You know You're a Redneck If.......

I took the back roads to Gladewater today to do a little antique shopping.  I made sure I had my camera with me again because I was pretty sure I'd find some fun photo opportunities.  Like this one...

So if this is TRASH,,,,why would you want to keep it??

I love the concrete blocks that line the dirt drive to who-knows-what.  They must have had some leftover blocks, because they made the lovely entrance posts with a stack of 5, one single artificial stem of orange flowers, and a reflector light on both sides of the driveway.  Talk about 'curb appeal'.

 This place must belong to some creative auto mechanic that needed a 'lift' to get the engine out.  Why not use the kid's swingset and borrow some of the blocks from the previous photo's driveway to create your own ?  I wonder if the trailor at the back might be 'permanently' attached somehow. 

Country Road

These photos are so funny.  I was making my way to Tyler on the back road, and had to double back to get these photos.  Thank goodness I had my camera with me. 

This thing was on the side of the road in front of some one's home.  I supposed at one time it was maybe a 'Flower Bed'. 

:)

Just a mile or so down the road, I came across this rusted out shell of an automobile propped up on saw horses.

I wonder what the owner originally had in mind or what grandiose plans he had to 'fix-er-up'.

As soon as I got back to the lake house, the sky turned black and the sky fell.

Ten minutes later,,,it looked like this. 

East Texas weather is very strange, but I really love thunderstorms on the lake.  Things are already starting to bloom here.  The azaleas will be out in  a few weeks. 

Valentine Treat

I thought these would be a perfect Valentine treat for the love of my life.   I went to the store today and bought all the ingredients and threw the recipe together this afternoon. 

So funny..Do you know how hard it is to work dough with one hand??  (see previous posts)

Here is what they are supposed to look like.......

....and this is the one-handed version..

It was hard to shape the dough one-handed.

None-the-less,,,,they tasted awesome.  Recipe to follow.

INGREDIENTS

1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet

1/3 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (Nuttella)

24 raspberries

2 tablespoons dark chocolate chips

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS

• 1Heat oven to 375°F. Line large cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper.
• 2Unroll dough sheet; cut into 8 squares. Place squares on cookie sheet.
• 3Spoon 2 teaspoons of the chocolate-hazelnut spread onto 1 side of each square. Top each with 3 raspberries and 4 chocolate chips. Fold dough over filling; press edges to seal. Form each into heart shape as shown by pressing indentation in center to form top of heart while rounding sides of heart with hands. Brush with egg.
• 4Bake 13 to 17 minutes or until hearts are golden brown.
• 5In small microwavable bowl, mix remaining 1 tablespoon chocolate-hazelnut spread and remaining 1 tablespoon chocolate chips. Microwave uncovered on High 45 to 60 seconds or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Spoon into resealable food-storage plastic bag. Seal bag; cut off tiny corner of bag. Sprinkle hearts with powdered sugar. Squeeze bag to drizzle each with chocolate mixture.

I get daily emails from http://www.pillsbury.com/

They have the best recipes!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!

Custom Sling

If I HAVE to wear a sling for six weeks, it CERTAINLY will not be this standard issue from the doctor's office for sure!

I ventured out to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and Jo-Ann Fabrics today and found this ready-made zebra print pillow cover, strapping, and monagrammed letters to make a custom sling.

I only had to fold the pillow cover in half, stitch one end at the elbow end, and add the strap.  The letters only had to be ironed in place.

Sounds simple, but it was more of a challenge since I had to do all of this with one hand.  I like this one MUCH better!

Still trying to figure out what to do with my hair.  Any suggestions? 

Ice is Slippery!!

We went to a friend's house last night to visit for a bit.  While headed to the car, I stepped on an icy patch and my feet went right out from under me.  Since I've broken a few bones in my time, I know that when something hurts so badly you want to throw up, you can pretty much figure it is broken.

This morning we headed out in the icy, snowy elements to go get an x-ray to assess the damages. I was hoping and praying that the big lump on my wrist was just a bad sprain. 

After about 6 x-rays of my wrist being twisted and turned in all sorts of painful contorted positions, it was pretty obvious to my layman eyes that there was a break.

Actually, as it turns out, both the radius AND the ulna are broken.  Since there is so much swelling, I have to wear this hard splint for a couple of weeks, and then I'll be getting a regular cast for a few more weeks.  Gotta think of a color to pick though.  I'm thinking 'basic black' so I can bling it out each day.

When I got home, I asked Douglas to pull my hair back in to a ponytail.  This was the best his clumsy hands could come up with.  I think this is going to be a loooooonnng six weeks or so of really BAD hair days. Arghhhh.

Guess I'll just have to make the best of it.

Stay warm everyone!

Last April I posted a blog about stumbling upon a fabulous Estate Sale in the Highland Park area of Dallas.  (Click here to re-visit)

I was so lucky to purchase this beautiful Coral Rose Necklace in the sale. 

I have worn it so many times and received lovely compliments.  I love telling the story of how I came upon it.  I researched Ms. Franey and ended up purchasing the right to publish her olympic photo on my blog. 

Just two weeks ago, Ms Franey passed away at the age of 97.  Such a wonderful writeup in the Dallas Morning News about her life.  I am so honored to think of her each time I wear this beautiful necklace.

It's kind of hard to read, but you can double-click to enlarge.

Beautiful lady.

Perfect Dinner for Snowy Day

This is one of my favorite 'staple' winter stews.  It is so easy to make if you don't mind opening a bunch of cans.  I try to keep all this stuff on hand for a last minute dinner plan.

All you do is brown a pound of ground beef, along with one chopped onion, one chopped bell pepper, and then open all the cans and dump it in.  Rather simplistic, but I'll add the 'real' recipe at the end.

Looks and smells yummy!

I got this giant bag of Marie Callender's Cornbread Mix, at Costco.  It is the BEST!!

And then there's the wine,,,,always gotta have wine...(For the price, $9, this is a really good Merlot)

Voila!  Fabulous cold weather meal

1 lb ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 can beef broth (Campbells)

1 14 oz can stewed tomatoes

2 cans of pinto beans (I like Ranch Style with Jalapenos)

1 can creamed corn

2 cans tamales

So here's how you do it....

Brown 1 lb beef, 1 chopped onion, 1 Green Bell Pepper in Dutch oven

Open all the cans EXCEPT the tamales and dump in the pot

Cook one hour

Open cans of tamales, take off the paper, chop and add to the stew.

Cook about 15 minutes to heat the tamales.

DONE!

Ya gotta try this.  Enjoy!