Snowstorm!

Hello readers~greetings from snowy Michigan!
Around here we often say “wait a minute….the weather will change”.    And often, what is forecasted in the weather report does not happen.  So it was a surprise to see more snow than what was predicted when we awoke this morning!  We got about 10″ of snow and under that was a coating of ice.  It was not a nice commute for those who had to be somewhere early.

By 10 a.m. the sun was melting the snow and it was sliding off rooftops, trees, and cars.  In its wake, the storm left many trees, branches and power lines down, and thousands without power.

But at 8 a.m. this morning, it was very pretty.  Everything was coated softly with white.  There was a stillness; a silence that comes with new snow.   The sun was just coming up behind the trees in our woods, and I could not resist a chance to capture that “fairyland” look.  Come along with me~

A blue spruce decorated naturally for Christmas with sunlight and sparkly snow...........

a snowy overhead branch and a snowy tree still hanging on to its leaves.............

almost a heart "arch"

catching the sun's rays.........

the glow of the sun through the woods, dusted with white..........

Thanks for stopping by…..come visit again~
Judy 

Recipe: Chicken Divan

Good Sunday evening, readers!

I have a special recipe for you tonight.  Chicken Divan was one of my mother’s recipes.  It was so well-liked by all, she gave the recipe to the church bazaar for their luncheon, and they used it for many years.  This is one of our family’s favorite recipes too.  It’s especially good after Thanksgiving, using leftover turkey.

So sorry I didn’t get it to you soon enough for this Thanksgiving.

 

Recipe:

Chicken Divan

2 cups of cut up or shredded chicken (or turkey)
1 can of cream of chicken (or cream of mushroom) soup
1/2 can milk
8 oz sour cream

Place all of the above in a bowl and mix together well, making sure all chicken/turkey pieces are coated.  Pour into the bottom of a casserole dish that has been sprayed with olive oil or a purchased non-stick spray.

Top mixture with a purchased box of  Stuffing Mix for Chicken.   Or, if you have dressing/stuffing left from the holidays, you can use that.   If you’re using the purchased stuffing, make it as directed on the box.

Bake at 350 for 30-40 mins   ~until bubbly and heated through~

** a suggestion: my husband and I often purchase a Rotisserie Chicken and eat one meal from that.  We pull the meat off the bones and use the rest for Chicken Divan another night.  The chicken is warm and the meat pulls away from the bones easily.

For our family this is comfort food~I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Thanks for stopping by….
Judy

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Book: “Water for Elephants” by Sara Gruen

Good evening readers….

I imagine many of you have read Water for Elephants.

This book was on the New York Times Best Seller list for twelve weeks in 2006 as a hard cover book, and was back in first place on the NYT Best Seller list as a paperback in 2007.  The book has also won many other awards.

The major themes in the novel include: circus life during the depression, and our rich heritage of traveling circuses; emotions, self-esteem, love and mental illnesses.

Another theme in the novel is the care, feeding, training and transportation of the animals in the circus.
Ms. Gruen is an excellent writer, and brings the characters, scenes and story development in her book to life.

I always say if a novel can cause me to feel a range of emotions, then that is a barometer of a good book.  Of course there are other measurements I consider when rating a novel, but my “emotion-barometer” holds true in many cases.  In Water for Elephants, I felt anger, joy, sadness, frustration, and compassion.  I also enjoyed reading about the old traveling circuses.

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If you haven’t read it…..check it out!  If you have, perhaps you’d enjoy reading it again, or seeing the movie!

Thanks for stopping by~
Judy 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I hope you are having a wonderful day with your families.
I started out the day by doing a 5K run/walk with my kids in Omaha.  If you’ve been to Omaha, you know there are many hills!  For a flatlander from lower Michigan, it was certainly a different type of 5K walk for me!  But it was a good way to start the day, burning some calories and enjoying the fresh air, sunshine and my family.

Now I’m ready to stuff myself silly like a turkey!
Have a good day~
Judy 

Frame your photos before clicking the shutter button!

Good evening readers~
Tonight I have a photography suggestion.  It’s one I have enjoyed using for many years.

Sometimes it’s difficult to frame or “set up” a photo well.  Using “props” can help frame your photo and make it more interesting.

My suggestion?  Try taking photos THROUGH, UNDER, BETWEEN : through an inside window, a door, an archway, a hole in a fence, under a bridge, between branches on a tree, between two buildings….the possibilities are endless.  It’s all about Framing your photo before you shoot.

Remember to focus on what you want to have sharp and clear in your final photo.  If you want the scene outside the window/arch, etc., to be clear, then make sure you focus on that.  If you want the window panes to be sharp and clear, then focus on them, but remember, your scene outside the window will be soft and blurry.

Once you get started, you will see all kinds of opportunities….so carry your camera as often as you can!   Here are some examples….

 

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Soon you will be ready to print and FRAME your photo for a wall!  ;)

Thanks for visiting….
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving….
Judy

 

 

Krazy about Kittens!

Greetings, dear Readers..
As a child and growing up, my family always had dogs.  We have friends with cats and I’ve loved them, but I’ve never LIVED with kittens or cats until recently~and now I’m head over heels in love!

Our son and daughter-in-law foster kittens for the Omaha Humane Society from early spring until late fall.  The kittens they receive from the Humane Society are sometimes under one pound.  They care for them~ helping them make the switch slowly from wet cat food to dry food, getting on the floor and teaching them how to play, making sure they know how to cover “items” in the litter box,  teaching manners (don’t jump on the coffee table, etc), and giving them loads of love.  When the kittens reach two pounds, they are spayed and neutered and put up for adoption.

Our kids foster several litters a year.  The litters or groups range from 3 kittens to 5!
Right now there are three sweet little kitties in the house….and I couldn’t be happier!  We are visiting for Thanksgiving and I was hoping there would be some kittens!  Who needs TV when you can watch 6 week old kittens chase, slide, hide in boxes, tumble and cuddle?

The kids name the kittens just for themselves.  When they leave for adoption, the families will name them.  Right now we have: Panda (black and white), Squirrel (all black, like a black squirrel), and Charlie Cardinal (a tiger).
Is there anything cuter than a sleeping kitten?  Come meet my sleepy friends…….

Here is Panda….. half-awake!

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Now Panda is sound asleep on the “paw print” blanket.  It’s good camouflage for her.
I love the “paws over the head” position!

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This is Charlie Cardinal~cute with all four paws curled! Do you see a little smile?

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Charlie Cardinal again…..zzzzzz

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Now, isn’t this what you would like to do every day?  Napping…..and stretching out?
Squirrel looks so contented stretched all the way to the edge of the couch!  Cracks me up!

I hope you enjoyed today’s post…..now….I’m feeling a bit sleepy~ (yawn…)
Come back and see the next post~ and thanks for stopping by today.

Click here for more info on the Nebraska (Omaha) Humane Society

Judy

 

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Lauritzen Gardens in Omaha, Nebraska

Featuring the works of Jun Kaneko, sculptor and media artist.

Lauritzen Gardens are situated not far from downtown Omaha.  Yet, one feels as if they have been transported to a beautiful secluded space, far from the hustle and bustle of a large city.
The gardens are spectacular, with many themes to delight the eye and lens.  There is a Rose Garden, a Model Train Garden,  Spring Flowering,  Victorian, Woodland,  English,  Childrens’,  and many more garden theme areas.

Jun Kaneko is a prolific artist whose focus was drawn to sculptural ceramics, as we saw in the Lauritzen Gardens.  Mainly known as a sculptor, he also works with glass, textiles, bronze, paper and canvas.

On this occasion in the summer,  Kaneko’s contemporary ceramic sculptures were nestled amongst the plantings in the gardens.  It was a great opportunity to see the sculptures mingling with the leaves and stalks as if they had “grown” there with the foliage.  Their colors and shapes looked very peaceful and natural in the gardens.  It was an exceptional experience, and one I will always remember.

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I hope you enjoyed the tour through the Lauritzen Gardens in Omaha and the ceramic sculptures of Jun Kaneko.

Click here for information on Lauritzen Gardens.

Click here for information on Jun Kaneko.
Thanks for visiting!    Judy 

Can’t leave these bars alone!

Good evening loyal readers…..
I’ve got a scrumptious recipe tonight!  These “Can’t Leave Alone” bars are so yummy….they won’t stay in your house long!   Six ingredients and less than 30 minutes baking time also make it a winner.  Originally published in Taste of Home magazine in 2006, the recipe was given to me by a friend after I tried them.

Recipe:
Ingredients:
1. 1 box (18.25 oz) white cake mix
2. 2 large eggs
3. 1/3 cup oil
4. 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
5. 1 cup (6 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
6. ½ stick (1/4 cup) butter, cut small

Assembly:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9″ x 13″ x 2″ pan.
2. Beat cake mix, eggs and oil in a large bowl with mixer until blended.  Press 2/3 mixture in pan.  Put the rest of the mixture aside.
3. Microwave condensed milk, chocolate and butter in a bowl on HIGH 1 minute or until mixture is smooth when stirred.  Pour over crust.
4. Top with teaspoonfuls of reserved cake mixture.
5. Bake 20-25 minutes until lightly browned.  Cool; cut into bars.
**The bars will look wet, even when done.  Don’t over-cook, although I know all ovens are different.  I’ve kept the time just slightly under 25 minutes.  That way the bars stay soft and moist.

These would make a great football Game Day snack, as well as a holiday dessert (sprinkles on top??).
Give them a try!
Good night and thanks for stopping by~
Judy