~ Berry Burst ....

..... before I tell you about Berry Burst

let me first say that I try to do my best.

 

1.  I walk 4.25 miles 5 days a week.  

It takes me an hour. 

 

2.  I feel GREAT after a walk.   I think its a combination of the

endorphin rush and listening to music while I walk. 

Note to self:   I probably should stop singing while I walk .....

a.  I can't carry a tune

b.  I swallowed a bug this week.  

Yay!  Protein!!!

 

3.  With that said.....no matter how much walking I do....

no matter how much hula hooping I do.....

why is my waist still expanding? 

They say that the average woman's waist is 34.4 inches.....

7 inches larger than 50 years ago!

I used to have a svelte 28 inch waist.

What the heck happened???? 

One day.....I looked at myself......saw my waist line and said

"How did my mother get here?"  

Right now I am above average with my waist measurement.

Do I get a prize for that?

 

4.  I really try to eat reasonably healthy.

I've eaten my share of salads .....

veggies .....

They say you are what you eat.

The thing is, I really don't overeat AND I really watch my portions.

But I.CAN.NOT.LOSE.WEIGHT.  

I'm stuck at @*# lbs.

Sometimes it's just downright depressing!!!

 

5.   So ..... instead of punishing myself

day after day after day after day

I rarely  occasionally  generously treat myself to .....

..........

drum roll please ..... ♫

♪  ......a Berry Burst Oreo!!!!!!!!!!

Oh yeah!!!!

You know you want one.

I think they're a summer special .....

.... they are delicious

and so well worth the guilt.

Heck, they are so decadent that they deserve

to be served up with one of those luxury napkins.

 

'nuff said.....

 

grab a cookie!!!

♥

 

Played along with Nancy at "A Rural Journal"

 

 



~ It's Fall Y'all .....

....well, at least it will be on Sunday.

Fall.  My favorite season.

For so many reasons.

One of them being Butternut Squash Bisque.

At the first sign of crisp fall air, apple cider and apple cider donuts

I get the urge to make Butternut Squash Bisque.

The original recipe was found here allrecipes

Although it was yummy,

I decided to doctor it up a bit.

So, get that apron on ... pull out your soup pot and let's get started!

~~~~~

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter in a large pot over medium heat.

Throw in 1/2 cup (or more) of diced onion and cook until tender.

Throw in about half a small bag of baby carrots and 4 cups

of peeled and cubed butternut squash.

Now, I have struggled with peeling and cubing that bad boy

soooooooooooo

I now buy the squash already peeled and cubed.

I KNOW, RIGHT!!!!!

Now, here's where I changed it up a little.

I also add 2 small or 1 large Cortland apple (peeled and cut)

and 1 large sweet potato (peeled and cut).

Then pour in 3 to 4 cups of stock. 

This recipe calls for vegetable stock.

I've also made it with chicken stock or beef stock.

I really didn't notice much of a difference in the taste.

Oh!  And season with salt and pepper (to taste)

aaaaaaannnnnddddd

nutmeg (to taste)!

Yup!  Nutmeg!

 

Bring this to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer until everything becomes tender.

I know, it looks mushy .... but that's okay.

 

Now, remove the pot from the stove and grab your hand blender (or food processor)

and puree the heck out of it ... until it looks smooth and thick.

I usually find that using my left hand to control the hand blender

allows me to use my right hand to ....

wipe down the splatters I just made....

or sip on a glass of wine....

or make a phone call....

or wave to the neighbor....

Okay.....now that that's all pureed,

return the pot to the stove and stir in 1/2 cup of heavy cream (optional).

Stir and heat (but don't boil).

♫ Ta-da ♪

You are done!!!!

Get yourself a cup (or bowl), fill it up with the Butternut Squash Bisque,

add a little (or a lot) of nutmeg,

tear apart some French bread and dig in!!!!

Huh?  Huh??

Is that good or what? 

~~~~~~

Okay, so while you're eating that

let me tell you about this week's

Random 5

with Nancy:

 

1.  I don't particularly like to cook ... I KNOW, RIGHT???

You'd think with the above masterpiece that I would be a chef!!!!

NOT!!!

 

2.  I don't like grocery shopping ...

.

3.  .... and I tend to buy crap stuff even if we don't need it.

Why do I do that?  Why did I need to purchase that jar of applesauce?

So I could place it next to the two jars I already have?

 

4.  I cannot pass a craft store.  I have to go in.

I'm like a dog marking my territory ... up and down every aisle.

Sniffing everything.  

I need to get a grip!

 

5.  I do love a bargain.  And coupons.

And saying "I couldn't afford NOT to buy it."

What does that mean????

LOL

 

♥

 

 

 



~ Monday Listicles ...

 

If you haven't been to visit Stasha @ Northwest Mommy,

then you really should stop by.

Today is "Monday Listicles" over there

and today's list of

"10 Things I Have a Crush On"

was suggested by my girl Kelly.

 

 

So, here goes.

10 Things I Have A Crush On

In no particular order .... well, except for #1 ....

 

10.  "Artful Blogging" magazine.   I have discovered some amazing bloggers through that magazine. 

9.  Becky over at TIMEWASHED .... her stuff makes me sigh !

8.  My neighbor's two boys.......Landon who is 3 and Logan who is 1. 

They make me smile! 

7.  Crisp autumn air and the sound of leaves crunching under my feet.   **sigh**

6.  Cloudy days.

5.  Flea markets.

4.  Old bottles.

3.  Anything vintage.

2.  Gumby.

......... and .........

 

1.  Tom.....my husband of 42 years.

 

This photo is circa 2000.

We look so dang young!!!  LOL

 

♥

 

 

 

 



~ Is It Friday ....

.... already?

Where does the time go?

 

 

Dear Week ... what the heck?

 

Dear Summer ... I hope this is really "buh-bye" because your

humidity this week was a deal breaker.  Our relationship is over.

 

Dear Autumn ... bring on your crisp attitude.  I can't wait!!!

 

Dear Blogging Friends ... thank you so much for your input about my blog's look.

As you can see, I did change it up a bit.

Still holding on to the dark background .... don't know why but I just can't let it go!

Learning how to make a blog header was fun.

In fact, I may just change my header up with the seasons .... well, maybe. 

LOL

I still don't know how to grab your buttons to place in my blog!

Why do I always mess that up?? 

 

Dear Birds ... thanks for your constant visits.

I really do enjoy watching you.

 

 

 

And with this one .... I think the bird on the right is saying

"Uh......I don't think there's room for you on here."

LOL

 

 

And now ... for my Random 5 ....

 

1.  I think the older I get that I am becoming slightly OCD....

2.   I say this because I've noticed that I want need to do certain things in

a certain way ...

3.  For example, if I wake up at night and I have to make a potty trip and

it's, let's say 2:11 a.m., I will tell myself that I cannot get up

until it is 2:15 a.m. ....

4.  Maybe that's not being so much OCD as .... what? ... a little wacky?

5.  I will read and re-read this post at least 3 5 times

before I hit the "Publish" button ...

and then I will read it a couple of  few more times

and maybe even edit it the same amount of times

before I let it go!!!

 

Today, I played along with Ashley Slater and Nancy

 

♥

 

 

 

 



~ Wine and Chocolate ....

..... yup!

I'm bribing you. 

 

So, sit down and have a glass ... or two.

Have a piece of chocolate ... or two.

I need your input.

For awhile now I've been wanting to give my blog a facelift.

What do you think?

Does the current look ... black ... bother you?

Does it need a pop of color .... on the sides? .... on the header?

Should I make it all white and change up the header?

Should I keep the format?

I know.....I know.

It's my blog .... I should be creative .... and decide what the heck to do with it.

I just go back and forth .... forth and back ..... up and down.

I go into your blogs and I just sigh at how gorgeous they are.

I also made the mistake good move and

got "Artful Blogging" magazine.

Dang!

I gasp with each turn of the page!!!

I hurry and visit their blogs and just crush on them!!!

Sigh!  

 

So, if you wouldn't mind ...

I'll pour you another glass of wine

and you can tell  me what you think.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now ....

over to Nancy's to play

Random 5 Friday!!!

 

1.   I'm a cheap date.   One glass of wine and I'm done!   One glass of wine and I turn into the

      weather .... hazy (I get that way), hot (I start hot flashing) and humid (and she sweats!).

2.   I'm in need of a haircut.   My  hair is down way past my butt.   I wear it in a bun ...

      every.single.day!   Why don't I just make an appointment and get it chopped?  

      Why am I holding on to it?  Is it the "hippie" in me that won't let go?

3.   My hair is thinning.......on top......in the bangs area.   Crap!  I knew it was thinning.

      I ignored it.   But it's getting progressively more noticeable.    It bothers me.  A lot!!!!

4.   So I bought some Rogaine For Women.   Haven't tried it yet.   I'm afraid to.   Don't

      ask me why.  I just am. 

5.   I have never dyed my hair but I have used Henna on it.  Once.  I looked like an

      Irish Setter. 

 

 

So, there you have it.

 

Now, where's my glass of wine .....

 

♥