Hello Xanga'ville!  Happy Hump Day!  This week sure is moving along very quickly.

I do believe that spring has finally decided to stay here in Wisconsin. The last several days have been absolutely glorious!
Mornings & evenings are still quite chilly though & you learn to always have a jacket with you.

I have been uploading pics here & there & decided that I had best share them now as already there are quite a few....

When I first caught this squirrel, he was on that feeder (which is on my deck!)  He saw me coming & decided he best leave.
From the looks of him, he has been eating quite healthy!

The past weekend, the weather was beautiful. Hubby & I took several walks & worked outside.
The walk to the top of the ridge that is part of our property is quite a hike.
But once you get to the very top, it is a beautiful view...which I just realized that I didn't take any pictures of that view!  
I guess I will have to go back up there & take one....one at sunset would be beautiful.
Here are a couple of pictures that I did take though...


not even a quarter of the way up yet. A view of our house.

Found these "treasures"....lol...I guess they are all remains of a deer.
No, I didn't keep them! Just brought in to take a picture, then we tossed them out for the critters to eat on...a good way for the mice & the shrews to get their calcium!

Saturday, we got out with daughter & enjoyed the nice weather.
This is small lake in Eau Claire. The birds were plentiful. It was fun listening to them "laugh" & watch them splash around in the water.

Daughter enjoyed taking photos.

We had packed a picnic lunch.

Found this spot to eat at....

Nice view.

Family shot! lol...

Then on to more exploring...
Here & there around Eau Claire & Chippewa  counties....

 

Then we stumbled upon the ruins of an old castle turret! 

We love to explore!

I really loved this flat rock with the moss all around the sides. I would have loved to have taken it home with me!

A view from inside...this tree has grown through!

ah...but alas...my prince awaits!!!

Easter Sunday...
lol...no pictures of the food...just of the table that is ready for it!

I did find my lamb roast, so we had that  with a red wine & rosemary marinade,   rice dressing, asparagus & challah bread.

After dinner (and too much wine for me!) daughter & I were goofing around.

She was really making me laugh....

Oh my....you can tell that I had too much wine in that shot!
We ARE a Zany family for sure!!


....Loved this movie! Very funny...typical Jim Carrey. If you want some great laughs, you gotta watch it.

  I really enjoyed this movie too. Very interesting & a different type of storyline. I totally bawled at the end though.

    Absolutely LOVING this book. I don't want it to end though since it is the last book.  My favorite of all of them so far & I loved them all....

More pictures....

These pictures were from a couple of weekends ago when we all went exploring....
just some random shots from around the area....

These skulls & antlers are all from a man who had an elk farm...

a neat old Scandinavian cemetary.

I just love taking farm pictures! lol..(good thing, since they are SO plentiful here!)

In Line With Spirit
Staying On Track

In a world where we have routines for nearly everything—our route to work, our physical fitness regimen, and our weekday schedule—it’s amazing how many people forget to create a routine for meeting their spiritual needs. We run around in an attempt to be at our many appointments on time and meet our many obligations. In our efforts to be as productive as possible, however, our spiritual needs tend to take a backseat. After all, taking care of our spiritual needs doesn’t directly pay the bills or tone our abdominal muscles. We may even wonder who has time to meditate or write in their journal when there are more pressing matters to see to. The truth is that nurturing ourselves spiritually is what gives us the energy and grounding that we need to make sure that our lives stay on track.

How you choose to nurture yourself spiritually is a personal choice. For some people, meditating once a day may be what they need to stay centered. While spending 10-20 minutes with your eyes closed and your brain devoid of thought may seem like a lot of time doing nothing, this state of nothingness actually allows you to stay calm and focused so you can be as productive as possible. Writing in your journal everyday lets you stay in touch with yourself so that you are always tuned in to your feelings. Repeating affirmations for success, happiness, and well-being on a regular basis can help you live with optimism and enthusiasm and create what you want in life.

Having a routine for nurturing your spirit that you do each day lets you feed energy to your soul and can serve you well if your life suddenly takes an unexpected turn into a difficult period. This kind of routine grounds your spirit in your body so that you stay anchored in yourself as you move through each day. Nurturing yourself spiritually allows you to not only stay on track in your life, but it allows for your life to stay on track with what your spirit wants.

Alright...I have lots to do today, so I best get started.

I hope you all have a great day.

Peace, love & sunshine to you all......

~Doreen

 Happy hump day!

It seems like I am destined to only be able to post here about once a week any more.
I can't tell if some of the problems that I am now having over here are me or Xanga. I hate this new editor.

Not a whole lot to catch you up with us. Seems we get decent weather for a few days & then at least 1 snow in between there.

Hubby & I worked outside on Saturday & then on Sunday woke up to a winter wonderland.
Here, let me show you....

just the night before this snow, we sat here on the deck around the firepit & grilled outside.
From one extreme to another!
All of this snow melted by late afternoon that same day, thank goodness!

Several weeks ago, I went in to get my hair trimmed & some layers put in.
Here are before & after shots of that....

 
I am usually not a "curly" type of girl! My hair is so straight & doesn't hold curl well at all.
The girl did it for fun for me & it actually lasted most of the day.

You can see that my neck is still swollen & deformed looking. Ugh...I hate that part of it.  I can live with the scar, but I really hope the lumpy thing goes away.

Daughter decided she wanted to get hers done too.
She just went this past Saturday & got hers done. Here are her before & afters....

(*stupid editor won't let me add borders to this photo. grrr)

She opted for the fun curls too. Isn't she adorable!

Both of us have decided that we want our layers even shorter though.


We haven't been seeing as much wildlife now with the weather getting nicer & the snow melting.
Plus I guess this is also the time that the mamas are having their babies.

Here are a few things that I have seen around the yard the last couple of weeks....

a grouse

The goldfinches are finally putting their brilliant colors back on!

Here are a male & female  perched in the apple tree.

I think these are pine siskins? <sp?

Hubby came home from work sick yesterday. He has attempted to go in today, but don't know how long he will last.

My dad is having several health issues. His most recent findings are several problems with his back & also a hernia. So he will be having to have surgery.
They were suppose to be coming here for a visit the first part of May, but now we are waiting to see about that.

His brother also just passed away last week. Now there is just him & 1 other brother left in the family.
It is so scary & sad to see the problems with our aging family.

Daughter is doing well. She is working as full time as she is allowed without them having to pay benefits. grrrr
But she is pretty much working Monday - Friday & having weekends off, so that is nice.

I am still having issues with my internet provider. I do not like my limited options here. I also do not think that it is right that even though I pay a premium price, that I am only "allowed" a certain amount of bandwidth.

Utilites are also so much higher here. The cost of electricity is crazy compared to what we were paying in OK.

I am just sick each month when we recieve our account information from our investment account.
We have lost SO much money.
I do count my blessings though that hubby has a good job & it is steady work (for now)

I am enjoying Idol. I LOVE Adam! He is my favorite.

I was shocked at the sudden death on "House". ( I am not saying who, in case you dvr it & haven't seen it yet)
That was totally unexpected, but then I read how that came about & it was even unexpected for the show...that actor actually accepted a position with the White House!

I have started on the 4th book in the Twilight saga...this is my favorite one yet. The 2nd was my least favorite. This one is hard to put down!

I am anxiously awaiting to see what all of the bulbs that are coming up around my yard are going to be!
Also waiting to see if the several apple trees on the property are going to do anything as they look pretty rotted.
I really can't wait to get back out on the canoe & do some fishing. To take some hikes & picnics & exploring!
Yep, I have spring fever BAD!!!!

OK...enough rambling...these are all just things on my mind, there is MUCH more, but I will leave it at this for now.

No new recipes to share this go round.
I am trying to find a small lamb roast to make for Easter. All they have out right now are huge legs of lamb which is too much for just the 3 of us. I will go in search of one today.

I hope you all have a great rest of the week & a happy Easter. 


 

   ~ Doreen

All kinds of changes have taken effect over here in Xanga land.
I now see where we can publish updates from xanga to Facebook. I have not even been able to get on my Facebook since I have been in "cyber jail", so this may be a neat function...dunno...
I don't deal well with change. It seems I finally get use to something & then it changes. That has happened both here & over on Facebook as well. I guess that I am just old & set in my ways!

Speaking of old....last Friday night hubby & I went to a birthday party. No, the birthday girl wasn't old, but it made me realize how old I am, even though I don't feel it. She was just turning 30.  If you combine the number of years that I have been married (from the 1st & now this, my 2nd marriage) ...I have been married a total of   27 1/2 years...almost as many years as our new friend has been alive! lol... There were 5 couples there & we were the oldest. Until we started comparing the ages of our children, nobody could have known how old we were...well, in my mind, that is!
We did have a fun time. It also happened to be at our favorite restaurant, Mona Lisa's!  After dinner, we all walked up the street to Dooley's Pub for some more drinks & it was a little bit easier to be able to converse with everyone.

We have been blessed with a few "springlike days here". Of course, this morning, we had freezing rain & sleet, but now it has all turned over into rain & is up to 40 degrees.
I got out & worked in the yard on those nice days. It felt good to be able to play in the dirt again!
Now I just can't wait until I can plant some flowers & also see what I have that blooms here. I do finally have signs of sprouting going on here!!!!

The Dish network "internet police" still have me on the lowest voltage available to get online. We can not even use our wireless router. We can't get a connection after early evening & no way can we get online on the weekends. I am just so upset about this. And all because I left on that stupid streaming video on the eagle! lol...speaking of the eagle...only 1 egg has hatched (back on 3/21). It doesn't look like the other 2 will. It has been fun getting to watch  the baby though & see mama feed her & daddy bring in the food.

I have to share with you my latest find in the "yummy" department....

3 Musketeers...raspberry minis!  OMG....eruption of yumminess in your mouth!
These are SO good...you really need to try them.
One has 25 calories, so it is just perfect for that "something sweet" craving.
The bag says "limited" edition...so I may need to buy several bags to put up, as all 3 of us just love these!

I only have one new recipe to share with you this time.
(Remember, you can find all of my recipe links on the main page of my site on the left hand side. You can also click on the recipes "tags")
This one  came from a Cooking Light magazine... so not bad for you.

Penne with Asparagus, Spinach & Bacon
(4 servings)

8 ounces uncooked penne pasta
2 bacon slices
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
2 1/2 cups (1") slices asparagus (about 1 pound)
1 1/2 cups fat-free chicken broth
4 cups bagged baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

Cook pasta according to the package.  drain; keep warm.
Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp.  Remove bacon from pan; crumble.
Add onion to drippings in pan; saute 1 minute.
Add asparagus and broth to pan; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, and simmer 5 mniutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender.
Add pasta, spinach, 1/4 cup cheese and pepper to pan; toss well.  Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and bacon.

Serve with a glass of white wine & garlic bread.

This is a wonderful spring & summer meal.

I really hate not being able to upload pictures. Or I guess that I can upload them, they just take forever...I just uploaded the following one of daughter & it took about 20 minutes, so that hasn't improved any. So, this will be the only one that I will put on this post.

 
She was so excited on one of the nice days that we had here & the fact that she was able to wear short sleeves & open toe shoes (even though it was still a bit too cool to really wear them ~ I thought!)
She's such a cutie though, I just had to share!

now that I am sharing...here are more things for you....

Sustenance for the Soul
Taking Time for Yourself

Modern life compels us to rush. Because we feel pressured to make the most of our time each day, the activities that sustain us, rejuvenate us, and help us evolve are often the first to be sacrificed when we are in a hurry or faced with a new obligation. It is important we remember that there is more to life than achieving success, making money, and even caring for others. Your spiritual needs should occupy an important spot on your list of priorities. Each task you undertake and each relationship you nurture draws from the wellspring of your spiritual vitality. Taking the time to engage in spiritually fulfilling activities replenishes that well and readies you to face another day. Making time for the activities that contribute to your spiritual growth has little to do with being selfish and everything to do with your well-being. Regularly taking the time to focus on your soul’s needs ensures that you are able to nurture yourself, spend time with your thoughts, experience ! tranquility, and expand your spiritual boundaries.

It is easy to avoid using our free moments for spiritual enrichment. There is always something seemingly more pressing that needs to be done. Many people feel guilty when they use their free time to engage in pursuits where they are focusing on themselves because they feel as if they are neglecting their family or their work. To make time for yourself, it may be necessary to say no to people’s requests or refuse to take on extra responsibilities. Scheduling fifteen or thirty minutes of time each day for your spiritual needs can make you feel tranquil, give you more energy and allows you to feel more in touch with the universe. Writing in a journal, meditating, studying the words of wise women and men, and engaging in other spiritual practices can help you make the most of this time.

Making time to nurture your spirit may require that you sacrifice other, less vital activities. The more time you commit to soul-nurturing activities, the happier and more relaxed you will become. The time you devote to enriching your spirit will rejuvenate you and help you create a more restful life.

Have you heard about the Conficker virus set to come alive tomorrow, April 1?
You can read about it here:     
http://news.aol.com/article/conficker-worm-virus-april-1/402022?icid=main|main|dl1|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fnews.aol.com%2Farticle%2Fconficker-worm-virus-april-1%2F402022

a couple of  jokes from recent emails....

Broken Seal

When I called Dish Network to tell them that I was having problems with my internet & needed a serviceman out here, she pulled up my account & told me that the account is under a FAP violation.  Excuse me? She informed me that we had exceeded our upload/download amounts in a 30 day period & that we would have to bring it down to have full access again.   We have the best package available. Daughter downloads music from itunes, but hasn't done anything differently.  Evidently...I am the one who is responsible.....I was leaving that eagle cam open on the streaming video, so I could check on it whenever I wanted without having to open & reload the page each time. I had no idea. So, now we have to wait it out & build up our bandwidth or whatever again...I still don't totally understand it.  If you are interested at all or if you have Wild Blue through dish network you can read about the limitations here: http://wildblue.com/legal/WildBlue_Fair_Access_Policy_28-Feb-2008.pdf

Unfortunately, where we live, it is still pretty rural & we don't have a lot of choices.

Evenings & weekends, forget about even trying to get on. Daytime, it is hit or miss.  I am getting quite a bit done by not being online. lol...

Our first day of spring here ( I know ~ this is old news now!) it snowed!
It was a dark dreary day & by the late afternoon the snow started to fall. We got about an inch, so that wasn't bad, but not a great way to welcome in spring!

OK...so I won't be uploading pictures....that one took about 15 minutes to upload...grrrrr...

I will post these few that I had already uploaded though. The return of the turkeys!

These were taken on Monday. I was sitting downstairs in "my" room cross-stitching, when I saw them come into the yard. They are so fun to watch yet so ugly! lol...

Now, this day (Monday) was actually more like spring. Windy, rainy & full of robins! I took this picture from my room also.

I do need to post several recipes. I have been trying new ones out & here are a few that were keepers.
By the way, that crockpot St. Patty's day recipe that I posted was DELICIOUS! The only thing that I will do differently next time is cut the onions up smaller, as the recipe said to cut them into quarters, but they were still a bit undercooked that way.

These first 2 recipes were actually from my energy co-op newsletter!

                     Easy Chicken & Cheese Enchiladas

Serving Size  : 3  (for 2 enchiladas each)

I am having problems connecting to the internet. I haven't been able to get online & stay online for the last 2 days. Going to try to get Dish Network out here to get me fixed up.

I see that I am now forced to use the new Xanga editor too. It sure is strange looking!

All is well here...just wanted to let you know why I have not been around.
I hope you all are doing well. I will catch up as soon as I can.

I miss my online friends!

 I am an addict. Yes, I confess... I can't stay away from this page  http://www.suttoncenter.org/eaglecam.html  for very long. Thanks to SoonerRose for posting it last week & getting me hooked!  This eagle is in her nest with 3 eggs that are to hatch any day now.
I have learned so much from watching her & her frequent visits from the male.

I also find myself spending too much time on Facebook's applications.

Sad thing is, it was beautiful weather here over the weekend (except for the wind). But it was nice enough that hubby & I were able to sit outside on the deck for a while.  I had to bring the laptop outside so I could keep an eye on the eagle! lol..

I am usually really good on weekends & in the evenings when hubby is home to stay off of the computer & focus on him. He has been enjoying keeping up with the eagle too though (although not quite as much as me) so he didn't mind too much.

We were a bit too eager with the nice weather to think that we could get out & do some chores in the yard. The ground was still pretty frozen on Saturday, quickly putting a halt to any work.  Most of the snow is melted now. Of course, that means that the ground is totally saturated & many areas is standing in water.

We did take some nice walks though. Also sat outside & enjoyed the noises of Mother Nature & the warmth of the sun.  Yesterday, daughter was off & we all took a drive & explored a few places as she was wanting to get in some photography time (which of course, I took advantage of too!)

The weekends just go by much too quickly.

I have now gotten all of the x-rays including the full pan done. Nothing shows up. So, it looks like I will just remain a medical mystery & be happy that everything was caught in time & taken care of.
The surgery has been 3 weeks now & the swelling is still more than what I would like it to be. But, it is all normal from the scar tissue I am told.

Here is a shot from the front. You can really see the swelling & the big bulge.


as you can from the side too.

The scar. It is really sunken in at the center.
This is where the drain tube was & then no stitches were put in after it was removed.  I will just have to wait to see what it looks like after a year.
The dr. told me to come back after that time & he will try to fix it if it looks bad.
I have started using cocoa butter on it.

OK...now for some pretty shots from my camera!

the flowers from my African Violet.

sunset

the beautiful morning sky from one day last week.

I was going to post some pictures from our drive & exploring yesterday, but the editor is not being very cooperative right now. So I will try to do that tomorrow.

I do want to post 2 recipes though.  This first one, the Italian Pot Roast, I made yesterday. It is just another yummy way to eat pot roast, plus it is a crock pot recipe, which mean fuss-free!  It was delicious & very flavorful.

I just served this along with a sourdough bread.

 See ~ Saw...ho & hum....
winter be gone....
Spring please come!

Dull is old
tired of the cold
I need buds & blooms
and sunshine to fill my rooms.

DM   03-09

Yes, I am dreaming of spring. Yes, I have had my share of winter!  It has been see-sawing from trying to warm up to cold again. Just as the snow is melting, there is more in the forecast...grrr

Here is our forecast....

  Winter weather advisory in effect from 4 PM this afternoon to 7 AM cdt Wednesday. 

Rest Of Today ~ A chance of rain and patchy drizzle late in the morning...then snow with rain likely in the afternoon. New snow accumulation up to 1 inch. Highs 30 to 35. Northeast winds 5 to 10 mph. 
Tonight ~  Much colder. Windy. Snow in the evening...then a chance of snow after midnight. Snow accumulation of 2 to 3 inches. Storm total snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches. Lows around 5 above. West winds 15 to 30 mph. 
Wednesday ~ Colder. Partly cloudy. Scattered flurries in the morning. Highs around 15. West winds 15 to 20 mph. 
Wednesday Night ~ Colder. Mostly clear. Lows 5 below to 10 below zero. West winds 10 mph. 
Thursday ~  Mostly sunny. Highs around 20. Southwest winds 10 mph. 
Thursday Night and Friday ~ Not as cold. Mostly clear. Lows 5 to 10. Highs 30 to 35. 
Friday Night and Saturday ~ Mostly clear. Lows 15 to 20. Highs around 40. 
Saturday Night and Sunday ~Partly cloudy. Lows 20 to 25. Highs around 45. 
Sunday Night ~  Partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of snow. Lows 20 to 25. 
Monday ~Partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of rain or snow. Highs 40 to 45.
 

I asked my mom to share some of her springtime buds with me. She took these this morning for me...
The dogwoods are blooming in east Texas...

she actually sent me this next one because of the frogs in it..(you all know how I hate frogs!)
but I spy some flowers behind those frogs...

Thank you mom for sharing your buds & blooms with me.
You guys out there need to post some for me to come & see as well.
Please!

Alright...enough whining!
Not a whole lot to report from here. 
We had an uneventful, but very relaxing weekend. We sat outside for a bit, but still pretty chilly out. So we decided we needed a small firepit to remedy this...We found this at Target for a very good price...

Unfortunately, all of our wood was totally soaked from being covered in snow all winter, that we couldn't get a good fire going.  We will be more prepared now for the next time we use this!

We also have been shopping around for a bench for our mud room. I saw this in the weekly Farm & Fleet ad & it was for a pretty good price too on sale. So we bought it. Of course, poor hubby had to put this AND the firepit together...but he did a great job.

The bench opens up for more storage and there are hooks at the top to hang a coat, hat or scarf.  Even a mirror! So I think we did pretty good.

Two other small indulgences that I bought for myself were these...

an African Violet. I had 2 huge ones that I sent up here with hubby before I moved up. And they both died. So I had to replace at least one!

And a Shamrock plant! I have never had one, but have seen several of yours & it made me want one.

I had more visitors this afternoon. I was walking into the kitchen & saw this out of the dining room window...


yep, another turkey! lol...
As I took his picture, I saw all of these going onto the mound in the backyard...


I spy...4 turkeys!


You were all right on your comments on my last post...
I am sure they will be nowhere around come Thanksgiving time! lol...

I got a good shot of this one as he spread his wings...

OK...one last thing. I have to share this recipe. It was delicious & not very many ingredients & so easy! Plus it really isn't too bad for you, especially if you use baked chips & fat free sour cream.  I was worried if I needed to serve something else with this. I didn't & it was more than enough. It is very filling & just absolutely delicious...of course, you should consume a margarita or a ice cold beer with it 

Prep: 30 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes in puree
• 2 canned chipotle chilies in adobo, finely chopped (about 1 heaping tablespoon), plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from same can)
• Coarse salt
• 1 small cooked rotisserie chicken (about 1 3/4 pounds), skinned and shredded (about 4 cups), carcass discarded
• 1/2 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves, chopped, plus 4 sprigs for garnish
• 4 cups (about 3 ounces) tortilla chips
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1.75 ounces queso fresco, crumbled (about 1/4 cup) Can also use Feta if you can't find the Mexican queso fresco or also can use Mexican queso anego.
Directions
1. Combine oil and garlic in a large (3-to-4-quart) saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and sizzling, 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Add tomatoes with their puree (breaking tomatoes up), chipotles and adobo, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil; season with salt. Reduce heat and simmer rapidly until lightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes.
3. Add chicken and cook, stirring, until hot, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in chopped cilantro.
4. Divide chips among four shallow bowls; top with chicken mixture and sauce. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, sour cream, and cheese. Serve.

 ~ Zany

Maybe spring IS on its way to Wisconsin!
The snow is finally starting to melt!!! Yay!
Who knew that the sound of water running through gutters could cause such excitement!
And I am SO happy that time changes this weekend!!! Just another sign of longer days & more sunshine.

It has been so quiet here in Xanga'ville here lately. I have been a little bit glad actually, as it has been so much easier to stay caught up with you all.
I actually did try to do a post the other day, but something was all screwy with the editor & I finally just said forgetaboutit!

I have been officially released from the doctor who performed the surgery!
Today was my follow-up & he said all is looking good. I can expect the swelling to show improvement each day. It is mostly just scar tissue.  He doesn't seem to think that the dentist will find anything on Monday that was related to this, but just to rule it out, I am going & having the x-rays done.

I did daughter's taxes for her yesterday. What a pain in the patootie, having to file part time residency in 2 different states this year. Thank goodness that hubby & I take ours in & have them done!

We tried out a new restaurant last night. The food was good, but kind of a disappointment. Not a place that we will be putting on our list to return to anytime soon.   The history of the place was pretty neat as it is an old rooming house & saloon. You can check out the place at http://jamessheeleyhouse.com/

Here's a few pictures that I took inside...

Grrr...the editor isn't working right again...It won't let me highlite stuff...what's up with Xanga?
anyway...the saloon is located on the lower level, the restaurant is upstairs & there may be more dining rooms on the other upper level. The ambiance was nice, but the food was just ok. And certain things just not what you would expect for a "fine dining" restaurant.
For instance, the salad dressing was served  in a plastic cup...the salad was also very watery.
Daughter got the linguini with red sauce & garlic toast. She said it was very bland & the garlic toast looked just like a piece of thick bread toasted. 
Hubby & I both got their evening special which was Cajun grilled shrimp with linguini with a cajun cream sauce. After adding some salt & mixing it up, it was very tasty & we both did enjoy it.

It was a foggy, drizzly evening. Yesterday was actually like that the entire day. Even though the temp was warmer, the wetness made it feel colder. It actually felt like winter in Oklahoma!

Here's a few pictures that I took on our drive home...



I always find fog so mysterious & "calming" in a strange kind of way.

and here's a myspace shot of me & daughter in the garage! lol..

Now, I want to introduce you to our newest visitors....

yep...turkeys! lol..they first showed up the day before yesterday.
I got tickled watching them walk by as they all line up one after the other & it looks like a turkey parade, and they go so slow & bob their heads! Yes, I am so easily amused!

Now I am having to learn about Toms & Jakes & hens...
I still can't believe that I am living this life!
I am lovin' it though.

Hubby will be home soon, so I best get this submitted.
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.
I will be making the rounds to come & visit you all.

Zany hugs to you all & remember to set your clocks ahead Saturday night...

Not too long after I submitted my post on Thursday,  the snow arrived. And when it came, it came hard! It was like a blizzard outside.  We ended up with somewhere around 7".
Even the schools let out early & hubby was even able to come home early as it was so bad.
It was a beautiful snowfall though & a wet one, so it stuck to the trees making it even prettier.

I did get the stitches out on Friday. I was told that there were multiple bacteria in this infection, but still absolutely no idea where it came from or how it entered my body.  As a start though, I am having full mouth xrays done at a dentist. This way we can rule out a root or other tooth/gum problem.  The hard mass is still there, but it does seem to have gone down a bit over the weekend. Most of the draining has now stopped as well. I am still on antibiotics & have another dr. appt. on Friday.   I had taken myself off of the pain pills last week, as they are highly addictive & I didn't want any problems with that. I was using aleve instead & now am not even having to take that. So I am on the mend!!

Have I told you lately how blessed I am & what a wonderful husband that I have. Well, I am & I do.  Actually, I have a wonderful family & so many wonderful friends. I do count my blessings each & every day.

I had a wonderful weekend. Friday night, hubby & I had a date night. We went out to eat at our favorite restaurant, Mona Lisa's. Delicious food, great atmosphere & fun company.
Saturday, we ran many errands, but then also went to a flea market & an antique shop & ate lunch at a delicious new Mexican restaurant that we have discovered.  I just love "hanging out" with my man & exploring new places.  Afterwards, we came home & I finally attempted to play darts again, since the surgery.  Saturday night, daughter was home with us & we watched a movie, The Pursuit of Happyness, which daughter & I had already seen, but hubby never has...great movie!

Yesterday, daughter worked & hubby & I just hung out at the house.  Played some more darts, Actually sat outside on the deck even though it was only 18 degrees! The sun was shining & it was just a stunning day. We sat outside about an hour & just listened to nature . The birds were everywhere & it was a lot of fun to watch & hear them. 
We grilled some venison steaks out for dinner & then before you know it...Zap! the weekend is over....*sigh....

Ok...here is all of this in pictures now ; )
Then I need to get off of this computer & get busy. I have a lot of errands to run today & things that I need to do around the house. (the price I pay for playing all weekend!)

haha...I had forgotten about this one...hubby had been craving banana pudding, so Thursday, I made him some...
I also made him pose with the whole bowl...he is such a good sport!

Stitches out!!!

You can really see the swollen area from this angle..

The birds knew that weather was moving in. I took this Thursday before the snow hit...see them all on the ground & on the finch sock!

Even once the snow started, they were going to town!

Just a bunch of birds in the branches while it was snowing..

Of course, the beautiful cardinal looks even prettier against the snow.

I was thankful to have some beautiful colors inside the house....

Friday morning....

Friday morning...digging out...

What a guy! I am SO lucky to have such a hard working, loving man.
He was doing this after he plowed the drive
& before he drove me in to town for my dr. appt. 

We have had a grouse in the yard again. I first saw him when the storm hit on Thursday, but none of my pictures came out.
Hubby spotted him again on Saturday morning in the tree outside the dining room window.
They are so big, that it is funny to see them up in the tree. Normally they are on the ground.

This has taken me all morning to do, mainly because of my slow internet connection & trying to get all of these pictures uploaded!

Hubby just left from lunch. He told me that this morning at daybreak, the grouse was back up in that tree. He must be roosting in it each night now.

I am living in a whole different world here & I absolutely love it...snow & cold & all!

OK...now on to my chores....
I hope you all have a wonderful new week.

Zany hugs to you all.

A Winter Storm Warning Remains In Effect Until Midnight CST Tonight.

Snow... Heavy At Times... Will Continue To Spread East Into Western Wisconsin This Afternoon. Snow Was Limiting Visibilities To Under Half Mile Or Less In The Twin Cities Including Cities North And South Of The Twin Cities.

Once The Snow Begins Over Parts Of Western Wisconsin... It Will Become Heavy In A Short Period Of Time With Snowfall Rates As High As An Inch Or Two An Hour. Some Thunder May Also Accompany The Snow... Contributing To Higher Snowfall Rates. Accumulations Of 6 To 9 Inches Are Likely Across The Area By This Evening. In Addition... North Winds Will Increase To 20 To 25 Mph By Late This Afternoon And Continue For Much Of Tonight Causing Blowing And Drifting Snow. The Accumulating Snow Will Diminish To Light Snow During The Evening.

 *Sigh...
they say the snow is suppose to start around 3:00. I have learned that they are usually pretty accurate on those times.
The birds & squirrels & other critters all know that weather is moving in. They have been going crazy all morning.

I am doing well. This thing is still draining pretty good. I also have that same large hard lumpy thing on my neck that I did when I first went in for help. But the dr. said that hopefully that will go down. Hubby thinks it  may be scar tissue &/or inflammation. I will hopefully get some answers tomorrow morning when I go in to get the stitches out. I am a bit concerned, mainly I guess because everything was so uncertain to begin with & nobody truly knows what happened or what was the cause.  But I am not going to dwell on it. It is out of my control.

Daughter has today off & we are going to start on a new puzzle soon. I wanted to get a quick post in first & she is eating her lunch & on Facebook right now.

Here are a few pictures off of my camera from the last few days.

  

           My baby girl...

 

Another one of my baby girls, Possy. She NEVER gets up on the table.
I don't know what her trip was this day!

   

 
     Big Red ...king of the hallway!

  
  Some goodies that hubby brought home to me from the Farm & Fleet store!
cinnamon almonds (heavenly!) The iron duck is an outdoor ornament...so cute with a stained glass body.
4 different packages of wildflower seed mixtures (all in anticipation of spring!) some basil, cilantro & jalapeno seeds.

 

 Some beautiful flowers that I received from a beautiful girl.
A friend of my daughter's actually from OK. But she is very special to our whole family.
This just meant the world to me that she did this for me.

Tripod finally showed back up.
We were afraid that she & the other handicapped deer didn't make it as they have been mia for the last week or longer.
We still haven't seen Buckley, the other hurt deer.

She came to the birdfeed & just watched me take her picture out of the dining room window.


She heard daughter's car coming up the driveway & it scared her off...

But she did turn to tell me goodbye!

Here she is playing "do you see me now?"

Yeah, I am easily amused!

OK...that's all that I have for now.
Time to go work on the jigsaw puzzle now & wait for the snow storm.

Love to you all.