Progressive 4

Here are this weeks progressive photos.  The flowering pear tree seems to have changed the most.  It is actually getting leaves already.  Everything seems to have gone from nothing to leafing in 2 weeks time.  I feel like if I could just sit still and watch closely I would see the leaves growing.  It is that fast this year!

No train this week.  I actually like it better when the train is there.  And it is still so dark at 7:15 in the morning when I am taking these pictures.  I like taking them at just about the same time each week so we can watch the weather also.  The grass is greener and the weeds are beginning to green up.

This picture doesn't seem to change week after week.  But soon we will see the trees leaf out.  I noticed some little buds this morning.  The pink tree lost most of it's beautiful buds in the rain we had on Sunday.

Here are the previous entries if you want to compare -
March 12th - Click Here
March 6th - Click Here
March 5th - the pear tree - Click Here
February 20th - Click Here
They all will open a new window in your browser.

Do You Like Dogs?

If you like dogs, you will love this website!  Check out "Life With Dogs".  You will see all the newest dog videos that will make you smile.  They did me anyway!  That is what dogs are for - to make you smile!

Progressive 3

This is the "Flag Pole" picture of my progressives.  I am amazed at my camera - it was pretty darn dark outside because of daylight savings time.  You can even see the light on in my office.  But it was a beautiful morning - bright and clear.  I wanted to get my 'train track' picture but for some reason there was a police car parked there with is lights on and no one in the car.  Either it was a game or he was out tromping the weeds in search of - something.

When I got home it was much brighter!!  Yea!  And just look at the Flowering Pear Tree!  It is certainly flowering now.  Everything is blooming and there is pollen everywhere....streams of bright yellow on the ground when it rains.  Allergies are running rampart!  Everyone is complaining that this is the worst year in a long time.  Here is last week's Pear Tree.

Family Fun and Comfort Food

My daughter and her family came to dinner and games last night!  I love it when we can ALL get together and spend time laughing - and that is exactly what we did!  They had had a stressful day attending a funeral of a family friend so I took it upon myself to lighten things up a little bit for them.  And also - to feed them comfort food!

Dinner was grilled burgers (thank you Kirby!!), home made macaroni and cheese, some blue cheese coleslaw and then for dessert we got cherry cheese pie.  All very comforting - and fattening!  But we loved it!

After dinner we all agreed it was time for a round of 'Apples to Apples'.  If you have never played, you really need to.  It is a game of trying to decide what the 'judge' will think.  We laugh and scream and taunt all through the game and have a blast!

Each person is dealt a hand of cards with words on them like WORM, EIFFEL TOWER, ATOMIC BOMB, QUEEN ELIZABETH, APPLE PIE.  Just random words.  The judge selects one card from a stack with a word on it like CREEPY, PURE, BORING.  You chose the card from your hand that you think is described by the judges word. If the judge selects your card,  you win the round and get to keep the descriptive card.  And for extra fun after we play I always collect the cards and assign them to the owners - like this -

I won so I will go first - I was swift and dainty, ridiculous and masculine, selfish but timeless and earthy.
Christie won 6 cards - She was cuddly and normal, feminine and dramatic, unusual but normal.
Michael and Kirby both got 5 cards.  Michael was boring but powerful, inspirational but fake and creepy.  Kirby was appetizing and repulsive, delicious and filthy and ordinary.
Brendan came in with 4 cards and was cheesy, idiotic, pure and luscious. 
And here is the best one!  Casey only got 1 card - the big loser was Hostile!


We all had such a good time and the laughter is always the best!  Below are the recipes for the Mac and Cheese and the Cherry Cheese Pie so take a look and try them yourselves!

Cherry Cheese Pie

This is such a quick, easy and delicious dessert.  I first made this back when I was a very young housewife and mother.  It is a classic that has stood the test of time.  I went to the grocery determined to purchase a ready made dessert but the only thing that looked really good to me was the cheesecake with cherry topping.  Why, I asked myself, buy one that won't be near as good as the one I can make?  So, I circled bake to the baking aisle to get the crust and cherry pie filling.  I usually already have the sweet milk and cream cheese at home.  Years ago I had to make the crumb crust myself but today - ah, so easy!  I promise you will love this and so will your guests!

• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk (generic isn't as good)
  
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (8 or 9-inch) prepared graham cracker
• 1 (21 oz.) can cherry pie filling, chilled

1. BEAT cream cheese until fluffy in large bowl. (I used a hand mixer) Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla.  
2. POUR into crust; chill 4 hours or until set. Top with desired amount of cherry pie filling before serving.

Macaroni and Cheese

I love the simplicity of a good Mac and Cheese.  I know - it isn't good for us but isn't it OK to have it just once a year or so.  This recipe is the simple one I have always used.  I have tried others but this is just plain good!

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups milk
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
1 pound elbow macaroni
4 cups coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (about 16 ounces) or a mix of your favorite cheeses

1/8 tsp paprika
1/3 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Butter a 3- to 4-quart gratin dish or other shallow baking dish.
2. In a heavy saucepan melt the butter over moderately low heat. Add flour and cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Add milk in a stream, whisking, and bring to a boil, whisking. Add mustard, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste and simmer sauce, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 2 minutes.
3. In a kettle of salted boiling water cook macaroni until just al dente, about 7 minutes, and drain well. In a large bowl stir together macaroni, sauce, cheese, and then transfer to the prepared dish.
4. Sprinkle the macaroni with a small amount of paprika and then sprinkle the Parmesan evenly over macaroni.
5. Bake macaroni in middle of oven 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.

Progressive 2, Part 2

I remembered my camera today!

The train was moving until I got my car parked....we sort of stopped at the same time.  I thought a moving train picture would have been pretty cool.  Anyway, notice the nice green grass (weeds actually) that has appeared since last week thanks to all the warm rain we had.

You can tell it is almost time for Daylight Savings Time....it is nice and bright when I get to work.  I HATE (yes, Tanzie - I HATE) driving to work in the dark.  Next week it will be dark again.  OK, but notice the trees right by the building.  They are blooming!  Ah, Spring, I love you!

Progressive 2, Part 1

Can you believe it - I forgot to take my good camera to work today.  So, I will post the rest of my progressive pictures tomorrow.  Here is the previous picture of the tree.

So, when I got home, I took my picture of the Pear Tree and realized you couldn't see the blossoms in this picture so I took a close up one too.  See!!  It is blooming now!  I am so happy!!

And then of course I had to take a picture of Kirby's seedlings.  The red peppers still haven't germinated but the chard and tomatoes are growing like little weeds. And here is the picture of the little seedlings.  It looks like the tray has been turned on us.)

Family Day

I began my day with this very good looking young man.  Grandson, Brendan, joined us for breakfast.  (which, I must add, Kirby prepared and it was fantastic!) Brendan is 21 years old now but it seems like it was just yesterday that I was watching him learn to walk, watching him learn to kick a soccer ball and watching him dream of nothing but soccer.  Way too young he has learned that life does not always turn out the way we expect it to - but maybe that lesson at such a young age will give him a big advantage.  Anyway, soccer didn't work for more reasons than you have time to listen to.  And, college didn't work.  So, he needed a new direction -  the United States Air Force seems to be the answer.  He is working with a recruiter and won't be around much longer to give me the hugs I enjoy so much.

Later in the day, Christie (Brendan's mother) and I headed out for some much needed "Girl Time". We shopped and played. Finding these carnival masks was a real bonus!

Bugs

Sometimes I just stumble onto the most interesting blogs.  Check out this picture -

I lifted this from Kurt's blog - Up Close with Nature.  You really need to check it out.  He has some awesome photography of bugs!  He makes them beautiful.  (Kurt, if you ever stumble upon this blog, please forgive me for sharing your work.  You are amazing!)