december 27 1986

...let's find out the beauty of seein things thru

...these are a few of my favorite things...

my girls gleaned a nearby cotton field...my christmas present...

oodles of raw cotton...can hardly wait to start creating

my sweetheart surprised me w/ this butcher block table that i've had my eye on for quite sometime...

when i drove by the antique store a coupla days ago it was gone from the porch...

i was so sad because i thought someones else had nabbed it...

the 2nd picture is laden w/ our traditional christmas mornin monkey bread

Melinda's Homemade Granola Recipe

This is not myyyyy recipe per say...it's the recipe from a hippie chick naaaamed melinda back in the early 70's who lived in the san fran area....but my name iiis melinda n i haaaave been called a hippie on more than one occasion...so trust me here...this is recipe is finer than frog hair....


2 cups rolled oats (not instant)

1 cup peanuts or toasted almonds

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/2 cup toasted sunflower seeds

1/2 cup coconut (I always use unsweetened, but you can go for the sweetened kind if you'd like)

1/4 cup toasted wheat germ (I often omit this ingredient, as I tend to forget to buy it)

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup dried fruit (dried apricots, craisins and dried apple are all delicious choices)

scant 1/4 cup cooking oil (not olive)

1/2 cup honey





Mix the oat, nuts and grains in a large bowl.

Measure oil into the measuring cup and swirl it around before pouring into bowl.

Then measure out the honey in the same, unwashed cup. The oil will help the honey exit the cup.

Toss everything together until evenly coated and then pour out into a baking pan. I use a large roasting pan, as it keeps everything contained. A cookie sheet with a lip also works, but you have to stir it slightly more carefully if you use that.

Bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes, turning it with a spatula every ten minutes or so. You want everything to be an even golden brown.

When it is finished cooking, returned the baked granola to the mixing bowl, add the raisins and fruit and stir to combine. Stir gently several times as it cooks, so that it doesn't clump together too much.

Enjoy! N let me know whatcha think!

christmas creations....

....tonight i'm workin on some sock kittys....i have soooooome wonderful fabric that was taken off an ooooooooooooold wooden ironing board.....hhhhhmmmmmm...what to do w/ it....hhhhmmmm

old fashioned caramel corn

1/2 c butter

2 c brown sugar

1/2 c light corn syrup

1/2 salt

1 t vanilla

1 t baking soda

24 c of popped popcorn

*heat butter ,brown sugar,corn syrup n salt in pot until it comes to a boil *continue to boil for 5 minutes

WITH OUT  stirring*remove from heat*stir in vanilla n soda*pour over popcorn (i divided it in 2 baking pans)*bake @ 250 for 1 hour STIRRING EVERY 20 MINUTES

*the popcorn will not be completely covered but it is veeeery tasty

(i've always gotten rave reviews-hence the recipe)  n has an old fashioned look

sugared nuts

2/3 cup sugar

1t ground cinnamon

1/4 t ground allspice

1/4 t salt

1 cup any kind of nut you like

1 cup any kind of nut you like

*combine all ingredients in skillet over low heat*stir constantly about 20 minutes or until sugar is melted and all nuts are coated*remove from heat n spread out on wax paper to cool

yield 3 cups

...look what i'm workin on....

....these and a coupla other offerings will be listed

by the 1st of next week...so stop in n take a peek