Have to admit, I LOVE snow days. While I was walking this morning, the words "silent shroud of snow" crept into my consciousness. Simon and Garfunkl described it just right. There is a stilled silence that comes with the large amount of snow. It covers the trees and ground, hiding what is underneath. It also seems much warmer when we have a big snow. It is as if the snow insulates from the outside world.
During my walk today, I met neighbors I haven't seen. Since all the schools and most businesses are closed, most of us are home today, and shoveling themselves out. Taking the dog for a walk is a joy, I know she is not going to run off into the neighbors yard, since most did not even have the driveways plowed out yet. Do to the fact that even she got stuck in a snow drift, I knew she wasn't going to go far. No need for a leash today! There were very few cars on the road, so I did not have to worry about that either.
There is also a closeness with others that comes out during a storm. It is something that affects us all, there is nothing we can do to stop it. We all just have to wait it out.
Tomorrow all will be back to normal. Schools will be open. Businesses will go about with their everyday tasks. Facebook will have less action, we will be back at work. Funny that this happened on Leap Day. Lots of internet sites are having special sales today, I now have time to look and enjoy them.
It is also "SHOUT OUT" day at St. Catherine'e University in St Paul, Minnesota. I am very lucky my daughter chose to be a part of that community. It is one of the few places that focus on women. Having spent my adulthood as a mother with children around, it was difficult to think of sending her off to college. St Kate's was so welcoming not only to her, but to myself and our family, they made the transition so much easier for us.
Every time I visit the campus, I feel I am a part of the community. St Kates is not only for the students, but also the families. My facebook profile picture was taken at St Kates on the night of Charity Ball, one of the fondest memories I have. Like many of St Kates activities, Charity Ball is a fundraiser for a women's shelter. In a world that is still dominated by males, it is refreshing to find a place offering programs where a woman is allowed to be herself, to grow and blossom into a woman that has value in the universe.
Many thanks and gratitude to the Sisters of St Joseph for the wonderful university. There are no words that can ever express the gratitude I feel for you being there!http://www.facebook.com/st.kates
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Recently I purchased this ground beef log from a local walmart. I purchased it as it was discounted to a price of 8.39. I knew it had a higher fat content, but I was using it for sloppy joes so I could just drain off the excess water and fat.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Fpl-Food-LLC-73-27-Ground-Beef-5-Lb/15136795
What suprised me, was how much actual fat and liquid where in there!
After I cooked the ground beef, I drained it, then let it sit overnight for the fat and liquids to solidify. I was totally amazed at how much it weighed!
The weight of the fat was 15.4 Ounces and filled a 16 oz dip container. I then weighed the liquids that were left, they weighed 12 ozs. To simplify that means out of the 5 lbs, 1 3/4 pound was fat and liquid. That means the ground beef weighed 3 1/4 pound.
When looking a the package, it seems like a great deal at 8.39 for 80 ounces (5 lbs) the cost is about 10 cents an ounce, or 1.60 a pound. When the amount of fat and water are taken out, the price is now about 16 cents an ounce or 2.58 a pound, which is just about a dollar higher!
The regular price on this somewhere around 11.00. Paying full price, it would come out to about 3.38 for a pound! An astonishing price for those thinking they are getting a good deal.
As our food prices continue to escalate, in order to stretch our food dollar, we need to have an increased awareness of what we are buying, and the quality of that product. For the purpose of the ground beef, and at the price I paid, I am ok with what I found. Had I paid the full price, I would have been a very disgruntled shopper. Would I ever buy this product again? After this, probably not. I usually buy chuck roasts and grind them myself, that way I can control the amount of fat I have added to the product. For those unable to grind their own meat, then buying a more expensive product might not be such a bad idea!
By the way, for those that are wondering, the taste was just fine for what I made.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Fpl-Food-LLC-73-27-Ground-Beef-5-Lb/15136795
What suprised me, was how much actual fat and liquid where in there!
After I cooked the ground beef, I drained it, then let it sit overnight for the fat and liquids to solidify. I was totally amazed at how much it weighed!
The weight of the fat was 15.4 Ounces and filled a 16 oz dip container. I then weighed the liquids that were left, they weighed 12 ozs. To simplify that means out of the 5 lbs, 1 3/4 pound was fat and liquid. That means the ground beef weighed 3 1/4 pound.
When looking a the package, it seems like a great deal at 8.39 for 80 ounces (5 lbs) the cost is about 10 cents an ounce, or 1.60 a pound. When the amount of fat and water are taken out, the price is now about 16 cents an ounce or 2.58 a pound, which is just about a dollar higher!
The regular price on this somewhere around 11.00. Paying full price, it would come out to about 3.38 for a pound! An astonishing price for those thinking they are getting a good deal.
As our food prices continue to escalate, in order to stretch our food dollar, we need to have an increased awareness of what we are buying, and the quality of that product. For the purpose of the ground beef, and at the price I paid, I am ok with what I found. Had I paid the full price, I would have been a very disgruntled shopper. Would I ever buy this product again? After this, probably not. I usually buy chuck roasts and grind them myself, that way I can control the amount of fat I have added to the product. For those unable to grind their own meat, then buying a more expensive product might not be such a bad idea!
By the way, for those that are wondering, the taste was just fine for what I made.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Scrapbook Mini Album
Yesterday Mary and I spent the day teaching a 4h group how to make a very simple Scrapbook Mini Album. It looks quite complicated, but is so EASY! We all had a great time! We figure about 10 different scrapbooks were made. Not suprisingly, one of the most popular paper packs were the Halloween one I still had. Great fun was had by all. Pictures coming soon!
Monday, January 2, 2012
Life, Death and in between..........
Tonight my daughter and I went to see the movie "We Bought a Zoo." It is one of the best movies I have seen in a very long time. I don't wan to ruin the movie for anyone, so this all may seem kinda vague to those of you who have not seen it.
During the movie, I started thinking about death. All that is born, must some time pass on. This may not come at a time that is convenient, thoughtful, or best for everyone. With death, there is usually some sort of sadness, both by those passing, and by those that will remain here.
The movie got me thinking about a time this past July. I have been struggling with pain difficulties for almost three years now. The pain has changed my life and my families life in ways that no one can imagine. It is a result of an accident that occurred. A flash second in time that changed our lives forever.
This past June I had a particularly horrendous flare up. By the beginning of July I was hoping for death. I was not suicidal or anything like that, but if death was to come, it is something I would have welcomed. With the help of many medical professions, and my loving family, I got through it and am still here today. Some days are good, some are awful, but I try to take each day at a time and go from there.
The reason I thought about this time in my life during the movie, it recalled to me that life is an adventure. Something to be lived each moment to the best of our ability. At times, maybe the best we can give is not even getting out of bed, just staying put for the day. Other days we may be filled with life and able to be there for others. Life and the movie, are also about LOVE and overcoming obstacles. There will be many times in our lives that we may feel it unsurmountable to overcome the obstacles in our lives. We do not always receive the results we had planned on, most of the time the results are better than we could have thought.
During this coming year, when the obstacles become too much for us to bear, may we realize that we are loved by at least ONE, we are never alone!
During the movie, I started thinking about death. All that is born, must some time pass on. This may not come at a time that is convenient, thoughtful, or best for everyone. With death, there is usually some sort of sadness, both by those passing, and by those that will remain here.
The movie got me thinking about a time this past July. I have been struggling with pain difficulties for almost three years now. The pain has changed my life and my families life in ways that no one can imagine. It is a result of an accident that occurred. A flash second in time that changed our lives forever.
This past June I had a particularly horrendous flare up. By the beginning of July I was hoping for death. I was not suicidal or anything like that, but if death was to come, it is something I would have welcomed. With the help of many medical professions, and my loving family, I got through it and am still here today. Some days are good, some are awful, but I try to take each day at a time and go from there.
The reason I thought about this time in my life during the movie, it recalled to me that life is an adventure. Something to be lived each moment to the best of our ability. At times, maybe the best we can give is not even getting out of bed, just staying put for the day. Other days we may be filled with life and able to be there for others. Life and the movie, are also about LOVE and overcoming obstacles. There will be many times in our lives that we may feel it unsurmountable to overcome the obstacles in our lives. We do not always receive the results we had planned on, most of the time the results are better than we could have thought.
During this coming year, when the obstacles become too much for us to bear, may we realize that we are loved by at least ONE, we are never alone!
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Goals for the New Year!
I was listening to public radio last week, the guest had written a book on willpower. It was such an appropriate topic for me, especially at this time of year. It seems on New Years a lot of us like to make all kinds of goals for the upcoming year. Most of us fail at these, and according to this gentleman, there is a reason why!http://onpoint.wbur.org/2011/09/19/willpower
According to his research, we each have just so much willpower, and when we use it, it is GONE! So, if you are really trying to not have donuts, the first one in the morning will be easy to pass up. But, if you keep being tempted by donuts all day, unless you have done something to build up your willpower, by the end of the day, chances are you will fail!
My hope for the year is to grow this blog. I'm trying to have my daughters post also. One of my daughters is in Germany, does more baking than I do lately. She is noted for her cheesecakes, YUM!
The other Merry Baker, has also been baking a lot, we just need to have the discipline to sit down and write about it.
According to his research, we each have just so much willpower, and when we use it, it is GONE! So, if you are really trying to not have donuts, the first one in the morning will be easy to pass up. But, if you keep being tempted by donuts all day, unless you have done something to build up your willpower, by the end of the day, chances are you will fail!
My hope for the year is to grow this blog. I'm trying to have my daughters post also. One of my daughters is in Germany, does more baking than I do lately. She is noted for her cheesecakes, YUM!
The other Merry Baker, has also been baking a lot, we just need to have the discipline to sit down and write about it.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Halloween Time!
I have been spending LOTS of my time with my Cricut. I use SCAL and svg files for my paper crafting. Instead of buying cartridges, I buy SVG files over the internet. Last week, I bought two sets of files to make albums with. Through this process, I have found that not all of the files work as well as they should. This is very discouraging, as I usually spend many wasted hours trying to get things to work.
I would like to say, the files from svgcuts.com are some of the best I have ever had. Over the past year and a half since I started this, I have purchased many, many files from various companies. The ones from svgcuts work with SCAL, are usually easily resizable, and, best of all, lots of the files include video directions on how to correctly put them together!
This weekend, ny daughter and grandkids came for a visit. As usual, I heard the "I'm BORED" from my 11 year old grandson. So, what did I do? I cut out the haunted house from the Elmhurst Hollow set. There were many pieces, so my daughter helped him out with putting it together. It took a couple of hours for the first one to get together, but was well worth it. The haunted house even has an open area in the back for which to add the lights! My daughter put a second one together today, which went much quicker.
As great as the Haunted Houses turned out, the family time spent together was PRICELESS, something my grandkids will not forget!
I would like to say, the files from svgcuts.com are some of the best I have ever had. Over the past year and a half since I started this, I have purchased many, many files from various companies. The ones from svgcuts work with SCAL, are usually easily resizable, and, best of all, lots of the files include video directions on how to correctly put them together!
This weekend, ny daughter and grandkids came for a visit. As usual, I heard the "I'm BORED" from my 11 year old grandson. So, what did I do? I cut out the haunted house from the Elmhurst Hollow set. There were many pieces, so my daughter helped him out with putting it together. It took a couple of hours for the first one to get together, but was well worth it. The haunted house even has an open area in the back for which to add the lights! My daughter put a second one together today, which went much quicker.
As great as the Haunted Houses turned out, the family time spent together was PRICELESS, something my grandkids will not forget!
Friday, September 2, 2011
Minnesota State Fair!
Got back from the fair today. Will be home two days, then back again on Sunday. I have been asked many times, "What do you do at the fair all those days?"
Here's a general run done of the day:
My day starts out at the Farmers Union for coffee. I enjoy sitting, watching people go by, having a biscotti, while I look over the daily schedule to see what I might like to do. If I am there later in the morning, the music will have started, so I can listen to that also. They had an awesome band last weekend. Think they were called the "Music Mountain Men".
After coffee, I usually take a stroll. Just like the coupons in the coupon books are in zones, I also like to cover the fair in zones. So depending on what music I want to listen to or food I want to eat, that is where I go. I usually end up in Heritage Square for the 11:45 show.
The rest of the day is spent in much the same way. Strolling through the fair, listening to music, trying new foods, speaking with old (and newly made) friends.
A few of the highlights so far:
Winning the dance contest during the pre show warm up for Twin Cities Live! I won a Tshirt and a twenty dollar gift card! I beat out two younger guys!
The Midtown Men show at the Leine stage last night was one of the best shows I have ever seen. When the guys were singing, it felt like they were peering straight into my heart!
The group Rubber Soul who was at the International Bazaar stage. They did Beatles music.
Late night Reubens from O"Gara's are the best! It is nice to have something besides deep fried foods. They also have music going until 10:30 pm.
If you have only a short period of time, don't forget to check out the trampoline act. Never thought those stunts could be done!
Saving the best for last-don't forget the baking and cooking demos at the Saint Agnes Kitchen in creative activities building. Four demos a day. Lots of great info!
Here's a general run done of the day:
My day starts out at the Farmers Union for coffee. I enjoy sitting, watching people go by, having a biscotti, while I look over the daily schedule to see what I might like to do. If I am there later in the morning, the music will have started, so I can listen to that also. They had an awesome band last weekend. Think they were called the "Music Mountain Men".
After coffee, I usually take a stroll. Just like the coupons in the coupon books are in zones, I also like to cover the fair in zones. So depending on what music I want to listen to or food I want to eat, that is where I go. I usually end up in Heritage Square for the 11:45 show.
The rest of the day is spent in much the same way. Strolling through the fair, listening to music, trying new foods, speaking with old (and newly made) friends.
A few of the highlights so far:
Winning the dance contest during the pre show warm up for Twin Cities Live! I won a Tshirt and a twenty dollar gift card! I beat out two younger guys!
The Midtown Men show at the Leine stage last night was one of the best shows I have ever seen. When the guys were singing, it felt like they were peering straight into my heart!
The group Rubber Soul who was at the International Bazaar stage. They did Beatles music.
Late night Reubens from O"Gara's are the best! It is nice to have something besides deep fried foods. They also have music going until 10:30 pm.
If you have only a short period of time, don't forget to check out the trampoline act. Never thought those stunts could be done!
Saving the best for last-don't forget the baking and cooking demos at the Saint Agnes Kitchen in creative activities building. Four demos a day. Lots of great info!
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