I VOTED!!!!!

✔️I VOTED!!!  

Check that off of the to do list.

Having a ballot mailed to me allowed time to check out what people on the ballot believe in before I voted.  This is the first time I was able to check out all the candidates for their beliefs before marking the ballot.  It was actually very convenient to be able to do this in the comfort of my HOME.

Personally delivered my ballot instead of mailing.  Nor did I have to stand in line to vote with so many other people waiting as well.  Took a lovely AUTUMN drive to the Court House in a different community and delivered my ballot.  

PAUSE.  Sigh of relief.  Tis done.  Mission accomplished.  Peaceful VOTE.  No riots.  No waiting.  No crowds.  No standing in line for hours.  Saved my back.

I did my homework on all the candidates.  This truly is the first year I put so much thought and research into all the candidates.  At 65, I feel like I did what I could and voted my conscious.

A pleasant drive back to our new HOME TOWN then continued on over to where we have a small cottage in a different community.  Stopped in at the ANTIQUE MALL to look around for fun.  I did purchase a $6 small Demitasse Blue Willow Tea cup and saucer.  Charmed.  Silly me... did not noticed it was OCCUPIED JAPAN until I was HOME unwrapping my purchase.  Got a super buy.  One cup with two saucers.  

I eye balled some antique china.  I just might have to go back and purchase what I eyeballed.  Tempting.  

We ordered out some Mexican Food for supper.  Ate at the Cottage before vacuuming and wiping down trim.

Hand delivered Halloween candy to daughter and family.  All the kids/grands have their Harvest treats.  We will not be handing out candy to the tricksters this year.  Made the decision to not do this due to covid.  We'll just light some candles, watch a movie and be at peace.  I think we have made the decision to not attend a November family Thanksgiving dinner this year.  The month of November will be spent cleaning the house and decorating for Christmas.  Playing Christmas music and writing out cards.  

WEDNESDAY was a productive day for me.  It was chilly, but there was no snow, ice, wind or rain.  Able to drive over to RETIREMENT COTTAGE and work some on the clean-up preparing for making an exercise room so I can walk on the treadmill on a regular basis inside away from the elements.

More vacuuming and wiping down the walls and trim.  Making headway.  A few days ago a huge sectional sofa was taken apart and relocated to a different room.  This was a work out for two old people to do.  We did it!!!  

The area where the treadmill is going to sit is now ready for the big shuffle.  Preparing for an exercise space has taken thought and now muscle.  Sweat and time.  The treadmill has to come out of storage and be maneuvered to its new spot.  This will take some doing as it is a extremely heavy piece of equipment.

Hubby is arranging for the muscle power.  The space it's going to go in is clean and ready for the equipment.  Praise the LORD and thank you, Honey.  I will be walking on a schedule come the first part of November.  

My exercise bicycle needs cleaned and transported over to the cottage as well.  This will be easier to move than the treadmill for sure.  

I will have a radio and stereo to listen to music as I walk.  Hopefully a small tv will be located with rabbit ears to where I can watch some tv at the cottage later.  Sometime this WINTER the small cottage bathroom will have a remake.  

REMODELING THE COTTAGE BATHROOM: Tearing out the old fixtures in the bathroom, removing the old melamine wall board, laying a new floor (possibly tile), replacing the fixtures with different ones.  We have already rearranged the plumbing spots where the new fixtures will go.  It will be an old fashioned bathroom when we get completely finished remodeling the room.  

An old clawfoot tub that we bought umpteen years ago waits to be placed in the bathroom.  What is in there at the present is an old oversized Jacuzzi tub in the wrong spot under a window.  The tub will be taken out and the clawfoot tub will run along the side wall instead of under the window.  The toilet will be removed from behind the door and relocated across the room.  Where the toilet is now, a pedestal sink will replace it and the door will be reworked to where it swings out of the room inside of into the room so it won't be hitting the new sink.  

Then after I exercise I can bathe and freshen up before returning HOME.  I have hopes that by next Spring the bathroom will be completed.

MAIN HOUSE KITCHEN:  I continue working on organizing the KITCHEN in the main house.  Today I hope to make more progress on it.  The Pantry is up and going.  The countertops aren't.  I have to deal with the vintage BOOPIE GLASS as well.  The glasses will carry over into November because there are so many to deal with.  With all that aside, I will hopefully have the rest of the Kitchen looking good.    

NEW TV ROOM: We figured out how to get our recliners upstairs into the new TV room.  Two recliners are up there as of today!!!   This is a thrill for me as I have waited a year.  A YEAR.  It does my heart good to have this taken place.  Hallelujah and a half.    

DAILY CHORES: Laundry will be running this afternoon.  Paperwork will be worked on.  Bills written out ready to go for the month of NOVEMBER.  Supper fixed.  Clean up.  Time out to rest and relax.  

SPIRITUAL: I have had TIME to give more thought into simplifying my HOME and how to decorate, downsize some more and clean more efficiently.

I voted.  Next week will be interesting as November 3rd arrives.  Seriously, I think this election will be very different from others as I do not believe we will know who was elected President for a few days after the 3rd.  

I think Gasoline prices will shoot up in price and some shenanigans happen involving rioting.  Food supplies run short this Winter.  A Winter like I have never seen due to who is elected.  

Even if President Trump is re-elected, I believe there will be things he does to draw us closer to a communistic country.  With the debt he has, I believe he will do what he can to be excused from the debt.  He's like that.  Over 400 MILLION dollars he was released from paying which means many he owed money to he did not honor his debt and he left them holding the bag.  Not a hero to me.  Dishonesty has a price that goes with it.  

Coming due soon is $1BILLION of personal debt for President Trump.  How he gets out of this will be interesting.  Very interesting.  

That's a wrap for today,

d

PUMPKIN PATCH PEPPERS

 

HARVEST HappY.

THOUGHT THESE WERE SO CUTE!  Couldn't help myself.  Snagged them and don't recall where from.  

For the record, I wanted to have these on file for future references.  HALLOWEEN FUN. 

HARVEST HOME,

d

PUMPKIN PATCH PEPPERS

Makes 4 stuffed peppers
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• Salt, to taste
• 6 orange bell peppers, rinsed
• 2 tablespoons butter or oil
• ½ cup diced onion
• ¾ cup uncooked long grain white rice
• ½ pound ground turkey or chicken
• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning, store bought or homemade
• ⅓ cup canned diced tomatoes
• 1 ¼ cups water
• 1 – 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup shredded jack or cheddar cheese

TACO SEASONING

• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). Line a sheet tray with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
2. While waiting for the pot of salted water to boil, prepare the bell peppers. Use a small paring knife to cut around the top ½ inch of the bell peppers in a full circle, leaving the stem attached. Twist the tops of the peppers and remove along with the seeds that are attached. Trim off the seeds, again leaving the stem attached, and set aside to serve as the lids later. Cut or tear out the white ribs of the bell peppers and remove any seeds left inside. Using a small paring knife, cut out a jack-o-lantern face on each pepper.
3. When the water reaches a boil and all of the peppers are prepared, put the peppers and their tops into the water. Allow to cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, until the peppers are tender. Remove the peppers and their tops from the water and set aside to cool.
4. In a sauté pan over medium heat, heat the butter or oil. Add the onion and season with salt. Cook for a few minutes, until translucent.
5. Add the rice and cook, stirring often, until the rice smells and turns a light golden color and the onions are slightly caramelized.
6. Add the ground chicken and the taco seasoning, and cook until the chicken is no longer pink.
7. Add the tomatoes, a pinch of salt, and 1 ¼ cups of water, and bring to a boil​.​ Cover and reduce the heat to low, maintaining a gentle simmer, and cook for 10 minutes, or until the rice is mostly cooked through and there is no longer excess water in the bottom of the pan. Allow the rice to sit for 5 minutes.
8. Fluff the rice with a fork and mix in the rinsed black beans. Allow the rice mixture to cool completely, then mix in the shredded cheese. Taste the filling for salt and adjust to your palate.
9. Fill each pepper with the rice mixture and place on your lined baking sheet. Top the peppers with the lids.
   
   TipHero
10. Bake the peppers in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the pepper is done to desired tenderness.

TUREENS ON TUESDAY

STILL ICY COLD OUTSIDE.  Waiting for more snow with rain tomorrow.  Undergoing inside tasks.  With the cold weather Hubby is helping me with some of the rearranging plus other tasks.  He's a keeper.

 

ONE DAY this corner cabinet will have a back to it.  Just not today.  I completed relocating all the crystal glassware that was in the Dining room corner cabinet to the Kitchen cabinet, dusted the corner cabinet shelves and relocated my antique vegetable dishes with lids or sometimes called TUREENS.  Aren't they purdee???

From corner cabinet to Kitchen shelves.  Not sure how many pieces of glass I have handled.  Will count later.

THE TUREENS have such a lovely shape with delicate patterns.  I love them.  Makes me wonder what meals these were apart of as a piece of a beautiful china set.  Hmmm.  Each one is an individual charmer.  Like them.  I won't be separating the pieces, but I have seen lids used to display on walls. 

Continuing to tweak the Kitchen has become a huge ordeal when getting it rearranged and organized.  I have made headway, but am not done YET.  October isn't over YET.  I still have a few days until November arrives.  Time will tell if I get this completed.  Amen and amen.

For now, I am surprised how long it has taken to work the Kitchen over and how much labor was required to pull this off.  The month has been fruitful and productive.  Just keep on keeping on and one day it will sparkle.

Making PROGRESS ON THE HOME FRONT.  PTL.

TUESDAY PLANS for the day:                                       

✔️All crystal wine glasses relocated to Kitchen cabinet.

✔️Tureens relocated to corner cabinet.

✔️Inventory.

✔️Laundry sorted.

✔️Towels washed.

✔️Shirts washed.

✔️Blog.

✔️Research.

✔️Trip to Post Office.  

✔️Halloween Candy mailed.

✔️Paperwork gone through.

✔️Weekly Newspaper read.

✔️Dust some.

✔️Kitchen worked on.

✔️Lawn Sprinkler System blown out for WINTER.

✔️What not.

PLANS FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK:

Get laundry caught up.

Kitchen back to being civilized and in order.

Halloween will come and go.

November bills written out.

Menus planned.

Two recliners relocated up flights of chair and resting in new TV room.

Cottage exercise room created.

Storage shelves purchased and set up ready for storage.

NOVEMBER day timer looked at.

Son's Birthday gift in mail.

Blessings to you.

HOME LIFE is for me,

d 

~Titus 2:5~

[To be] discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

AUTUMN SNOW

Opening the white Living room curtains, I could see outside where it snowed during the night.  Brrr.  Tis cold outside.  A white blanket of snow covers like a fresh coat of paint.  We need the moisture, but the cold...I can do without.

It's 27 degrees with today's highs being 30.  If it's going to be this cold, I will take the snow.  Last week, I cut starters from the coleus just in time before the freeze.  The front porch urns will soon display pumpkins in them.  For now it seems like December with Christmas around the corner. Celebrating the LORD's Birthday.  Jingle Bells and candles making for a Victorian Christmas.  I think our large Christmas tree just might be covered with snowflake ornaments this year. Snowflakes and bows.  

After Christmas I will hit the sales on decorations for next year.  Planning a head takes time.  

Chilly for a few days then it should climb some for a few days before taking another dip in the temps.  

I need to make a trip to the local post office after brown paper wrapping FAMILY HALLOWEEN TREATS to mail.  Mail goes out at 3:15 so I had best get on the ball and get this taken care of.  I'm slower than slow so it takes me longer to achieve the obvious.

HALLOWEEN is at the end of the week.  Not sure how the weather will be.  For today, tis cold and snowy.  

Think I will save the Chocolate Bomb my daughter-in-law gave me for Halloween.  This will make the week-end.

We traveled to OKLAHOMA social distancing to celebrate our Grandson's 11th Birthday.  Also watched a Grandson play soccer all in one day.  We got up early on Saturday driving the distance just in time for our Grand's Soccer Game.  

Saw 5 deer on the way blending in with the scenery perfectly.  Had to keep my eyes open looking for them.  This time of year they are thick in abundance.  Lovely creatures.

Twas such fun to be in Oklahoma seeing family, even though it was a tad bit chilly.  Bundled up and sat watching the game. 

Afterwards we took a chance and ate WHAT A BURGER hamburgers with fries in the car.  It's been over half a year since eating a WHAT A BURGER hamburger.  Twas so good.

Then we found our way to the other park to where our Grandson was having a outdoor Birthday party.  He wanted to play basketball with his buds so the party was at a park with basketball courts.  Bundled up and enjoyed.

We headed HOME close to 4 and arrived safely around 10:30 at night.  Safe traveling all the way.  Beautiful sunset to witness.  A very active day for this old woman.  My feet puffed up and they haven't done this in years.  Either the new meds I'm taking or poor circulation?    

On Sunday, I rested a great deal.  Some work at clearing out the cabinet of my BOOPIE GLASSES making room for everyday drinking glasses and crystal wine glasses.  The BOOPIE will be turned loose of as I replace it with everyday drinking glasses that will not take up the cabinet space.

ALL OF THIS WAS IN MY DISH CABINET.  Not anymore.  Handled 144 pieces of glass.  There's another shelf not pictured here which helped hold all 144 pieces.

I have collected the BOOPIE GLASS for years and have a nice size collection that someone else can enjoy.  For now I am ready to thin it out and have something else instead.  

Boopie Glass Drinking Glasses:::

Iced Tea: 47

Water/Milk: 34

Juice: 13

Cordial: 24

Sherbet: 26

There may still be some in the basement that needs rediscovered.  As we tweaked downstairs they will appear if we have them.

Temporarily I will use Irish crystal that will be relocated to the Kitchen cabinet.  Originally the crystal has rested in the Dining room's corner cabinet.  Time for a change.  I want to display antique vegetable dishes with lids in the Dining room.  I started collecting a few years ago.  LOVE 'EM.  Reminds me of days gone by elegant china.

I will tweak about in the house after running to the Post Office.  Getting out in the cold will sure perk me up.  If the roads aren't slick I will take a short drive before returning HOME.  Years ago when my children were little I decided that getting out of the house for an hour a day was good medicine for my soul.  Refreshed my spirits.  A HAPPY MOMMA goes along ways toward having a HAPPY HOME LIFE.

STILL THINK this is very good advice for me.

TODAY's PLAN:  Getting better organized.  Wrap gift and get in the mail.  Take a drive. Relocate crystal glassware to Kitchen Cabinet.  Inventory.  Write my brother a letter.  Sort laundry.  Do a load of laundry.  Make up bed with fresh sheets.  Quiet time with feet up.  Go through mail and paperwork.  Work on bills and budget.  Enough for this cold Monday.

Thoughts about the upcoming election.  I watched last week's Presidential Debate. Thought the men displayed better behavior this go round.  Whoever wins, it will be a different course of action as President as we are living in different times.  My prayers are for our country. May the best man win honoring the Constitution and protecting ALL the people.

  Blessings to you.

HOME LIFE is for me,

d

SUNDAY PRAYERS

 

Sunday has come and prayers are being lifted to a HOLY GOD.

God, you are magnificent.  

Praying in Jesus name, 

Amen.

d

OOPS IT's FRIDAY!!!

FRIDAY?  Takes me by surprise how quickly the week has gone.  Glad it's FRIDAY, though.  I know I accomplished more than usual this past week, which makes me smile.  Yesterday, I went to WAL-MART to purchase big storage tubs to help with the organizing that is taking place in our HOME.

Check this off of the TO GET list. 

My day was lovely.  I got out into the world to see LOVELY AUTUMN trees throughout town and on the trip to Manhattan.  Gorgeous colors.  Beautiful way to spend some time in the out of doors.  Pause and enjoy.  I was hoping rain would wash my car, but we missed the rain while in a different community.  Shucks.  Better luck next time.  My car needs a much needed bath.  Put this on a to do list.  Check.  

Made a Bank stop, paid a bill, treated myself to a Protein Box from Starbucks and had a Iced Green Tea break, picked up some bottled water, then shopped with a mask on.  It went well.  I could breathe and shop at the same time.  Rode a motorized shopping cart though.  This helped me out big time.  

Today, I have to return to the store.  Didn't make it HOME with one of the storage tubs' lids.  OOPS.  So will go back and take care of this and detour over to the cottage to finish shuffling the sectional sofa that is in the Cottage before returning HOME for the day.  This past week, I worked on shuffling furniture over at the Cottage.  Not completely finished, but am making room for a treadmill so I can walk whenever.  Aiming for November and making a commitment to walk in hopes of losing weight and getting better toned.  

On the HOME FRONT, I have made headway on the Kitchen.  PTL.  The Pantry is being reorganized and taking inventory of what we have to get through the Winter.  Taking Inventory of all appliances and cooking/baking items including dishes and pots 'n pans.  

My fridge is sanitized and organized, but not the freezer.  This comes later after I get caught up on other Kitchen tasks.  

Under the sink cabinet sanitized, cleaned up and organized.

The cook-books have been gone through and boxed up until I can figure out where they are going.  

Church pew cleared off.  Under the pew cleared out.  

Metal cart cleared off and mixer, crockpot, toaster are occupying the space.  

Medicine and vitamin cabinet organized.  

Baking staples regrouped over to the right of the stove.

Utensils organized.  

ALL and I do mean ALL Bakeware relocated and accounted for.  

Waste can relocated.  

Tea towels, hot pads, kitchen wrap, coffee bar area relocated along with coffee and tea items.

I have cleared off the Kitchen countertops, rearranging the items to thin out the clutter.  The staging table in the middle of the room is still covered with items that has to be dealt with.  NEXT, I will clear out all the BOOPIE GLASS out of the cabinet and replace with crystal wine glasses and every day drinking glasses.  I will have to prepare to box up vintage BOOPIE GLASSES to get out of the Kitchen.

I never imagined it would take me so long to revamp the Kitchen, but it is taking the month of OCTOBER.  I cannot work like a young 19 year old or I'd have this task completed by now.  I have to take time to ice my bag and relieve the back pain.  Part of the reality of being old.

I am slower, but maintain a steadiness with determination to get this task completed.

For the record, I am staying on task.

Better get back to it.  Once again I will look at the gorgeous trees on the Prairie landscape and shuffle some furniture all in one day.  When the Cottage furniture is shuffled, there will be a sense of accomplishment and relief.  SO with organizing the Kitchen, I spend some time also rearranging furniture in a Cottage.  Not trying to spread myself too thin, but it seems like it.

Stepping one foot in front of the other, I'm making headway.  Praise the Lord.  Friday is a blessed day and I will take it.

HOME LIFE is for me!

d

DINING ON THE PRAIRIE: Chicken Masala

GARAM MASALA.  Masala means spiced blend.  

Dining On The Prairie was spiced up with this dish.  I liked the veggies, but I'd have to acquire a taste for the sauce.  I grew up on meat and potatoes avoiding SPICEY FOODS because the Head Cook, my Mom didn't like spicy foods.  I understand her views on this.

As a married Lady for 46 years, 

I think it just fine to try other dishes. 

This spiced dish was a new thing for us.  

Thought it was wonderful to try something 

completely unknown to us.

Blessings,

d 

 

DINING ON THE PRAIRIE: Fish Fillets and Green Beans

Dining On The Prairie made simple and it wasn't even FRIDAY.  Occasionally we have boxed fish ready to bake.  Add TARTAR Sauce and call it good.  Making eating more veggies a priority.  This meal, the green beans filled half the plate.  Good choice.  Want to do more of this with the veggies.  Increase the vegetables.  Good for me.

Blessings to you!

d