What's Cookin' Wednesday ~ Ummmm ... Caramel Corn

Today we are going to have a lesson in making caramel corn.  Don't be scared - there are no candy thermometers involved.  No hard ball stages to contend with.  The recipe I use is so easy, so good.

Since I have come to the conclusion that I am never going to be able to, nor do I really want to, eliminate sugary goodness from my life, I have decided that if I am going to indulge, I would be better off making them myself.  That way I know what ingredients are used and I can, if I want to, adjust the sugar and butter content.

(Yeah, right!)

Me Me Me Me Me

The Faith Barista Jam With Me Topic for this week is ...

What is a passion that you'd like to nurture and grow?

Most would think about this question and say ...

... Painting

... Photography

... Video games

... Reading

Those are my 'outside' passions.  The passions that I do.  Or want to do, when I allow myself the pleasure of doing them.  Those are not my 'inside' passions.  

Small Things

I often peruse the Chamber of Commerce website and the Baxter Bulletin to catch up on the going's on around our area.  Randy and I have had a great time this past year going to craft fairs, boat shows and other festivals.

It's also fun to look at the business applications to see what new business are opening in and around town.  That's how I found out that we were getting a Shipley's Donuts.  Mmmmm ... donuts.  The sign that went up outside an empty building on the main road in town was also a pretty big clue.  I have yet to visit their establishment, but I understand their donuts are to die for.  Opps, I mean really, really good.

Show Me

Last month Randy, Roxy and I made a Secret Squirrel trip to Des Moines.  (Iowa, not Washington.)  

Going through Missouri, Des Moines is pretty much a straight shot north from us.  There is a law in these parts that you have to get behind at least one slow moving driver.  Usually at a point where there is no way to pass.

Randy's luck in finding a way to pass a slow vehicle is directly proportional to me having to stop to use the restroom within one mile of his passing said vehicle.

This trip, we managed to get caught behind two slow drivers.  Luckily they both turned off the highway before I had an accident.

Anyway ~

The most perfect road trip for me would be one where I was able to have Randy pull over so I could take the perfect picture when I want to.   As I mentioned, we were on a Secret Squirrel mission and this was not the time to yell "Stop!  Turn around! Pull over!"  What pictures I did manage to take, I took from our vehicle as it was speeding down the backroads of Missouri and Iowa.

Helpful hint ... when taking pictures out the window of a moving vehicle, always wrap the camera strap securely around your wrist.

Anyway ~

My photos don't show it, but Missouri is very beautiful.  Rolling hills of farmland, dotted with old barns, cows and bales (rolls?) of hay.  I have picked out a few of my favorite pictures along with mini-lesson on Missouri history.

Missouri is the 'Show Me' state, an expression coined by a congressman in 1899 when he said 'I'm from Missouri and you've got to show me."

Missouri is bordered by a total of eight states: Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, R-Can-Sauce, Tennessee, Kansas, Oklahoma and Nebraska.  No other state except for Tennessee touches so many other states.

The state animal is a mule.

In 1865, Missouri was the first slave state to free its slaves.

From the never-ending fields of corn we passed, I am surprised to learn that as a crop, soybeans bring in the most revenue for the population of Missouri.

On August 10, 1821, Missouri was the 24th state admitted to the Union.

Credit for the Missouri Bootheel goes to landowner John Hardeman Walker.  In 1818, when the first petition came to the United States Congress for Missouri to organize into a state government, Mr Walker found that his land would be under Arkansas jurisdiction.  He wanted to be a Missourian and lobbied successfully for the 'bootheel' to be included in Missouri.

I always thought it was the 'Boot Hills' of Missouri.  Kind of like chester-drawers or prairie knife.

Iced tea was invented at the 1904 World's Fair in St Louis by Richard Blechyden, when he amazingly, poured tea over ice.

The Missouri state motto is  'Salus populi suprema lex esto'.  The welfare of the people shall be the supreme law.

Have the BEST day ever!
~ Dorothy

Not Quite A Proverbs 31 Woman

'They' say that Proverbs 31 is the Biblical ruler that women are to be measured by.  I read it with a grain of salt, knowing that I, no matter how hard I try (and I have tried hard to the point of crazy), I will never come close to what Proverbs 31 wants me to be.

Many moons ago, when I didn't know any better, I spent a lot of time struggling to be perfect.

All was not right with my world until ....

... My house was cleaned from top to bottom once a week

... Dishes washed before being put in the dishwasher

... Home cooked meals were only complete with a protein, a starch and a vegetable

The only thing that struggle got me was a frustrated crazy person who didn't enjoy or participate fully in get-togethers with friends and family because I was too busy trying to make everything perfect.

It took many years of craziness before it dawned on me to lighten up on myself.

Saturday Morning Critters

I have not yet had a chance to finish my first cup of coffee and already this morning I have dealt with monkeys, turtles and raccoons.

A special someone requested monkey bread for breakfast on this, his special day.  Since special days around our house are usually three steps down from low key and I would never, ever pass up a chance to stuff my face full of monkey bread, I was all too eager to oblige.

Hot in R-Can-Sauce

Weather is a common denominator between every single one of us humanoids.   Like it or not, we all have weather.

There is only one word to describe my weather life these days ...

... HOT ...

I am certainly not complaining, just stating the facts.  Although, for some reason this year, I have not adjusted to the heat very well.

The mercury topped out at 111° last Wednesday.  That is three - count 'em - three ones with not one decimal between them.  Or 112°, depending on what thermometer we believe in.  When it gets that hot, in the entire scope of things, what is one degree?  At temperatures into the 90°'s for any length of time, people get grumpy, tired of the heat and tired of trying to stay inside because of the heat.

It seems to me that it has been overly hot for about a year or more.  The winter snow, even the rain and the threats of tornados this past spring are just a foggy memory to me.

When God's Plan Clearly Sucks

God has a plan for each and every one of us.

This I believe with all my heart.

Who Says That Middle-Aged People Don't Know How To Have A Good Time ~ The Final Chapter

Time sure flies whether you are having fun or not.  Here it is August already and if Jack & Teri and Jim and Marcia thought it was hot when they were here in June, well, think again.  

Sadly, here is the last installment of the fun that we all had while they were visiting.  Only this chapter  is missing Jim and Marcia.  I think I may have some of the events out of order here, but who cares?

I left off last when we were at the car museum in Hardy.  After the car museum, we spent some time strolling through town, browsing in a few craft shops, antique shops and gift shops.