The Red River

separates Oklahoma and Texas.  Actually, while on the river, we were in OK for a beautiful crispy cool fall day.  We explored the river and found lots of animal tracks including deer, hog, coyote,  Kangaroo rat, and birds.  We photographed dunes, driftwood, grasses, a bridge with mud wren nests, water, banks, the moon rising, a blue herring lifting off over a little lake, and the campfire where we made dinner before heading home.  The last photo is of the sun setting and the entering Texas sign.  It is amazing to spend quality family time in a quiet serene place.  I am grateful for the opportunity my son's family included me in.

I hope you enjoyed the view from here!

link ups

Wordless Wednesday

Goblins, Ghouls and Goodies

We had a great Halloween Family party this weekend.  There were lots of Pinterest inspired foods and home kitchen inspired foods too.

Some of the sweets & fingerlings were already gone by the time the camera made it to this table.
Caramel spice cupcakes, deviled eggs, carameled grapes, Marble Slab Ice Cream Cake, White Strawberry  cake with whipped cream icing, several more cupcakes and cookies, candy corn recipes.  More than I could sample, for sure!

Pumpkin decorated cookies.

Witch hats cookies.

Deviled eggs with chive faces.

While I was busy printing photos for the guests to take home someone brought me the last little bit of a Caramel  Apple Cider = oh my! This one will have to be done again, and it will be before the next gathering...and there WILL be a photo.  I also failed to take a picture of the soup bar.  There was a Pinterest inspired loaded potato soup (to die for), Bear Soup (when the cub-bards are bare, put everything from the fridge in a pot with broth), chili, Swamp Eyed Pasta, BBQ beef, Okra tomato black eye pea gumbo,

I was in charge of getting photo's.  Taking a large frame and loosely wrapping with cheese cloth gave those shy guests an easy way to pose for me.  Here are some of the extraordinary costumes.

George the Clown,

Dalmatian,

Fiona,

Invisible Man,

The host carving his amazing pumpkins with some
of the kids.

This bicycle plant stand has a tomato
cage witch dress & hat & a "Toto" dog.

Fairy Hallow. Dollar store wings attached to
empty bottles filled with glow sticks.

Pumpkin Lane and trickers.

I hope you have a Spook-tacular Halloween!

Click here to see my favorite link up sites:

It's okay to be a little batty,

this sign in a fun little shop says so.

• It's Okay to make funny faces in the mirror while putting on make up, instead of road rage, and to make little kids laugh.
• It's okay I don't like to handle meat.  Why face my fears when there are frozen meatballs, frozen chicken breasts and meat market butchers available.

• It's okay to get down and dirty in pearls.  I know this from watching a show called "The Incredible Dr. Pol".  There were two farmers helping the Dr. all dressed in nasty overalls pulling twin calves from a mommy cow while on the other end; the lady of the house (who had just arrived from work) was holding the mommy cows face talking gently to her.  She was all dressed up wearing heels and pearls. This just struck me as funny as all get out! 

• It's okay that I don't really know what that means (funny as all get out), it's just something we say in Texas, like ya'll and over yonder.

• It's okay that folks know just by hearing me talk, I come from Texas.  It's just as funny to have someone with a heavy Bostonian accent make fun of the way I order my aegggs, cooked dri-eye.

• It's okay that while reading blog after blog about what people love about fall all I can think of is that I don't like the allergies I get.  Do I get an "achoo" for that?

• It's okay that while I'm ecstatic hubs put in a new kitchen faucet, it irritates me the handles push backwards instead of pull forward.  I can't bare to complain cause it was such a job to get the old faucet out.

• And finally, it's okay to make funny faces on mini pumpkins.  It's almost Halloween, right?

See this project completed here

Hope you see the humor in your every day...

Yard Art around town.

It's always fun to find neat things people display in their yards.  Here are a few I think you might enjoy with me.

Now this is a creative way to use propane tanks!

In the alley down from my house.

These homeowners have a great collection of things  that  were put together by a very artistic and imaginative person.

I'd like to relax in this spot with a Pumpkin Spice Latte. 

Fall pecan harvest and Pralines:

It may be elementary, my dear...but I'd like to take this opportunity to share some pecan shelling techniques.

The pecan trees on our family farm have been there since my dad was a boy (he was born 1926).  He told us a story about a flood that filled the lower part of the farm with a LOT of water.  When it receded the "bottom" had a new thick layer of sandy silt and the next spring pecan trees came up along the higher water bank edge.  More were planted creating a beautiful orchard that we love to wander through.  There have been many family gatherings there for Easter hunts, July 4 Fish Fry's, domino games, and harvesting.  Sometimes we go there just to absorb the air and history.  The trees are huge but the nuts are a bit small.  Larger pecans are usually the result of human intervention and grafting larger hybrid pecan stock onto a hardier tree base.  Our pecans and trees are a gift from God, they are what they are.

The last several years of Texas drought have been tough on the trees and the fruit.  Many of the pecans are smaller than usual and some have dry or blackened meat.  I shelled 4 cups of whole pecans and had to toss about a dozen bad nuts out.  Out of 4 cups whole nuts I have 2 cups shelled pecan meat.  Here is a photo that shows the pecans as they appear during the final days of ripening.

Once the pods turn black and crack open the nuts will easily fall out.  Tree shakers are hired to clamp onto the tree and shake them loose.  That is quite a site to see.  But before the trees are completely ready for a shaker crew, they can be hand gathered off the ground.  That's what my family did last week.

Now, how to get the meat out of the shell.  Oh, that reminded me of a funny epitaph I saw on a tombstone in the local cemetery.  The guy had a sense of humor and definitely gets the last laugh. Click here to see it.
OK, I'm Back...

Choose your tools.  I had three on hand to choose from.  Our favorite cannon loading tool is packed away for our intended moving day.  I do have three other choices here.

You can use a nut/shell cracker, hammer, or my 2nd fave is a specially designed sheller that snips away the shell like scissors.

Now, we have enough shelled and ready, let's bake something.  How about one of my favorite candy recipes (from my sister).

Mexican Candy

Mexican Candy (a praline like candy)

Place in a microwave safe bowl and set aside: 

• 2 Cups coarsely chopped pecans. 

Mix in a pan and cook over medium heat to a soft ball stage, stirring continually (use a wooden spoon to avoid crystalization):

• 1 1/2 Cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 Cups evaporated milk
• 1/2 Cup butter
• 3 Tablespoons light Karo syrup
• dash of salt

Add and mix well: 

• 1 Cup miniature marshmallows

Remove from heat to cool about 5 minutes.  

Add and beat mixture using a mixer until it begins to harden (a minute or so):

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Pour the mixture over the pecans.
Stir together well.

If it gets too hard too quickly, put it in the microwave 20-30 seconds.  

Drop by heaping Tablespoons full onto wax paper.  I use a cookie scoop for a nice size praline.

Allow the candy to cool completely and to dry out a bit.
This recipe makes about 24 candies.

This is the easiest and most successful praline recipe I've ever used.  I have made these and bagged them in little draw string bags purchased in the wedding supply section at Walmart for both teacher gifts (70 teachers where I worked!) and as favors for a wedding reception.

Linking:
Thinking Outside the Blog
French quisine Friday recipe link up

Vintage shaving brushes

There are several projects started, each waiting for a trip to buy some extra supplies.  But I did get one project finished.

During a packing for moving moment I came across several vintage shaving brushes.  One came from my maternal grandfather, one from hubs step dad, one from hubs during the "early" days of our marriage and one more neither of us can remember.  There was also a shaving mug, straight razor, mug soap and a razor strap too fragile to display.  It all works into the staged guest bath perfectly.  What do you think?

Aren't they cool?

I like how they finish out the shelf display.  I hope you do too.

Linking at:

Knick of Time
Welcome Home Wednesday
Cottage Style Linky Party

Signs that a party is brewing

It's getting close...the party is next weekend.  Today's project was not hard at all.  I love easy projects that go just like I imagined!   This party is for our large extended family and a few close friends.  We needed a sign board that gives the party guests an idea of what is available and when they should move on to the next activity. I scavenged through hubs wood stash in the garage and found an appropriate board.  It is a piece of particle board about 2 feet by 4 feet. A trip to Walmart, a can of Rust-Oleum Textured Black spray paint, and 10 minutes later (plus some drying time)  I have a chalk board. I didn't even bother sanding it because  I think the slight roughness of the board helps release the chalk. I borrowed some colored chalk from the grands art box and... we have a sign.    There will probably be some adjustments, but I like the look a lot.

DIY Sock Alien

It's getting spooky around here.  There seems to be a dark alien lurking in the rose bushes! 

I think it was spawned from that pesky orphaned and abandoned sock basket.  It's eyes are eerily similar to the green tennis balls that were stored in the same area.  Hmmm.  I'm getting suspicious that someone may be playing tricks...for treats.

Here's how that alien came together.

Beginning a New Day

{this moment} -  A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.