Saturday, September 29, 2012

...from my back deck...

...it's been a while since I've done a "from my back deck" post...

...the leaves are really beginning to turn...right now some early maples and poplars like this one in our backyard...but it's sort of like early spring...with all the different shades of green...but instead of vibrant new green...it's the tired and faded green that signals fall...and soon there'll be a riot of colour around here...so I'm told...and I can't wait...

...so today...we're headed off into the woods...to a new (to us) State Park...

...you can bet there will be pictures...

~Have a lovely day!

Friday, September 28, 2012

...Vegan Campbell's Tomato Soup Copycat Recipe...

...it's such a chilly rainy day here today...
...that I thought some tomato soup would be nice...you know the kind in the red and white can...that would be perfect...I'm pretty sure the classic is vegan...but you know how I like to have complete control over what goes in...

...I got the recipe from VegWeb...they call it "Just-Like-Canned-Tomato-Soup" Soup...
...it certainly looks and smells perfect...mmmmm...tastes perfect too!... ...with a bunch of crumbled Ritz crackers...I know they're probably really bad for you...but it's such a nostalgic taste for me...and Peta lists them as Accidentally Vegan...HA!...
...oh...and some Kale Chips...

...Next time...and there'll definitely be a next time...I'm going to try the chives instead of the oregano...it was really perfectly yummy!

~Have a lovely day!

Thursday, September 27, 2012

...W.I.P. Wednesday...on Thursday again...

...well... ...if I had gotten my Band Post up at midnight Tuesday...I could have done my WIP Wednesday post on time...
...but there was really such scant progress that it should almost be a W.I.H. post...HA!...with H standing for hiatus... ...however...progress is progress...even just a few rows as the case may be...only about 8 new rows here...I'm only on row 36 of the pattern...I still like it a lot...so it's not that...just busy busy...
...and I have a question for y'all...
...do you think I ought to over-dye this top a rusty orange like it is in the original...I debated making it that colour to begin with...and now I'm kinda wishing that I had...but then I hem and haw about it because this neutral colour will definitely 'go with' more of my clothes...
...what do you think?...

~Have a lovely day!

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

...Majorette Festival...

...I was going to post about Majorette Festival as soon as we got home... ...but that was at 11:30 PM...on a school night...
...we got to the field at a few minutes after 5:00...while they were still setting up...it had been raining and everything was wet and chilly...and then we got to sit in the stands for 6 hours...
...but of course it was all worth it...as our band marched in...
...and put their props on the field...this was new to me...I'd never been to a band competition where there were props...
...then as they took the field in their perfect columns...
...silver and burgundy balloons were released by their fans with lots of cheers and noise making...
...watching them float away in the clearing evening sky...
...of course the band did their show perfectly...
...as the balloons continued to float away...
...their famous zigzag line...
...a perfect ending to another perfect show...
...a little clip for the grandmas to enjoy...
...then the show finale...an exhibition by the Marshall Thundering Herd...
...all 300+ of them...they really fill up a football field...
...and they really fill up the stadium with sound as well...
...our band back on the field standing at attention for the presentation of the awards...
...our majorette was crowned Miss Kanawha Majorette 2012...it was sort of like a beauty pageant...
...and our band still at attention as the other bands leave the field...
...they won...
...Band Marching...
...Band Playing...
and ...Overall Effect...

...so I guess the cold wet late night was probably worth it...

...have a lovely day!...

Monday, September 24, 2012

...the Man celebrated another birthday...
...and as usual he has forbidden me to post any photos...even headless ones...HA!

...~Have a lovely Monday!

Saturday, September 22, 2012

...and speaking of birthdays...

...we have a few September birthdays around here...but before we get to that...I thought I'd share a little photo of one of my pressies from back in July...
...a pretty little flag from my baby bro and his wife...sorry it's a little blurry...I don't know why...
...another shot with a shadow...not a lot better...hmmmmnnn...

 ...I'm probably going to change the flag seasonally...that sounds like fun doesn't it?...

 ...do you have a seasonal yard flag?...post a picture...

 ~Have a lovely weekend...

Friday, September 21, 2012

...Freezer Tricks again...

...we had such a busy day yesterday...but luckily I had beans in the crockpot...
...the Freezer trick that I used for my spaghetti sauce works for a big crockpot full of black beans too...

...then after a few hours in the freezer...

...they're frozen solid...

...and now I have little 1/2 cup servings of black beans ready to go...

...what have you been cooking and freezing lately?...

~Have a lovely day!

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

...Baby Blanket...WIP Wednesday...


...This is just another of my Super Simple Stockinette Stitch Baby Blankets...

...begun well before the shawl or the Heliotropic...

...but it needed to be finished...because the sweet babe is here...

...what are you working on?...any new baby knitting?...

~Have a lovely day!

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

...other people's veg...


...as everyone's gardens wind down...we've still been blessed with an abundance of home grown veggies...we just didn't grow them ourselves...

...what's still growing in your garden?...

~Have a lovely day!

Monday, September 17, 2012

...Grand Champion Field...

...as I said...I was gone all day Saturday...so this post will be (at least) twice as long to make up for it...HA!

...after a fairly late night...we were up with the sun to catch our chartered buses for the 3 hour tour...queue Gilligan's Island theme song here...

...the kids loaded everything...instruments...food and a lot of water under the buses...

...one stop and 3 hours later we arrived at the West Virginia Oil and Gas Festival...

...there were a bunch of these old Bessemer engines thumping and hissing away...they say they were once used to pump oil...

...we were right on the shore of the Ohio River...it's huge...this is a working ferry...

...the other side of the river where the ferry docks...remember the old eighties song...'Don't Pay the Ferryman'...loved it...

...I just loved this old Eastman building where the parents set up shop for the parade...

...said parents...

...the band judges...

...this small town parade began as they so often do...with vintage cars...

...and beauty queens...

...jugglers...

...crazy...(and stinky)...little cars...

...and clowns...

...and giant bubbles...

...then our perfectly aligned band...there were 15 other bands in the parade...I have pictures of them all...but thought I'd spare you all that scrolling...

...after the parade...we headed over to the gorgeous consolidated county school for the Band Festival...we had some lunch and I found a seat in the stands to watch...

...the band ready to march onto the field...

...it was all very very formal with salutes and permission to enter the field...

...here's the salute...

...and they begin...

...as they moved from this zig zag line...

...to this perfectly straight one...you should have heard the cheers from the stands...

...I'll just show you a few more of their formations...

...just because they are so perfect...

...it really was their best show yet...

...a phone photo of the trophies in front of the Director's seat on the bus...they won GOLD in every category...HONOR BAND...and GRAND CHAMPION FIELD!...those were a couple of happy buses rolling back into town at midnight...

~Wishing you a lovely start to your week...