Meat Prices, Apple Computer, and a Lenten Challenge

Realizing that meat prices will be going through the roof, we bought quite a lot of meat this week. Joe, having been a meat cutter years ago is able to cut our meat. He took this big piece of sirloin and made three sirloin tip roasts. I just showed this one cut of meat, but there were several other meats that he cut and packaged.

I'm also trying out my new picture program on this Apple computer. I managed to download these pictures...but not sure I could do it again without some trial and error. I haven't figured out how to send them to pic monkey, however. I got them kind of dark. You'll have to excuse these first pictures...I'm still learning. Apple is a whole "nuther" thing in computers. I'm so used to the windows based computer...this will take some learning......and you know what they say about "old dogs."

Lent is coming and I was reading something that Vicki wrote on her blog this morning...http://lifeinmyemptynest.blogspot.com/2013/02/40-bags-in-40-days.html  about her Lenten Challenge. Last year she filled 40 bags in 40 days instead of giving up something for Lent. The bags contained things that her family no longer needed...things that someone else might need. She said it made her house and mind more orderly. I thought, at the time, it was a wonderful idea. We have an abundance of "things" here at our house. I don't know if I can fill 40 big bags, but I'm going to give it a try. Most years I give up some food item, but this year it will be  a challenge to fill the bags with items that we no longer use, sort of like spring housecleaning....and my mind will get a spring housecleaning too.
Remember my goal for this year was to simplify.

Balisha

Robins

I thought that everyone could use some spring news. I forgot to mention that I heard a robin three days ago in our yard. Couldn't see where it was but heard it. Then yesterday, while out with the ladies, I saw....yes I saw two robins along the road home. What these poor things are eating...I don't have a clue. The snow is so packed and hard....they would need a power drill for a beak. I've heard that some robins stay in the area throughout the winter, but this winter....?Keep looking for them....and  share any signs of spring that you see.
Balisha

News on Wednesday

Here I am using an entirely new computer. Joe gave me my birthday present a month early. It's an Apple brand. I'm doing OK with it...so far. The mouse is the hardest thing for me to get used to. Our brains get in the habit of using something else...and it's hard to change habits. I have no pictures on this computer, so I will have to get that old camera going.

Yesterday, I went to lunch with three friends from Byron. We get together ever so often and really have a good time. We are all so different....maybe that's the reason we get on like we do. We decided to try a new place in Dixon. The Basil Tree  is the name and it is all Italian. We started with a lemon, rice, chicken soup. It was delicious...I'm going to try to replicate it here at home. Then all of us ordered the house salad. A bed of greens topped with chicken, shrimp, different kinds of mushrooms, red and green pepper strips, spinach, all warmed in seasoned olive oil....this was so yummy. It was a huge salad and you'd think that we had no room for dessert, but we did. The Tuxedo Chocolate Cake....layers of chocolate cake, white cake, chocolate mousse, French vanilla creme, and topped with chocolate frosting drizzled with white chocolate. I brought half home to Joe. We were there for a long time....the waitstaff didn't hurry us at all. When I got home...my cheeks were sore from all the laughing.

This morning was our time to go to the pool. It was a little chilly today in the pool, but we warmed up fast. The usual crowd was there...just a few old timers like us.

Well, I'm getting the hang of this now. My keyboard is at a different level because the cord doesn't reach the way my other one was, so that's bothering me a bit. I keep reaching down to where it was before. Old habits are hard to break.
Back tomorrow with a more interesting post...
Balisha

Felt Critters for My Woodland Tree

Here they are....the little lamb and the cardinal. It was so much fun to make these little creatures.

I made a few changes in the patterns. The little cardinal has a yellow beak and a green wing with red trim. He is Christmas you know!

The little lamb has a pink heart and different shaped ears. I love this one!

Here they all are on the shelf in the kitchen... for the picture. But what is that critter in the middle? When I posted the pictures on facebook last week...my daughter said that her cat, Huntley, meowed, "Where is the cat?" So, I created a cat..using Huntley for a model. "Are you happy now, Hunt?" My daughter-in-law said, "Where is the penguin?" She collects Penguins.I suppose I'll have to make one of those this week. Have to please everyone you know. All kidding aside...it's really very easy to make these...there's time for everyone to start making some. They don't have to be stitched...they can be glued as well...that would be much easier.
So run on over to Mockingbird Cottage http://mockingbirdhillcottage.com/ and Creative Cain Cabin http://creativecaincabin.com/ to see all the different critters that bloggers have created. It's been a long winter...everyone has cabin fever....why not spend some time making these cute things?
Right now, they are having some link problems...check back later and see what's happening.

Balisha

A Sunday Morning in Late February

Today would have been my Dad's 99th birthday. He's been gone just a few years, and I still miss him. I miss his thoughtful ways, his kindness, his non judgmental feelings, his ability to listen, his love.He was truly a person of faith. I remember him going to Church every Sunday...with or without my Mom. Always there to help out at Church.....always there to help his family. He walked miles to work... when he had no car, worked long hours...seldom took a vacation.At the end of Mom's life...Dad took care of her with Alzheimer's...for 10 yrs. My Dad was an everyday Saint.

Here's my daughter in Belize this morning. She and three friends are there on vacation. LuAnn is quite an adventurer...she loves to travel and has visited many countries on her own.I never had the courage to just up and take a trip by myself. If there have been any regrets in my life...this might be it. I married young and then the kids came and you know the rest of the story. I love it that she's independent and does such exciting things. Yesterday she went on a zip line...into the jungle and did some tubing into caves. She will be full of stories to share when she gets home.

We are expecting more cold. I was thinking last night, that this is the first year I haven't always had the bird feeders filled. It's just been too treacherous to try to fill them on occasion I've learned a lesson...to keep a path cleared to the feeders. I have sprinkled birdseed on the ground and I've thrown out bread, pancakes, waffles, peanuts etc. They don't like to change their habits...They will come continually to the empty feeder. The little bird that was shivering in the corner of the feeder, was here for a couple of days. There was a suet block where he was sitting. When Joe went out to the mailbox the next day...he was on the ground, shivering... and all puffed up. Joe scooted him into the bushes for his protection. I wanted to bring him in, but I know better than that. I haven't seen him...so I suppose he died. There's a squirrel on the feeder here by my window. He's eating the sunflower seeds...and swinging in the breeze.I've seen several squirrels lately....as I look now...there's a new one here. The first was a Fox squirrel...this one is gray.My goodness, I wish you were here...there is a squirrel party going on...one on the feeder and three chasing around the yard. Maybe it's time for mating...

We are going out to a steak house today. Joe is hungry for steak and I won't say no to a meal out. I've cut down on my meat consumption....so maybe I'll find something else or just a very small steak. I always like the sides more than the meat. I love vegetables and salads. My kids are vegetarians.

This blog is much easier for me to do...so I guess I'll keep posting here. Hope you all spread the word.....and let bloggers know where I am. Today is the day that we post our pictures of the little felt animals that we are making for next Christmas...so I may be back later.
Have a nice day...Balisha

Stress

More computer problems....I'm getting a new one next week. I'll probably be using this blog from now on. It seems that blogger only recognizes this name. I'm not savvy enough to know what to do and really don't want to fool with it much more. It's simply too much stress and I spend way to much time fussing with it. So, for now, anyway....please stay with me. My new computer is an Apple....I see in the future...more problems :(
I felt that I needed some food....a banana bran muffin to the rescue. Now, I'm leaving this room, where I have been for two hours, and on my way to find something less stressful to do...Hmmmm wonder what?
Balisha

Fresh Fruit Salad Recipe

I have a recipe that I'd like to share. Winter is such an ordeal...anything to make it brighter is worth it. I took a picture of some of my fresh fruit and thought of a recipe that I wanted to try. I think that you could add some fresh pineapple, kiwi, and anything else that you have on hand. I'm going to mix the fruit together and keep the yogurt mixture in a bowl to serve along side. I'm thinking maybe a TBS of brown sugar would be good mixed in too. Eating a salad like this, gives you what you need in fruits for the day. A woman of 50+ needs 1 1/2 cups of fruit a day and 2 cups of vegetables.

We've been eating different desserts...not so heavy.... like jello and pudding.  We like a little something sweet at night while we watch TV. This could be our snack for tonight.....while watching the Olympics. Did you watch the opening ceremonies? It seemed to me that it was all about power....I wished that kids had played a bigger part in the ceremony. Kids are the future....why not display their talents?

Gotta go and get started with the household tasks. Have a great day today...and keep it simple.
Balisha

Fresh Fruit Salad....by Ina
Ingredients
2 cups plain yogurt
2 tablespoons good honey
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean, optional
1/2 orange, juiced
1 banana, sliced
1/2 pint fresh blueberries
1/2 pint fresh raspberries
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and cut in half
1 bunch seedless green grapes, halved