Wishing you a Blessed Easter

13:52 things that grow

Project 52

I have about 52 ideas of things that grow.

My mind is nearly careening out of control on this one!

School files growing in my computer at an alarming rate.

Magazines piles growing because I don't have time to read them.

Tonight, the dirty dishes have grown and the dishwashers have run off.

Crafting project piles are growing and growing and growing.

Last weekend Jari & I went to Safford to spend some time with friends.

I had never been there and they were great tour guides.

One of the places we explored was the Gila Box.

The land is so dry on the way to one of Arizona's best kept secrets

that I started feeling the need to soak in water or lotion to moisten my skin!

In the middle of this arid land is an unbelievable treasure, 

an oasis in the desert.

A place lush with growing ribbons of green.

The 23,000-acre Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area was designated by Congress in 1990 to protect its valuable riparian habitats and related values for present and future generations. More than 20 miles of the Gila River and 15 miles of Bonita Creek form the lifeblood of the NCA's riparian system. The Gila Box is one of only two Riparian National Conservation Areas in the nation and consists of patchy mesquite woodlands, mature cottonwood trees, sandy beaches, and grand buff-colored cliffs. Inflatable kayak, canoe, and rafting enthusiasts enjoy easy-to-moderate floating and camping adventures in the canyon.

Before you start googling "riparian"...

head on over to see what's growing in Kendra's corner of the world!

Now I have a growing desire to try a little rafting or kayaking!

horseshoes anyone?

This is what happens when someone asks for something on Facebook.

We have a friend who was looking for some horse shoes for a country style craft idea ....

and Jari has been spending time working around a horse community lately.

The other day he came home with enough uncleaned horse shoes to 

almost make me want to run out and buy one of those sticky fly traps!

He dug through them to find matching sets .....

we wrapped them up (still uncleaned because I think that's part of the horse shoe experience), filled a flat rate box and dropped it into the mail.

And now I need some serious time on Pinterest or something like that

because I have a bucket load of horseshoes waiting to be made into something!

If you have any cool ideas for me ... send me a link!

I'll need a few!

Monkey Bread Yumminess

This is how simple it is to have Monkey Bread ready to roll out of the door at 5:15 a.m. to spoil the folks at work.
One serious ingredient missing in this recipe would be the alarm clock with the snooze button removed. That snooze button can cause some serious problems.

The best thing about this (in my current code of couponing gone mad) is that you can find the Pillsbury Grand biscuits on sale and combined with a coupon .... make for an inexpensive sweet treat.

You need 2 of the Pillsbury Grand Biscuit rolls.
Open one pack and cut each individual biscuit into 6 pieces.

Make a mixture of cinnamon sugar and toss the pieces until nicely coated in sugar.

While you're doing the slicing and sugaring ... put 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup light karo syrup and 1 cup brown sugar to cook on the stove. Bring to boiling.

Spray a bundt pan very generously with non stick cooking spray. Place the one roll of sliced and sugared biscuit pieces around the bottom of the pan. Pour 1/2 of the boiled sugary concoction from above over the pieces.

Repeat with cutting and sugar coating the second tube of biscuits, layering them on top of the first layer and covering with the rest of the boiled mixture.

At this point, place the bundt pan into a preheated 350F oven and set the timer for 30 minutes.
Run out of the kitchen and into the shower. If you hustle, you can be showered, dressed and ready for the day before the timer rings.
I have probably let this sit in the oven for another 5 or 10 minutes which is completely oven dependent.
When done, take it out of the oven and let it sit for a few minutes. Too long and the gooey goodness sticks to the side of the pan. Too short of a sitting time and you get a bed of caramel on the plate like I did. (I still managed to lose 2 little pieces to the pan.)

At this point ... you just dig in!
If you're at home and nobody is worried about sharing germs, have at it with your fingers.
If you're elsewhere, take a fork and pry off the pieces or cut into it with a knife.

Best ever eaten while still warm.
No calories included in this little tutorial for a very good reason!

picnic season

Last Sunday we spent the afternoon out of town having a picnic!

The trees nearest the creek are starting to bud and I can't wait to see

this place when the trees are in full green.

We will be back.

We will be back to ride the rope swing.

Maybe we will find a hammock to swing between the trees for an afternoon nap.

We will be back to roast our lunch over a fire

and enjoy the company of others.

We will be back just to delight in the day!

12:52 smile

Somehow this telephone became the topic of conversation one evening.

I removed the jewelry that I had hanging off of it, took it off my dresser,

dusted it off, brought it out and plugged in the phone line.

This telephone happens to be one of many "prizes" I've received in the mail

from my dear mother-in-law who knows me well.

The smile on Natasha's face when she actually heard a voice on the

other end of the line, and was assured the phone really worked,

was quite priceless.

Sometimes it makes me sad to think that there will be entire generations of

people who won't know what this object is or how it works.

They won't know what that dial thing does.

They won't even know what a phone cord is or how it plugs in.

I've decided to leave it out in the living room.

I've decided to use it, knowing that each use will bring another lighted smile into the room.

Project 52 brings you to Kendra this Friday. Her world is filled with precious littles who have those melt your heart in a second smiles. Let's see if she is sharing one of those today.

Thanks for swinging by!

it might be considered worthy

of therapy by some.

I buy starch.

I use starch.

I love the feel of my crisp clothes.

The part of this that might be worthy of therapy isn't the fact that

I starch my linen clothing and table cloths.

It is the fact that I also starch

my scrubs.