We added a new product to the shop (Corner Nest, Elizabethton, TN) this week - key chains! Yeah, I know - what's so exciting about key chains? Well, as you know, it doesn't take a lot to get me excited but these particular chains are sooo darned CUTE!
We've never carried key chains before and the first time I saw these, I knew I had to at least give them the ol' college try:
They're not just key chains, they're little books! And they seem to celebrate every occasion. Here's a peek at a couple pages inside one of the "Friendship" type chains: 
Now, how cute is that? They almost look like miniature purses. Just had to show 'em to ya! Now, a look at what our place is looking like as of this morning:
The creek in front of our house - it runs through the front part of our property and always sounds so well, creek-like. I love the sound but it's not so fun to keep it clean. Speaking of which, looks like I have quite a bit of cleanup of wintry dead stuff along the wall. (I have a small garden of Iris growing next to the wall to the right)
Time for the Hubby to get all his equipment uncovered and literally "in gear" (actually, I hear the mowers running outside as I'm typing this). Okay, this is a little prettier: A closeup of some of the blooms on one of our Dogwood trees
...and a look at the pink blossoms on our peach tree.
And this is a picture of the pond behind our back patio - the one I should be cleaning out right now!
Going on to yummier things, I fixed pepper steak last night for dinner. Remembering that I'm Filipino-American, I cook my Asian dishes using American veggie substitutes. (This is also primarily done in restaurants as well.)
Start out by frying some beef strips in olive oil. Fry them quickly. You'll want them to be nice and brown on the outside. The amount of beef you use depends on how much you want to make or how large your family is. This is the time to season the steak. I like to use fresh black peppercorn - you can buy them at the grocery in those little bottles that have lids that allow you to grate the pepper as you turn the lid. You know what I mean. I also like to add a little garlic and some ginger. While that is frying, slice a couple bunches of green onions, including the tops. Lower the heat a little and add the onions to the beef. Cut a bell pepper into strips and add some sliced carrots for color.
Serve it over a bed of cooked rice:
Have a wonderful day!
OOPS! I forgot to add - season to taste with soy sauce!!!!!
This past Thursday was my day for Remicade treatment. Trust me, those are days in which absolutely nothing else gets accomplished. The infusions take three to four hours and they give me a dose of 50mg Benadryl. I look forward to a nice looong nap on those days. We are provided with nice comfy Lazy Boy lounges and TVs with headphones; other than that, this is about all there is to look at:
...which is why I generally take a magazine to look through. Last week, I brought the Premier edition of Where Women Create.
It had been awhile since I read through the pages of this issue, so reading it again between zzzz's was a real treat.
A couple days later, we had a refreshing cold wave come through the area. I always look forward to Fall but each year when the leaves start to turn, I remember the Greek mythological story of Persephone. She was the young daughter of Demeter, who some know as "Mother Earth" or Mother Nature and Zeus, King of the Gods. Demeter is responsible for keeping the earth fresh and fertile, with lush crops and flowers. Zeus is responsible for, among other things, law and order, thunder and such. Persephone is a beautiful maiden and of course, everyone loves her. Hades, the King of the Underworld, is no exception and he kidnaps her one day, dragging her to the Underworld with him to make her his bride. Demeter is wrought with grief and can no longer perform her duties as Mother Earth. The 
world turns cold and Persephone's parents grieve and search for her. The earth is no longer fertile; fruit and trees fall from the trees, the skies are grey and the crops all die.
When her parents finally discover who has taken her and where she is, it is too late. She had eaten some of Hades' fruit (pomegranite seeds) and therefore must spend at least part of her life with him. The three (Demeter, Zeus and Hades) finally come to an agreement. Persephone will spend one third of the year with Hades and the other two thirds above ground.
There is much more to this rich story, but you get the picture. Fall is the time when Persephone must leave her above ground home and return to Hades. Thus, this is when the leaves begin to dry and the world starts to turn cold. Demeter, during this time misses her daughter so much that the world gradually turns to ice until Persephone comes "home" in the Spring.
Photos: Barn is next to our property; the picture was taken from our garden. Rolled hay (last photo) is on another neighbor's property. Olde windows were taken from a turn of the century house and are waiting for me to decide their destination. The Japanese Maple lends its beauty and color to the small flower garden that is immediately adjacent to our back patio and the washtubs and tools hang on our smokehouse. The picture appears to be black and white but was actually taken in color; the colors you see are "natural".
They're not just key chains, they're little books! And they seem to celebrate every occasion. Here's a peek at a couple pages inside one of the "Friendship" type chains: 
Now, how cute is that? They almost look like miniature purses. Just had to show 'em to ya! Now, a look at what our place is looking like as of this morning:
The creek in front of our house - it runs through the front part of our property and always sounds so well, creek-like. I love the sound but it's not so fun to keep it clean. Speaking of which, looks like I have quite a bit of cleanup of wintry dead stuff along the wall. (I have a small garden of Iris growing next to the wall to the right)
Time for the Hubby to get all his equipment uncovered and literally "in gear" (actually, I hear the mowers running outside as I'm typing this). Okay, this is a little prettier: A closeup of some of the blooms on one of our Dogwood trees
...and a look at the pink blossoms on our peach tree.
And this is a picture of the pond behind our back patio - the one I should be cleaning out right now!
Going on to yummier things, I fixed pepper steak last night for dinner. Remembering that I'm Filipino-American, I cook my Asian dishes using American veggie substitutes. (This is also primarily done in restaurants as well.)
Start out by frying some beef strips in olive oil. Fry them quickly. You'll want them to be nice and brown on the outside. The amount of beef you use depends on how much you want to make or how large your family is. This is the time to season the steak. I like to use fresh black peppercorn - you can buy them at the grocery in those little bottles that have lids that allow you to grate the pepper as you turn the lid. You know what I mean. I also like to add a little garlic and some ginger. While that is frying, slice a couple bunches of green onions, including the tops. Lower the heat a little and add the onions to the beef. Cut a bell pepper into strips and add some sliced carrots for color.
Serve it over a bed of cooked rice:
Have a wonderful day!
OOPS! I forgot to add - season to taste with soy sauce!!!!!
