Well hello friends! Happy AA-“Almost Autumn”. I love this time of year, the cooler temps and soon-to-be brilliant foliage makes my heart content.

With the Fall, comes the holidays. In our small town, we have an annual fall festival called “Arkalalah” and it occurs the last weekend in October. It actually begins on the Wednesday before the last weekend and our downtown is turned into something magical, with food vendors, friends from out of town, a carnival, 3 parades, etc. It’s amazing! It’s our personal start to the Christmas season.

Then Thanksgiving. Our family does not indulge in the traditional Turkey Day meal. The biggest reason is that nobody really loves it, except me and the next reason is that nobody likes it leftover, including me. I’m the only sweet potato eater since my FIL passed away. And man, I love those things…smothered with brown sugar and marshmallows! The dressing and cranberry sauce round out my top 3 sides. Nobody else eats cranberry sauce either. Who are these people??

We usually have a kitchen full of steak and crab legs, or an Italian feast, or a Mexican spread. One year I made a mess of chicken&noodles then each person’s favorite dessert. We had: coconut cream pie, lemon meringue pie, chocolate silk pie, cherry cheesecake, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, brownies and pumpkin pie. As a pie lover myself, this was a glorious idea!

I have talked about my lack of Thanksgiving dinner ad nauseam to my SIL. Earlier this week, I celebrated my birthday and the gift I received from this SIL was….Thanksgiving dinner! She made turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes (be still my heart) and even put a can of cranberry sauce in the mix. It’s not what we ate for my birthday dinner but it sure is what I’m eating every day for lunch this week. It is SO good! I might need to put my Christmas tree up next week, I’ll be such in the spirit. Just kidding. Maybe.

I hope you summer lovers can find the beauty in the autumn. And I hope winter doesn’t come along too early. Let us fall in love with fall, I for one adore it. Thanks for reading my words, til next time…I’ll be talking to you!

Good afternoon! Is it hotter than old Billy Ned where you are? Summer really came on strong here in my little corner of the world. Like a blowtorch.

This morning, Mr. Colquhoun and I went to the jungle. Also known as the back corners of our yard. One in particular, has room on the north and east of a storage shed. I’ve ‘stored’ stuff in that area. Not important stuff, obviously, just stuff. Think empty flower pots, old birdhouses, bikes that our sweet girl kids (no names) bought, in their adolescent years, to ride, etc.

We came and we conquered. With electric hedge trimmers and a chain saw. Sorry neighborhood. Oh, and the red, 24″ plastic rake that fit my hands. As I was deep “in the jungle” I looked on the ground and was sure I was looking at a snake. Mr. Colquhoun abhors snakes. I mean, I do too, but he really does. I thought, I need to kill this snake before he sees it. It was long. Like way longer than a ring neck snake. I looked at my weapon, the trusty red, 24″ plastic rake. I snuck up on it, watching it closely, with apprehension flowing through my body. I didn’t really know how I was gonna kill it, but I was on a mission. I got up to it and stood still, watching, planning my rake attack. As I was studying it, I looked all the way up it’s body to see the head, you know, to see if it was poisonous. Not that I remember which is which. Diamond shaped means one thing, round means the other. But as I was nearing the head area, I realized it was actually the rope that is attached to a wooden sled. Oh thank the good Lord! Then I said, “whew, I thought the rope on the sled was a snake.” Mr. Colquhoun replied, “I did too.” So he had already seen it! I was gonna be the hero but alas, not so much.

The good news is that the yard looks so much better and there were no snakes sighted. I even had a bit of perspiration on my brow. I never sweat. Ever. My fitbit** put out an Amber Alert for me because the person wearing it was really a mover and a shaker and that’s so unlike me…🤷‍♀️ It always feels good to get a big job accomplished but I cannot lie, this couch feels good right now!

Have a blessed week, my friends…I’ll be talking to you!

Happy summer friends!! Is this year flying or what?!

Last April (2018) 1 of our 2 (not counting the walmarts) grocery stores went out of business. This was a home town owned and operated store. I cannot imagine the headaches owning/running a business such as this, creates. The owners have since relocated to the lake. And seem to be living their best life, I’m happy for them. Good people, right there. They ran a great grocery store, the carryouts were trained to take out a gallon of milk, if the customer wanted. Sometimes it was busy but all hands on deck when that was the case…no empty checkstands. It was a great place to see your neighbors and friends and visit a spell. I miss that store.

We also have a Dillons grocery store, owned by the Kroger Corp. I actually worked at this Dillons back in the late 70’s, early 80’s. They really have the best produce in town and the store is clean with a good selection of items. Then we have the walmarts. I shop at both places but it took me a good 6 weeks after Country Mart closed to remember to buy milk either place. 🤦‍♀️

Earlier this spring, the walmarts under went a huge rework. Like almost every aisle was revamped, moved, changed around, etc. Change is hard. I shop on a mission…get in, get out, get home, get that stuff carried in and put away. Then wonder what the heck is for dinner. And who’s cooking it…😉 Anyway. I’m sure they have a team or a committee or 1 guy that figures what sells, what doesn’t and how many people buy what. However, it seems as though the shelves are empty a lot of the time. I waited 6 weeks before they restocked some vanilla I use. I almost sent someone to Mexico to get me some. Not really. They did away with 10 lb bags of Gold Medal flour, 6 lb cans of Crisco shortening, all Wesson vegetable oil, some Birdseye frozen rice we like, the Asian section is only thisbig now, our favorite Charmin can only be purchased in the mega 12 roll package (for $13!), along with several other items I need in my life. This doesn’t cause me great distress, most days, but it does frustrate me, most days. When the toilet paper is more than 10% of the cost of your $120.48 shopping trip, a person feels like they have dysentery or something. And it barely fits in my cabinet but we won’t run out for awhile. There is that.

So Sam….take note from an old, set in her ways, gal….leave it be. For many years. Give us a chance to figure out the new placement so when we make our lists, we can methodically go down each aisle, in our mind! Backtracking is the devil’s footfall. And get some 6 pack packages of Aloe Charmin, some Wesson vegetable oil and 6 lb cans of Crisco, okay?

Thanks for listening to my rant, have a blessed week. I’ll be talking to you!

Where the heck have y’all been? Oh, it’s me? Truth be told I haven’t been feeling very insightful or funny lately. But then, this morning, a situation occured. Almost every story I tell needs a precursor, this one has two.

#1. I love to wear casual dresses in the spring and summer. The kind you throw over your head then slip into your favorite flops and you are dressed for the day.

#2. I abhor dusting. Blech.

Today, I am wearing an aforementioned dress and dusting. Blech. My front door is open everyday because I need to know what’s going on in my town, on my block, but most specifically, my tiny corner of the world-my front yard and porch. You can call me Gladys Cravits, from the 60’s TV show “Bewitched,” I’ve heard that a time or 1200. I have a chair catty-corner from my front door. There is a service worker in my ‘hood today. Apparently going door-to-door, I did not realize this. I’m dusting that chair, bent over at the waist, and there’s a knock on my front door. I straightened myself, wheeled around and he was just about to faint. I could tell. I’m sure the train wreck he just saw thru my glass door is gonna leave a mark. He’s gonna need disability, workman’s comp, his eyes lasered or early retirement. Sorry guy.

The very best thing about the 22+ inches of rain we’ve had this month? When it is cloudy and dark outside, you can’t see the dust as well.

Speaking of…why has nobody invented a whole house dust system? This is my idea, I’m no engineer…a something or other in the attic with a main switch in the laundry room, or anywhere. A person (me) would flip the switch twice a day and it would suck up every iota of dust that wafts thru the air or has landed on anything. Is that brilliant, or what?! Somebody humor me, please! Put your prototype in my home, I’ll test it often. You could call it “Dawnless Dusting” meaning Dawn would not be present with a dust rag in hand. I’m still very happy to vacuum though.

I’ve been known to tell little children, for a plethora of years, that the dust floating around is definitely not dust but Tinkerbelle the Fairy checking up on them. Lucky for me, dust seems to glisten when the sun is shining. Like Elf on a Shelf but all year round. I don’t know who Tinkerbelle is reporting back to but that has never come up in the story telling. You do what you gotta do, right?

I hope May was good to all of you, thanks for checking in…I’ll be talking to you!

Two kitchen things I love are recipes/recipe books/cookbooks and fun napkins for my table. When my mother passed away, I was honored to be able to get her most prized possessions…her recipe books. She and I talked about eating, cooking, recipes, etc. often and I treasure those memories. We picked them up in January 2014 and on Mother’s Day that year, all the girls I love joined me and we went thru them and everyone took some home.

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Now on to the napkins. I was at the walmarts one evening, on a mission but passed these adorable Pioneer Woman napkins, hanging on an end cap. I didn’t have time to pick them up at that moment but I filed them in my brain, thinking how perfect they’d be for spring/summer. Days later, I went to get some and they were gone, nowhere to be found in the “kitchen” area. I must’ve been looking dejected because some nice, young associate asked me if he could help. I explained my dire situation and how I really ‘needed’ these exact napkins. He looked for them then pulled out that handy dandy contraption that tells the workers what is where. They were deemed to be RIGHT WHERE I WAS STANDING! Alas, they were not. I was sad. Mr. Colquhoun was patiently waiting for my pity party to be over and he escorted me home.

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A few weeks later, my baby kid was shopping (at the walmarts) and came across some plastic cupcake holders back in the craft section. She called to tell me (because I use them occasionally) and I nonchalantly thanked her for that info. A few weeks after that, I was there, again, and decided to check out the cupcake plastics. I found them and lo and behold, right under those were the elusive, perfect, much needed napkins!!! I snatched them right up. Fast forward (do I ever do that in my story telling) to after Easter. I opened the napkins and one fell open. It was destiny because there, inside the napkins were recipes! Who thought to do that, besides the Pioneer Woman? I must be her spirit sister or bff. I mean, she doesn’t need to know me for that to be, right? So I am now one with a happy table, as these napkins are as perfect as I thought they’d be.

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Moral of the story? Heck if I know, but I do love these napkins. And my 750 cookbooks. Have a great week, my friends…I’ll be talking to you!

Ah, Spring time in Kansas! You know what I’m referring to…3 days ago it was humid, muggy and warm. Really warm. So warm that at 2am Friday morning, I ripped the north window in our bedroom, open. Then this morning, when I rolled outta bed at 8am, it was 30°. Also the henbit, chickweed or whatever you call it, is in full bloom. Fields of purple making up everyone’s lawns. Will ragweed be next along with high pollen counts? And mold spores? Is that a thing? I married 1 guy…not because it’s the law, just because only 1 would put up with me & it is the law, and birthed 3 baby kids. (Not goats, just my pet name for them). And they all 4 suffer the effects of seasonal allergies. I escaped that malady but don’t get the penicillin too close to me. Tis the season for sneezing, watery eyes, runny noses and that dry, hacky cough. I’m sorry for all of you suffering but I love spring! It’s an awakening, a renewal, a promise, a cleanliness. The sun is warming her followers, the birds are back in the choir and Mother Earth is rewarding us for making it thru the bleak, dark, cold winter. Rejoice, I say, rejoice!

Soon I’ll be diggin in the dirt, one with nature. The next day, I’ll be one with a sore back and butt muscles I forgot I had. What’s your favorite flower to plant? Do you do annuals every year or is your flower bed full of perennials? Do you plant the very same flowers in the exact same spots? I have mostly perennials but add annuals to pots. I adore the hibiscus, any color. And snapdragons. But I think petunias are a waste after the first 6 weeks. Apparently, I don’t prune and groom them like required. Oh well. I always want to do herbs but never seem to get around to it. Some years our tomatoes are abundant and some years, not so much. But we dutily plant them every spring. And peppers. It makes me feel so much like Greta Gardener. When you are purchasing your new spring wardrobe for your little corner of the world, shop local-shop small business.

Take time to stop and smell the flowers (but not marigolds, they stink) and watch the bees in action. Listen to the chorus the birds are singing, just for you. Turn your face to the sun and the Son and let His light shine down on you too. Lay in the soft green grass and watch the cotton candy clouds waft by. Look for ladybugs (they are a sign of good luck) and mix fresh nectar for the hummingbirds. Rejoice in the newness and be glad in it! Happy Spring, my friends…I’ll be talking to you!

We just enjoyed a lovely week away. My hope was:

1. Warm temps.

2. Flip flops.

3. Cold drinks.

San Antonio did not disappoint! Mr. Colquhoun is the one who books rooms and he did an amazing job. We were right on the Riverwalk and the hotel was wonderful. It seems as I age, I’m becoming a “hotel snob.” I really like a nice, name brand hotel. The pillows were sucky but everything else was lovely. We loved everything about the Riverwalk. We visited 9 establishments and 8 of them happily served us up ‘cold drinks.’ The 9th was breakfast in the hotel, we have a few scruples, no alcohol with the morn meal. The temps were high 70’s to low 80’s. The pedi I received before we left was proudly out and about everyday. Vacation goals met!

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I have a huge admission to make: I do not watch HGTV. Ever. I know who Chip and Joanna are though. The mister made a reservation in Waco, as a surprise, so I could see ‘The Silos,’ and when we got close we kept seeing signs that said “Event Parking” and I wondered what the heck the event was. I knew Baylor was playing basketball in KC at the Big 12 tourney so it wasn’t that. Then we realized…the event was ‘Spring at the Silos’! There were 750,000 people there. Give or take a few. Thousand. Needless to say, we found a parking spot, walked several blocks, saw the bakery and the silos, snapped a few pics and went to find the trolley. We toured the town, visited the Dr. Pepper Museum, went to Spice Village or really a bar in Spice Village and watched basketball. We drove thru the Baylor campus, ate In&Out then retired to our room. I’m not a huge fan of crowds. It was such a kind gesture on his part, though.

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It sure was a nice break in reality but I’m happy to be home, in my little corner of the world, doing my own thing.

Have you noticed all the cool dates March has? March Forth (3/4), Pi Day (3/14), Ides of March (3/15), John 3:16 (3/16), St. Patrick’s Day (3/17), Spring (3/20). Just something for you to ponder. Or not. Whatever!

Have a wonderful weekend, wear some green tomorrow, drink a green beer, eat some corned beef and look eagerly for spring!

“May you already be in Heaven before the devil even knows you’re dead.” I don’t know if that qualifies for an Irish Blessing but it’s what I’ve got.

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I’ll be talking to you! ❤🍀

Today is one of my favorite days of the year, it’s the only day that gives a direct order to every human being. March forth, my people, and do good works! Take charge, make a change, better yourself, love harder, laugh louder. Whatever you choose to do, march forth and do it! Just march gingerly if there’s snow and ice covering your ground like there is here in South Central Kansas.

Speaking of winter weather…I live vicariously through the soap in my bathroom. Since the first of December, we’ve been using “Fresh Sparkling Snow” but it’s the month of spring (finally) and the Lord does work in mysterious ways. Notice the empty bottle of winter soap on the left. Thank you Jesus! I’m off to the land of Sunshine and Lemons now. It would only be better if Bath and Body Works would come up with “Cabana Boy with a Fruity Drink and Small Umbrella” scent….😉

We have had quite the start to 2019, as have had many of our friends. It seems there’s been more bad/sad/scary moments than good/happy/fun times. Last Thursday night, we were laying in bed and I said to the mister, “Oh my! I hate to say this out loud but, this week is only the second full week you’ve worked since school started back on Jan. 7.” He reminded me the week was not over yet then I reminded him there was no reason for him not to go “shape minds” the next day. Between weather cancellations, funerals, illness and lots of doctor appointments, he has been hit or miss in his palatial classroom. His reply to the whole scenario? “Nicely played, Mr. C!” Hahaha.

Next week we are visiting San Antonio for the first time and we (me) are praying for warm temps, flip flops and cold drinks. Especially while I’m looking out my front door at the lovely fresh fallen snow. I’m lucky I don’t have to get out in it to go to a job, I just step out of bed and my work is all around me, however, I am perpetually cold. As in freezing, (until a brief interlude at 3am, most mornings). Mr. Colquhoun said yesterday, “You’ve been cold for 4 or 5 years now.” Yes, yes I have and I’m not a fan of it much. I know I should not broadcast that we’ll be on hiatus for a bit but we’re leaving our treasures well protected so don’t waste your time, all our most valuable items have flown the coop and live on their own now anyway.

Have a wonderful week, my friends…MARCH FORTH and do good. I’ll be talking to you.

Good Sunday to you! Hope life is treating you well. I have had one of those weeks ’round these parts. The first malady to hit me, last Sunday, was a kink in my neck. No, not really a kink but a whack. Like my neck is whacked. The kind of whack that makes your shoulders ache and the pain radiates up thru the neck area, around your ears and jaws and the bottom of your skull then finally deep into your brain. On Friday, the sixth day, after some terse words between me and the mister, he called and made me an immediate appointment with the chiropractor. I have been there a few times and don’t mind going but it is hard for me to get there. I laid on the “rolly” table and then the kindly Dr. worked me over, a few things adjusted but more didn’t. I have pretty good range of motion when I turn right but when I look left, not so much! When he tried to work on that side, I saw spots and thought I was gonna lose my lunch, for the love of all things worse than childbirth, I told him I could not do that again. A rib out of place, a pelvic bone in the wrong, etc. He told me to take 2 Epsom salt baths before I come back on Monday. Hello….I don’t take baths. Ever. Strictly a shower girl. But I listened and bought the Epsom salts. Fast forward to bath time….when I went through all the cabinets, cupboards and drawers in the bathroom after Christmas, I threw away the tub plug. See, proof that we don’t take baths! Another trip to the walmarts for a stopper and I shall bathe tonight. Sigh.

Then, yesterday morning I braved the sub-par, frigid (to me) weather to go to the bank. I cut the corner too close and hit the curb. Hard. I jumped and said aloud, “geez, I could have popped that tire!” I pulled up to the drive thru, rolled down my window and heard a distinct ‘hissssssssss’. Oh snap, I called it. Quickly I moved out of the way and made the “phone call of shame”. He answered and it all just came tumbling outta my mouth like a roaring river. I’m such an idiot sometimes. My go-to guy came and rescued me and we get to purchase new tires tomorrow! Yay. Hrmph.

Our local theater has a get together once a week, and they tout it as “Thirsty Thursday.” They have ‘celebrity’ bartenders and offer a specialty drink. I hesitantly went on Valentine’s Day with my son and daughter-in-love since Mr. Colquhoun was officiating basketball out of town. What could go wrong when you’re out with your son? Well, let me tell ya…lots. I adore the 2 celebrity bartenders and apparently guzzled the specialty drink. Or drinks. Who even does that? It was the most fun, terrible idea ever. I’m probably grounded. Or should be.

The best part of today, after groceries were purchased and besides the fact the sun is shining and the wind is not howling…we flipped a coin to decide dinner tonite. I don’t know why that is always a speed bump for us. I just decide most of the time but was offering up 2 “gourmets” for this evening. A quarter to the rescue…heads=goulash, tails=Mary Lou’s swiss steak. Heads wins! Be jealous. I’m still on #teamcomfortfood. All the comfort food.

March is right around the corner, my plants are peeking bright green foliage out of the cold, seemingly dead ground, and 3 weeks til we change our clocks…spring forward! Who is ready? Be well my friends, I’ll be talking to you. You all bless me immensely.

Good morning! You know that old saying, “Chili today, hot tamale”? It’s kind of a play on words and my mother-in-law used to say it all the time. Along with a few others that I can hear as clear today as before we lost her in 1998. (“Well good night nurse!” And “Good enough for the girl I go with”….what do those even mean?) Anyway, I live in south central Kansas and sometimes our weather is crazy, to put it mildly. Yesterday morning, we had ice and last night we had thunder and lightning. This morning, ice and no school again.

We have a Japanese Chen dog who is terrified of thunder and lightning. How quickly we, the peasant owners of said dog, forget the way he paces, wants on the bed (and he can’t jump up onto it), off the bed, paces, scratches the side of the bed, wants on the bed, etc. etc. etc. We really love the old man but geez, he needs anxiety meds.

So, back to the first sentence…I was really hoping since we had “chili/chilly” yesterday, today would be a “hot tamale/warmer weather” day. Apparently Mother Nature doesn’t follow old adages. Sigh.

Let’s talk comfort food for a moment. Do you have a favorite? I do not. I love them all. Every single one, well except Vegetable Soup. So not every single one. But almost! Yesterday, Mr. Colquhoun made a big pot of Chili and it hit the spot. Today, I’m fixing Beef Tips in Mushroom Gravy, baked til tender then we’ll put it over rice. Stick to your ribs (and butt and belly and thighs) kind of grub! Which brings me to this jewel:

This was the very first recipe given to me, 40 years ago, by a lady I admired very much. It’s type-written (like on a type writer, you know what I’m talking about-yes?) and worn. It has cooking slops on it and has ripped in two at the crease. I keep it in a plastic sheath, for prosperity. Or is it posterity? 🤷‍♀️ I don’t know, for the future, I guess. It’s the only Lasagne recipe I ever make and it is definitely comforting! We had it earlier this week. I feel like it is truly a gem and I hope Nancy Sherman sees me pull it out a couple times a year and make it. You have a recipe or two like this, I’m sure.

I hope y’all are staying warm and dry and filling your bellies with comforting food and your mind with wonderful winter memories. Until next time, I’ll be talking to you! ❤