Mulligan Stew

A little bit of random everything.  Just so you know...

1.January is the low point in my year. My eldest daughter said my nickname should be "winterslayer" and she is so right.  Thankfully, things begin to look up in February.  It's a short month, and let me just say right here, whoever decided that February should be the short month, and not, for instance, May really had it together. If one has a choice, the short month should be the one right before  spring begins don't you think? As I was saying though, I find February fairly easy to overlook. It's short, it has a nice holiday smack dab in the middle and then we begin to dream of Spring.  In less than two weeks, March will be here. I love March. I know it can be blustery,  but it's a month full of possibility. It's a roll of the dice, and while you're waiting to see what happens you get to look forward to Easter, and April, and little green shoots appearing in the garden. March is a month of hope in my book. I am ready for whatever it brings:>)

 2.I've been picking away at a scrappy trip around the world quilt.  It's almost big enough and I plan to have it ready to quilt by the end of the month.  I love it's bright colors. I laid what I have done out on the bed while I worked on more blocks this morning and I must say, it makes me happy. I have a little bit of swapping and switching to get the pattern just right but I think it will be a happy quilt.

Check out the backward bokeh on this photo. How much talent must it take to get the back ground in focus and blur the item in front? Wow, I rock! Lol
 

3. I'm trying to drop a few pounds, as usual. Stocking up on fruit and veggies, digging the Weight Watchers resources out and trying, trying, trying to stick to them.

I was just reading articles about how celebs keep off the weight.  Gwyneth Paltrow works out for 2 hours a day (!) and still only eats salad and veggies.   Allison Sweeneys weight loss secret is lean protein and, yes, salad. She said she has been known to just stand and stare at a plate of cookies until someone leads her away.  Good Lord! Who has time to spend 2 hours a day exercising and dang it, I refuse to give up cookies forever.  Maybe I could eat fewer but really, I couldn't live like that.  Guess I'll never look like Gwyneth or Allison, but I'm willing to trade a few pounds for the ability to eat a cookie now and then.
 

4. I realized the other day that my gym membership card is kept in the same pocket of my purse as my Panera rewards card, and no, I don't see any irony in that. Well, maybe a little.

5. These are what I am reading right now. Something I have long wanted to learn and I'm finally learning it. Spoonflower here I come:>)

6. I am making a book of  my blog. Go to blurb.com, download the free program, let it slurp your blog up, and then edit and order. I think it's pretty reasonably priced and I will have a hard copy of everything I've done. I plan to make each year it's own issue.  How awesome is that?

What's new with you?

 

 

 

 

 

 



Happy Valentines Day

Well it's been 6 years of blogging, can you believe it? I started this little blog in February of 2007, never even knowing that I would meet such lovely people from all over the world. It began as a family communication tool and became so much more.

To all my old friends who have encouraged and inspired me in ways that set my feet on a different path, thank you. You just have no idea how important you are to me.

To all my new friends that I meet every day, welcome. I look forward to getting to know you better:>)

Happy Valentines Day to my friends in Blogland

Fun in the mail

The mailman  brought me a little treat the other day.  A yard of this fun cotton/linen fabric

 and a gift certificate I just can't wait to use.

Kathy, at Stitch by Stitch, had a giveaway and I was the lucky winner!

Now I really have to finish one of the 3 or 4 quilts  I have started.  Lol, ahem. 

And today, I got sunshine and rainbows from the crystal prisms on the Valentine tree.
You get a sneak peek at the new rug too:>)

I hope you got sunshine and rainbows and fun mail this week too. Shouldn't everyone?

I was hoping to get a sunny photo of my Valentine tree.  Just some branches tucked into a gorgeous mercury glass vase that Victoria gave me for Christmas, a few felt hearts added with little glittery clothes pins I had on hand,I added some old  crystal chandelier prisms and  if the sun ever comes out again I look forward to rainbows shining on my walls:>)

This is a quick post, I really need to get ready for work. I just wanted to stop by and say hello.

I'll share some fun mail I got later:>) 

I hope you have some sunshine in your day!

Tomato Soup

This girl has her father's cooking skills.  Ok, I'm no slouch in the kitchen either.

She dug around and found Pioneer Woman's tomato soup recipe and made it to warm up this cold winter day.

I think it is very close to Panera's soup, maybe even better. I didn't have a bread bowl for it, (I'm low carbing) but she made a batch of her soup the other day and on this cold snowy day it was just the thing to have for lunch.  Warm and delicious, and easy.

 Want the recipe?

 

Tomato Soup

 

3-4 large cans of drained, diced tomatoes (or if you have fresh tomatoes, a 9 x 13 pan of tomatoes, roasted and blended)

1 clove of garlic roasted

1 med onion, diced and sauteed

2 chicken bouillon cubes

3 tsp sugar

a little salt

ground pepper to taste

a good handful of chopped fresh basil (or toss in a little dried)

1/2 to 3/4 cup white wine.

 

Saute onions and roasted garlic, add everything else, let it simmer for a while and then, a little at a time, puree in blender. Careful! It's hot!  Sprinkle a little Parmesan on top to serve, or how about a little dollop of sour cream and some croutons?

 

Bread bowl optional:>)