone with it!)

Pick your battles!

I walked into the living room to see the girls taking apart the couch.  My first thought was to tell them to hold the fort and put it back together-this is not how we treat furniture.  Then I thought, really what is it hurting and it seems to be keeping them busy and the couch was used anyway and it has been raining for 3 days now and we are all going a bit stir crazy...........  I love how the cat got into the action (he gets a blanket and a stuffed animal for bed too).   They were playing "nap time".

Just in time for Easter!

I almost fell out of my seat when I spied this wonderful craft over at Little Bunny Feet!   What a great idea for the girls Easter baskets-just what I was looking for.  Little Bunny Feet has great directions on how to make these easy hair bows and I stayed up way to late last night putting together a few!

Ribbon and buttons I had in my sewing/craft box

A HUGE bag of leftover fabric scraps my mother gave me- she enlisted all her

sewing pals to save leftovers for the girls craft projects.  This will be project # 2 used with this bag. 

See our other fabric craft here.

 Fabric I found that was wide enough and long enough.

My supplies which included the remote and TV watching!

Wow- these were so easy to put together!

Putting the ribbon on the hair clips was a bit more tricky.  Note:  hot glue is hot.  duh!

The end results with the buttons on.  There are so many ways you could make these hair clips/bows!