Newest Project in the Garden

Previously I mentioned plans for my newest garden and my goals over the next several year. Since we had the long weekend, I have been working day and night on putting in this??? patio? It has been a major undertaking. Two years ago I covered the area with black plastic to kill vegetation. Also over the past two years I have been collecting flat rocks, some splitting too. I thought I had enough to get about 3/4 of it done but I didn't.

This project involved tilling and removing excess dirt in order to make the rocks (somewhat) level with the ground plus since I was connecting the mounds under each tree I decided to dig up all the plants there and add amendments to the whole area, then replant. First I had to remove the black plastic, which I had placed many of the rocks on, so that meant I had to move all the rocks to remove the plastic. Then I used the tiller to till all around the edge so I would have a boundary. This I did on Friday.

On Saturday I tilled the gardens. Then started putting flat rocks around the edge. I didn't quite finish that when I realized I needed high round rocks to put around the garden to keep the soil and mulch from flowing onto the flat rocks. So back to the hedgerow for more rocks. I finished that about 7:45 and decided to call it a night. I still had to shower and make dinner... in actuality I put Dave to work doing that while I got cleaned up. Sunday I removed all the plants, and replanted. I started tilling and removing soil to lay flat rocks. Today, Monday I worked more on laying flat rocks and sand.

Here is my project so far. I will need to continue looking for flat rocks and will add them as I get them. This has been a brutal, labor intensive weekend. . . hauling, splitting, digging, tilling, shoveling, planting, watering. Thank God I have to go to work tomorrow. I am whipped. I'm not finished but the pressure is off since I have so much of the work done. Now I will just work on it a little at a time as I get rocks. That will be so much easier. It is kind of .....cloudy right now once it gets rained on or perhaps we will have to hand spray the sand off the tops of all the rocks. Then it will look nicer. :) Now I am off to cut up my first fresh pineapple. Then it is bedtime for these weary bones.

Sleep tight everyone!

ABOUT THE PIE ! ! !

Okay, I believe I said the pie is great served warm.....not HOT!

It does need time to set so you will have to wait....well, probably a few hours. So we are talkin' slightly warm. If you want "molten lava" cut it 15 minutes after it comes out of the oven. :).

Fifteen minutes will probably burn your mouth just as a chocolate chip cookie would if you ate it right from the oven.

Seriously, you need to give it some time to set before cutting into it. For those lacking patience I give one of my favorite quotes:

"Patience is bitter but it's fruit is sweet"

Kentucky Derby Pie

It is time to start sweetening things up here. If you like big, fat, thick chocolate chip cookies this is the pie for you. It originally was meant to be two pies. However, when I get a piece of pie I want it to be a whole piece, not some skimpy thing so instead of making two pies I put it all in one crust and oh my. . . . . it is awesome! I like it undercooked slightly so when you cut into it the center is just a touch gooey. It is good served warm or chilled. I prefer it warm with some whipped topping. You can also add vanilla ice cream as a topper.

Kentucky Derby Pie

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teas. vanilla
3/4 cup flour
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
3/4 cup butter
1 - 9” pie crust, unbaked

Melt butter and allow to cool.
NOTE: If you do not cool butter the chips will begin to melt when you mix them in.

Mix sugar and flour. Add cooled butter and eggs, beating until mixed. Mix in chopped pecans, vanilla and chocolate chips. Pour in pie shell and bake at 325 for 45-50 minutes.

Satisfaction for my readers!!!

Apparently I need to make a few updates here on my blog that I have had since August 0f 2006. That would make it less than two years.
For anyone interested :-))). (It was an issue :))




The updated picture "About Me" is to pacify someone who claims the previous pic I posted (here at the left)...just last week, was not acceptable and didn't look like me...so he says. He says I am much more beautiful than that ;-))).

Guess I'll have to work on that. In the mean time, there is one in its place. :)

Until next time...ciao!

Saying Good-Bye

My friend, my buddy, my confidant, my silent partner. Dependable (when not being tended to :)) for transportation, music, shelter and such a good listener. We have covered many miles together with family and friends. My old car never let me down on all those trips, driving the kids to and from college on weekends until they had their own transportation. Especially the time 99 got his speeding ticket and I had to drive to pick him up from Alfred University in the middle of winter, so he could go to court. Then I had to drive him back in the worst snow storm...at night. Andrew came with me cause my dad didn't want me driving alone at night. It was after midnight when I got back, poor Andrew had to go to school the next day but he did sleep in the car and at least I didn't have to make the trip alone. Yeah, the normal driving time is about 3 and a half hours round trip. That night it took almost twice that.

Driving to Myrtle Beach with my sister Carol, and getting lost in Washington D.C. at 4 a.m. on the return trip, what a fun, memorable event that was!!! :) Driving to wrestling meets and soccer games, and taking refuge in my car many a time during those cold and rainy soccer games. Honestly, I don't know how those kids did it. It's a wonder they didn't catch their death the way old mother nature is at that time of year. I have hauled kids, and their friends, manure, compost, leaves (yes, I would pick up other peoples bagged leaves from the side of the road...all in the name of good soil), wood chips, and rocks, not to mention all the shopping trips for groceries and the not so fondly remembered clothing, shoe, household trips to the mall for various necessities.

Yes, I've spent many an enjoyable time in my car, be-bopping around with my music blasting or playing softly depending on my choice of music and mood on any particular day: could be country, christian, soft rock, jazz, etc. Sometimes...actually most times just driving in peace and quiet, time to relax, pray, think and just be...enjoying that moment and all those that followed.

I have never given my car a name. I think Melissa has named every car she has had. She comes up with some great names. The only one I remember is Maxwell. I thought that was a great name for a car :). I have thought about naming my new car but haven't come up with anything yet. I'm not very good at that, kind of like giving your dog or cat a name. I always let the kids do it since I'm not very original. I have always called every cat we have ever had...kitty :). I have been trying to call Tiger (our family cat)...Tiger but still revert to Kitty occasionally.

I am going to miss my old car and the times we had together. However I will be making new memories to cherish with my new car. Most of you have already seen it by now but I'll still post it for anyone who hasn't seen my newest form of transportation.

Good bye my old, reliable, comfortable, classy friend!