Autumn...finally!

Sorry it has been so long since I've post anything.   I adore autumn, and finding new recipes with apple or pumpkin in them. Things around here have been...well...not sure how to phrase it.  We had a long, HOT, dry summer and Steven's long days at work were more than his body could handle. He suffered from heat illness on July 5 and he still hasn't returned to work.
I promise I'll try to catch up on my posts...beginning with these Skinny Pumpkin cupcakes with Spiced Pumpkin Cream Cheese Icing.  One frosted cupcake is about 121 calories!
I found the recipe from skinny taste.  I doubled the frosting recipe and remember KEEP THE FROSTING IN THE REFRIGERATOR!
It's yummy yummy in my tummy!

Fragments

Steven has always picked up every penny he sees, it quickly became a routine practice for the both of us. You see, Steven already knew what I heard taught recently about  the significance of 'fragments'.  If you can find fragments of money, lower the cable bill, stop buying a cup of coffee before work, etc.... the fragments add up and can be helpful to either go towards paying off debt, increase savings, etc... One year, we used the change we found in parking lots and elsewhere to help pay for our vacation.  The past several months, we haven't been sticklers about putting everything we've found into our change bottles, but Thursday, we took what we had gathered into the bank to be counted. We came out with $44, not bad for just stopping to pick up change as you run across it.  Don't disregard the small things....

Coconut Cream Pie

Yummy memories of my Mom's coconut cream pie caused me to pull out my recipes to look for hers.  I couldn't find it so I called her and got the scoop-- an easy, delicious pie recipe you can use to make any cream pie....

Mom's Coconut Cream Pie

1        Pie shell-blind baked

Filling:

1/3C  Flour

2/3C  Sugar

1/4t    Salt

2C     Milk

3        Egg Yolks (set egg whites aside)

2T     Butter

1T     Vanilla (add coconut extract optional)

1/4C  Flaked coconut (optional)

Meringue: 

3        Egg whites

1/4C  Sugar

Flaked coconut (optional)

Using a heavy pan, cook the flour, sugar, salt, and milk until thick. Turn burner down to simmer and temper the egg yolks then add them to the pan.  Cook 2 minutes.  Turn off heat.  Add butter, vanilla and/or coconut extract. Pour into baked pie shell.

Beat egg whites in large bowl with electric mixer.  Once frothy, add sugar and beat until stiff peaks. Spread on top of pie filling and sprinkle flaked coconut on top. Place pie under the broiler to brown the meringue.  

To make Chocolate Cream:

Increase sugar to 1 Cup and substitute 1T Cocoa for vanilla extract.

Father's Day Weekend

We celebrated uncle Hubert's birthday today and father's day.  Mom, Dad, Sarah & Hub came over and we visited on the back porch and went to The Bluffs restaurant at the marina for lunch and afterwards had a piece of cake at the house.  It was an enjoyable day to remember.

Steven, Me, Dad, Mom, Hub, Sarah at the marina

The fishing cake I made

Graduation Celebration!

My youngest nephew, David, graduated with an associates in Surgical Technology, as well as his girlfriend, Heather. They worked and studied so hard, putting in 4 a.m. shifts, driving to several hospitals for clinical, this deserved celebrating!  We gathered under a shady pavilion at Millie Harris park in Harrison where we enjoyed a casual gathering of family near the water.  White and black balloons with stars decorated the posts of the pavilion and I draped the center table in a white table cloth scattered with black, silver, and gold confetti.  We served pizza (david's favorite) and a special cake was made by Shelby Lynn's Cake Shop in their honor decorated with black swirls and a red band around the bottom of the cake.  Matching plates and napkins finished the look.  I'm so proud of their accomplishment and am excited to see their futures!  

Alexander

Two months ago today we lost our Alex. It's been quite an adjustment. We still miss him dearly.  He brought a tremendous amount of joy to our lives.

"Hey Mom, is that your camera?"

"You gonna take my picture?"

Rest In Peace, Sweet Alex

Can't wait to see heaven...

If these gorgeous flowers are an inkling to what's to come in heaven, I can't wait!  ( I wonder if I'll have to water them by hand there too)

Daylily in front yard

 My Red Torch Lily

Project 20

The odd shaped but useful area between the sidewalk to the back door and the garage is officially finished! Steven calls it Project 20 because it cost us about $20 ($21.80 to be exact).  Glad it is ready before the hot summer got here!

There's always change

Ok, we loved this large oak tree near our home.  We built the driveway around it.  It's limbs stretched out long and wide providing shade.  I'd love to know how old it was. The trunk was large enough that it's diameter was larger than a coffee table.  But, last year's heat and drought was too much for it and it died so we had to have it cut down yesterday.  Things look so different now.

Neighbors & Gardens

I have a neighbor who, though greek, lives in a french chateau style home with an english garden.  She says gardening is more than a hobby, it is therapy.  I stopped by this evening on my walk to see how her preparations are going for this year's garden tour.  I mentioned after the tour getting some foxglove for seeds since she has a hillside of volunteers and in her gracious manner she not only picked foxglove, but made a huge arrangement including lamb's ear and coreopsis to enjoy while I wait for the foxglove seeds to be ready.... love flowers and good neighbors....

Table Transformation

I recently purchased a dining table for $25 and decided to refinish it, although I've never done that before, there's a first time for everything.  When I got it home it wasn't in terrible condition, but there were signs of memories made at it.  I think I mainly took on the project because I was dealing with the sorrow of losing my friend, Alex, of 15 years, and the idea of being mentally and physically challenged sounded compelling.
Here is the table when we bought it:

At first, I thought we may be able to match the stain to repair these spots, but no luck... so the refinishing began.  First step, sanding it with 80 grit sandpaper, then 220.

Next, we used a gel stripper and stiff bristled brush to clean out the engravings.

Then, we noticed the chairs we planned to use with the table were a bit too short.  My handy husband discovered he can remove the table legs and lower the table just enough...

We sanded with 320 grit paper and got it clean- ready for the danish oil finish...

This is a chair with the old finish next to the table now... one more coat of oil left to do.

Things Will NEVER Be The Same

Today, we had to make the tough decision, at the advice of our veterinarian, to put down Alex. He was suffering greatly.  He blessed our life for 15 years and one month.  He was a joy, a comfort, forgiving friend, and precious companion.  I simply can't imagine life without him at this point in time.  I've never known this house without him. I will miss the way he came and stayed with me whenever I was bed-ridden- as if he were watching over me as I would him when he was ill and giving me 'kisses' to comfort me.  He brought us tremendous amounts of joy with his wonderful disposition.  He was a great guard dog who loved to call the hogs. His favorite songs to sing were jingle bells and happy birthday. He loved to eat eggs and beans & cornbread.
The past 15 years, I've taken great joy and time to walk him, play with him, feed him, and now... all that is gone. Words can not express what a void his death leaves in our lives.  He is deeply missed.

Spring "cleaning"

These beautiful days lend themselves to begin sprucing things up outside.  Little by little, outdoor furniture will get new coats of stain and sealant; weeds get pulled, and today a coat of paint on one of the big containers at the driveway. I just LOVE this time of year!

Before

After

Home Safety Prep Show

Thanks to 40/29, I won two tickets to the Home Safety Show so I took my man.  He was pretty excited. Colby Donaldson, host of Top Shot on the History channel; Chris Grundy, host of Cool Tools on DIY; Mykel Hawke, star of Man, Woman, Wild on Discovery; and Drew Michaels of 40/29 news were there.  We watched a weather balloon be prepared and released, Steven learned how to put out a fire with an extinguisher among other things.  It was a beautiful day-

Drew Michaels with weather balloon

Getting instruction

Putting out the fire

Steven chatting with Chris Grundy

What's a bloomin'

Spring is here early!  We've been working to replace the rotted wood in the veggie garden because it was no longer holding in the gravel walkway.  So far, we've planted sweet peas and spinach.
I couldn't resist taking some pictures around the property of what is blooming...enjoy