National Coffee Day

The internet is a wonderful thing.
I read that today is National Coffee Day - and furthermore, many coffee joints are giving away coffee!  Some a whole cup or a dollar off a special brew. Starbucks, not so much; a sample of their new Ethiopian flavor which has peppery spice, citrus and cocoa.

So I made the trip through very light Sunday traffic to the less than a mile away shop. I got my usual mocha to enjoy after the sample  of the "hard" stuff.
Honestly, the advertised flavors did not show up on my taste buds.

I still like mocha best.

A Good Product

I always wipe off my flat stove top after I cook but I noticed the other day that there was a brown, burned ring around the ouside of the biggest unit on the left.

I tried vinegar and water. That didn't remove it. I remembered this can we have but do not recall why we bought it. We do not have a bar.

It really worked along with a scrungie and a lot of elbow grease.






Now, if I could find something to remove the stains on the gridded shower floor.  Before we moved in, we hired a lovely lady to clean the empty house. She used a stiff brush and soap and scouring powder but the stain seems to be permanent.

I asked the paint store about paint with a texture in it to keep the surface from being slick. He said I must have dreamed up that product.
I still think it's a good idea.

Maybe some waterproof paint with a little sand sprinkled in and stirred?

Wisket on a pillow

A dogs life.

A Comparison to the last photo.

Is this sharper than the previous one?

Flowers from Oregon with Dew

These are so beautiful.
They almost make me forget that I have lived long enough to
remember buying two milkshakes at twenty-five cents each
plus one cent sales tax. And the part that wouldn't
fit in the glass was given to you in a large, frosty metal container.
Does one consider they have been around too long
when two milkshakes cost seven dollars and ninety-eight cents
plus sixty-three cents tax?

If we had waited until after 8 p.m., we could have paid
half price.
We were out and about at the wrong time.

Vining

In past years L. has tried to get this vine to grow up and hide the bricks.
He used stakes, twisty ties and the vine just stayed near the ground.
This year he did nothing.
And look at that - climbing up over the shutter!
There is also a bit wending its way over the porch.
One roofer who came to see if we needed a roof
asked if it was poison ivy.
I certainly hope not.

Ramp

Offering to paint this started a whole conversation about sanding,
priming and color.
I wish I hadn't brought it up.

Praying Mantis

L. spotted this fellow in the back yard.
Quick, before the cicada eating dog sees him.

We got the photo and he got a trip over the fence to avoid being eaten alive by the dog who gets deli chicken every day.

Copper

This school might want to invest in a night time guard.

Or maybe they don't have the trouble with thefts of copper in the more civilized areas of the country.

Did I win the Publisher's Clearing House?

A Bush in Portland

The flowers are pretty but what I like in this photo is the building in the background. The tile roof, the diamonds in the indented areas over the windows and the awnings make me think this might have been built in the 1920's.

Any ideas on the time when it might have been designed?

Last of the Glories

We still have a few flowers left. This pink one is hosting a bronze bee.














The blue/purple ones are my favorite.

New Breeze-way

 We have lived in this house almost
six years. This is our front storm door.

 We wondered why there was no screen for the storm
door so that we could let fresh air in through it. After all, there was a channel where one could
fit a screen in if one had a screen. None were in the garage.

 This past week-end when our
family from Texas  was here for the fair, Miss M. (no, not Bette) showed us the secret of the door.
We are so happy and as always, glad to know that the younger ones are many times
smarter than the older ones.  There is a simple lever that releases the top glass which
lowers and brings down a screen that is rolled up like a window shade!
None of us had ever seen one like it before.
Thanks, Mad!

In Line at Starbucks

Is there life before coffee?
Give me COFFEE and no one gets hurt.
Powered by coffee.

I believe this is a true coffee lover.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

The weather is
cool, cloudy, misty and fallish!
All it takes is for me to see a recipe for soup
on the internet and I will try it.
This one was especially easy and I had
almost everything I needed to make.
It is yummy. L. even liked it!
Of course, any soup with Velveeta Cheese has got to be ok.

This recipe was on facebook
from The Southern Lady Cooks

.

 

2 cups chicken  broth or 1 (15 oz) can*  

1 (12 ounce) bag frozen broccoli

1/4 cup onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 medium carrot, shredded

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk

1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of chicken soup, undiluted

8 ounces velveeta cheese, cut in chunks or your favorite cheese.

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Salt to taste

 

In a microwave safe bowl or saucepan, combine the chicken broth, onion, carrot and broccoli.  Cook in the microwave for 8 minutes stirring after about 4 minutes.  Remove and set aside.  In a separate saucepan on low heat melt the butter stir in the flour.  Just like you were making gravy.  Slowly add the milk stirring constantly and the cream of chicken soup.  Have your cheese cut in chunks and add to the milk mixture.  Then add the broccoli mixture to this and continue cooking on low heat for 5 to 10 minutes. Makes 8 to 10 cups.   Note:  I don’t ever bring this to a boil, but just cook on low heat.  This soup is wonderful served with cornbread.

* (I did not use the full two cups of broth.  I like my soup a little thicker so I only used about 1 ¼ cup broth. I did cook the veggies in 2 cups, but did not add

all that liquid to the soup.)

 

 

An Oregon "pleated" Flower

Not sure what the name of this is, but it's beautiful.

A Match?

I only had to make four of these to get two that sort of match.

Part of the problem was the variegated yarn. If you don't start
with the same color at the same point, the patterns don't come
out right!
I used some tiny buttons left over from
making Barbie clothes about forty years ago.
 People may not use booties anymore but
 it's the thought that counts. . . right?

Buffalo Eating

A sculpture by Pete Felten on display at the Hutchinson Art Gallery.

Life Imitating Art

Hanging Wire Display

New Location

This is where I spent a lovely afternoon, drowsing.
The injections and IVs used to be given in individual rooms. This is much
more convenient for the nurses. They can see all their patients at a glance.
Instead of going from room to room to check on progress,
they are in one area.
And no more lights to use to summon help - the patient can just
speak to the wonderful girls who work here.

One last photo from the Kansas State Fair - 1946

My friend, LaDee, and I on band day at the Kansas State Fair.
The man who "seated" us was a little free with his hands.
That may account for the weird looks on our faces.
My first warning to beware of strangers.
(It was a different world.)

Kansas State Fair Art

And that handsome gentleman among the livestock? - he's been around Kansas for 61 years, originally
from Chicago.

A Large Cow

The folks who own this cow gave away free cups of ice cream at the fair last year.

Why does the name Turkey Hill not remind me of ice cream?