Another favorite site . . .

I subscribe to this newsletter and have often discovered great German recipes along with a lot of interesting facts and stories. Being half German, for some reason this appeals to me! Today, I discovered this recipe in time to use it for my pie crust for a change of pace from my usual recipe.
http://www.kitchenproject.com/GermanGoodies/2012/Aug31-2012.htm

Next on my list of things to bake . . .

Two peach pies are cooling on the counter . . . right next to two, huge bowls of fresh tomatoes from the garden. It gave me an idea . . . Use the search engine on the computer to see if anyone has come up with a recipe for sweet tomato cake and one showed up immediately. The blogger mentioned the same problem, a surplus of beautiful tomatoes so she devised this recipe. She is into healthy so you don't need eggs or butter in it and her picture reflect a very successful outcome. I plan to put this recipe to good use . . . as soon as the peach pies are gone!

http://www.lovefoodeat.com/sweet-tomato-cake-with-olive-oil-cinnamon/

What America Should be About . . .

More Wisdom Through Quotes!

"Eccentricity is not, as dull people would have us believe, a form of madness. It is often a kind of innocent pride, and the man of genius and the aristocrat are frequently regarded as eccentrics because genius and aristocrat are entirely unafraid of and uninfluenced by the opinions and vagaries of the crowd."
-- Edith Sitwell

"Did you ever walk into a room and forget why you walked in? I think that's how dogs spend their lives."
-- Sue Murphy

"Outer space is no place for a person of breeding."
-- Lady Violet Bonham Carter

"If the automobile had followed the same development cycle as the computer, a Rolls-Royce would today cost $100, get a million miles per gallon, and explode once a year, killing everyone inside."
-- Robert X. Cringely

Brown Sugar Lemon Spice Shortbread

This is a small-batch recipe. I use it when my husband decides he needs something to sustain his engergy in a hectic week. I like it because there won't be a lot of leftover cookies to tempt him too much! It is easy to throw together and the long baking time leaves you to the rest of your dinner prep work without worry.

 

Brown Sugar Lemon Spice Shortbread

 

1 cup butter - margarine will definitely not work!

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cup all-purpose flour

 

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

 

Beat together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the spices, zest, vanilla and beat to combine. Stir in the flour to form a dough.

 

There are two ways to prepre the cookies. You can either scoop out tablespoons of dough into rounded balls and press them down with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar or you can divide the dough into two or three larger balls, press out into about a 1/2 thick circle.

 

Either way, bake for approximately 25-40 minutes depending on the size of the cookies. They should be golden around the edges. Let cool on baking sheet and carefully transfer to a rack to finish cooling.

 

These go great with an iced tea, glass or cold milk,

 

 

I can always make these easy little cookies with the ingredients in my pantry. They're rich, crisp, and so simple to make.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter (NO substitutes), softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups flour

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In large bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Add brown sugar and mix well. Then add flour and mix just until a dough forms. Divide dough into 2 balls and pat each into a 1/2" thick 7" round on an ungreased cookie sheet. Prick each with fork. Bake at 300 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully remove to wire rack to cool. Cut each round into eight wedges to serve. 16 cookies

User Reviews

All too often . . .

While intelligent people can often simplify the complex, a fool is more likely to complicate the simple.

- Gerald W. Grummet

Chris Christie's Convention Highlights . . .

#1 – Our founding fathers had the wisdom to know that social acceptance and popularity is fleeting and that this country’s principles needed to be rooted in strengths greater than the passions and emotions of the times. Our leaders today have decided it is more important to be popular, to do what is easy and say “yes,” rather than to say no when “no” is what’s required.

#2 – Their plan: whistle a happy tune while driving us off the fiscal cliff, as long as they are behind the wheel of power.

#3 – They believe in teacher’s unions. We believe in teachers.

#4 – It’s the power of our ideas, not of our rhetoric, that attracts people to our Party.

#5 – When there are people in the room who care more about doing the job they were elected to do than worrying about winning re-election, it’s possible to work together, achieve principled compromise and get results.

#6 – Mitt Romney will tell us the hard truths we need to hear to put us back on the path to growth and create good paying private sector jobs again in America.

#7 - Mitt Romney will tell us the hard truths we need to hear to end the torrent of debt that is compromising our future and burying our economy.
Mitt Romney will tell us the hard truths we need to hear to end the debacle of putting the world’s greatest health care system in the hands of federal bureaucrats and putting those bureaucrats between an American citizen and her doctor.

#8 – Our problems are big and the solutions will not be painless. We all must share in the sacrifice. Any leader that tells us differently is simply not telling the truth.

#9 – What will our children and grandchildren say of us? Will they say we buried our heads in the sand, we assuaged ourselves with the creature comforts we’ve acquired, that our problems were too big and we were too small, that someone else should make a difference because we can’t? Or will they say we stood up and made the tough choices needed to preserve our way of life?
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want my children and grandchildren to have to read in a history book what it was like to live in an American Century. I don’t want their only inheritance to be an enormous government that has overtaxed, overspent and over-borrowed a great people into second-class citizenship. I want them to live in a second American Century.

#10 – We have never been victims of destiny. We have always been masters of our own.

Chinese Chicken Soup!

I needed a quick meal for dinner last night. I didn't have time to make an Asian soup from conception to reception so scoured the freezer for possibilities. I came across a container of chicken broth I had frozen for a lazy day and decided this was that day. Usually, I braise the chicken in Chinese mushrooms, garlic, and fresh ginger . . . but didn't have time. I decided to invent dinner and if it worked, yes, I made you all Chinese Chicken Soup! If it didn't, it would still be good and the family would figure I was creating in the kitchen, again.

Given the time frame, I put the lump of frozen broth, garlic, and ginger in my big soup pot. I turned on the heat and let all the flavors meld. I added soy sauce, salt, pepper, and chicken bullion. I tasted it and it tasted almost like my usual rendition. I excavated a bag of stir fry vegetables from the recesses of the freezer and discovered a package of Chinese dry noodles in the cupboard. A couple of pieces of boneless chicken showed up in my search. I put them in a frying pan and browned them well on both side. I added some Sherry to bring up the tasty brown surface from the pan, chopped the chicken and added it to the pot. In went the stir fry vegetables. When they were warmed through, I put in the Chinese noodles (you could use regular spaghetti, too) and stirred the contents of the pot until the broth came back to a boil. I simmered it just long enough to cook the noodles, added some chili flakes and served. Got rave reviews, too!

We are trying to live out of the cupboard until payday so I guess my first attempt was successful. It seems that whenever I don't have an ingredient for a specific recipe, I head over to the grocery store and always come back with more than I went to buy. Besides, finding substitutes makes the 'out of the cupboard' adventure all the more fun.

What?

Just read that a three-person civil union was granted to a trio in Brazil. Looks like we are working on another slippery slope down in our morality. Just when you think, 'what next?' the answer appears. The one thing that has survived the test of time for the last 2,000-plus years is . . . drum roll! The Catholic Church. It is the only organization that has had it's ups and downs, major and minor problems but still survives. It is interesting to think of all the civilizations, empires, etc. that thought they were invincible yet are no longer. I guess that when the power is stronger than the belief in God, God steps back and lets man cope on is own . . . and it doesn't work.

Like Will Rogers quote, especially!

"What is a cynic? A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing."
-- Oscar Wilde

"It is better for civilization to be going down the drain than to be coming up it."
-- Henry Allen

"We're all in this alone."
-- Lily Tomlin

"Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock."
-- Will Rogers

The Wasting of our Future . . .

I was talking to a delightful couple after Mass on Sunday and, as usual these days, our conversation turned to politics. Although we all agreed that our current politicians in office needed to be replaced, they did say they rejoiced with everyone over the election of our first, black president. To me that seemed to be a superficial elation. Not that being black makes anyone unfit for office but that the fact that he was adamantly in support of all abortion made him an 'unfit' vote for a good Catholic whether he was black or not. In the 2008 election, too many people failed to look past the possibility of an historic event to see what would face the country with a staunch, anti-life president in office. Now, if we fight to replace him with a more conservative candidate that would respect life and the Constitution of our country, we are called racist.

It took me aback when this couple were happy that they could put their Catholicism aside and vote in someone who was very open about his views on abortion and made good his election by rescinding the safeguards President Bush had put into place during his term in office. The then-newly elected president signed any pro life  safeguards away before his first week in office was over. I don't think they can claim invincible ignorance as the information was out there for those who bothered to research the possibly far-reaching effects of their vote.

Another reason I voted against the current president in 2008 was his lack of respect for his own race. Abortion is a problem among the black community. A priest once said that the most dangerous place in the United States for a black child is in his mother's womb. Did all the Catholics stop to think that their vote made them accessories to abortion?

This election is pretty nasty with the one side saying the Republicans have declared war on women. Why? Because we are against having to pay for contraception and abortion when it is against our values? The Catholic Church has lawsuits pending because the separation of Church and State has been breached by the current administration and we have been mandated to act against our moral values and the precepts of our Faith . . . in a country that is supposed to guarantee us those rights.

I watch the protests during the convention and have to wonder about the women demanding abortion and contraception. The are loud and shriek their agenda. I heard a sermon from a very humble, devout priest who said that any mother who kills her baby isn't a true mother. I think about the children of such mothers who are allowed to live and realize that they could have been the chosen one to die.

Mother Theresa said the violence will not leave our world until we stop aborting our future. A look around the world and the frequent headlines of needless death and murder would tell a thinking person that she knew of what she spoke.

Be careful of what you speak . . . it might become history . . .

The Quote of the Decade:
"The fact that we are here today to debate raising America's debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the US Government cannot pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government's reckless fiscal policies. Increasing America 's debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that, "the buck stops here.' Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better."

~ Senator Barack H. Obama, March 2006 <> Pass it on 'til eternity..

(...it was so nice of him to give us this great quote for posterity!) 

Ronald Reagan knew . . .

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same."

 - Ronald Reagan...

Making use of the produce from the garden . . .

 Eggplants, peppers, and tomatoes ripened all at once so your Friday meatless meal turned into an unexpected treat with Eggplant Parmesan. Of course, my version is probably a lot different than the norm. It is interesting how much better a fresh from the plant eggplant tastes. Perhaps, the store-bought ones are why so few people like this funny, purple fruit!

Donuts . . . or not?

 If you look at the first picture, you will think that I must have taken a lot of time to produce only four donuts. If you glance at the lower right picture, notice the normal-sized apple is a lot smaller than the donuts! I found a donut cake pan in my bargain shopping and put it to good use on making a birthday tray of cakes for a good friend.

Help with the Sewing?

 Although I do try and get an hour of sewing in each day, I don't always get a quality amount of time. Can you tell why?

Romney/Ryan Medicare Plan . . . And . . . the problem is?

Oops . . .

Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, if he gets angry, he'll be a mile away--and barefoot.

- Sarah Jackson

Fair play . . . Manners . . . Dignity . . .

There is always some snipping at an opponent during a major election but one side has gone overboard from stretching the truth to outright lies. First, there was the commercial with the gentleman claiming that Mr. Romney murdered his wife by taking away her health care. Facts were that the woman died six years after the man had left the business and retained her own health care until two years before her death. The Democrats must have taken some kind of 'new' math to an all-time low to work this claim into the six-year time frame. When this error was pointed out to the president, it was decided to continue running the ad, anyway. Why? Well, because he knew there was people who never look beyond the end of their nose when it comes to voting and if the lie could garner a few more votes, so much the better.

Medicare is another source of misinformation in the campaign. The side of the incumbent president claim that Paul Ryan (the VP nominee) has plans to cut out Medicare from the elderly and/or raise the costs so much that they will have little coverage. The truth is that the obama administration is using over seven billion from Medicare to fund obamacare. The Medicare platform on the Republican side would keep that money in the Medicare program and not change the current program.

Traditionally, the respective sides in a campaign put their rallies and such low-key during the conventions. This time around, again breaking with polite tradition, the Democrats plan to increase their campaign stops. Also, the major networks don't plan to run footage of the opening day of the Republican Convention. Where are the equal rights for both sides? Last convention period, Michelle obama gave a speech on behalf of her husband. Again, the liberal media is not taking Ann Romney's speech for her husband into account.

For me, the above is enough to long for a drastic change in administration. If I add on the strong anti-life platform embraced by the Democrats, it is a no brainer that I would not vote for a party who favors the death of the unborn.

It will be interesting to see, however, how much of the Catholic vote, again, goes in favor of the Democrats. The Catholic vote seriously helped obama into office in 2008 and from the people I've talked to at my church, they aren't likely to change.

It is very confusing to me that people who attend Mass almost daily can receive Communion and spout their Catholicism . . . except when it comes to politics. I still have several people who haven't spoken to me since 2008 when I answered their question about my vote. Seems to me that if you hold another person's vote against them, their might be something wrong with the way you voted.

This explains it perfectly!

Something to Grin About . . .

"Do not do unto others as you would that they should do unto you. Their tastes may not be the same."
-- George Bernard Shaw

"The height of cleverness is to be able to conceal it."
-- Francois de La Rochefoucauld

"I think on-stage nudity is disgusting, shameful and damaging to all things American. But if I were 22 with a great body, it would be artistic, tasteful, patriotic and a progressive religious experience."
-- Shelley Winters

"It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend."
-- William Blake

Take heed, mr. president!

The fact remains that the overwhelming majority of people who have become wealthy have become so thanks to work they found profoundly absorbing... The long term study of people who eventually become wealthy clearly reveals that their "Luck" arouse from the accidental dedication they had to an area they enjoyed.

- Srully Blotnick

Feast of the Queenship of Mary

Cease, then, O queens, who earthly crowns do wear,
To glory in the pomp of worldly things:
If men such high respect onto you bear
Which daughters, wives and mothers are of kings;
What honor should unto that Queen be done
Which had your God for Father, Spouse and Son?

Henry Constable: To Our Blessed Lady, Sonnet 1. (17th Century)

All applicable to every day life!

"You must learn from the mistakes of others. You can't possibly live long enough to make them all yourself."
-- Sam Levenson

"Nothing ever goes away."
-- Barry Commoner

"One of the first duties of the physician is to educate the masses not to take medicine."
-- Sir William Osler

Who started it?

I've found that no male really goes with a trend unless some female remarks on how 'cool' or 'hot' he looks in whatever he happened to throw on to wear that day. He was feeling in a sloppy mood, he got a compliment, and a fashion trend was born. I'd just like to know what female encouraged the baggy jeans with half the underwear covered rump showing on guys. Why? Okay, I'm out of that generation but what is handsome about one's pants falling below the hip or further  is attractive. And the style seems to circumvent any thoughts of modesty as the guys are constantly hiking up the falling pants without any thought of exposure. My husband saw some young man walking through the crosswalk at an intersection and his pants fell completely to the ground. With hardly breaking step, he yanked them up and kept going.

As someone said, once, it is like all the guys have had to resort to wearing their dad's clothing which are too big and the girls have had to resort to wearing their grade school sister's clothing which are too tight.

I'm waiting for some astute female to bring this fashion trend to a close by telling the first guy they come across that they look silly trying to live life while hanging on to their ever drooping jeans. That might put a stop to the over sized pants but you have to wonder what the next clothing trend will be . . . it might be worse!

No comment! :-)

VOTING IN CHICAGO:

My Uncle was a staunch conservative and voted straight line Republican until the day he died.

Now, he votes Democrat.

Agree!

Thought provoking quotes to start the morning . . .

The average, healthy, well-adjusted adult gets up at seven-thirty in the morning feeling just plain terrible."
-- Jean Kerr

"Howard Hughes was able to afford the luxury of madness, like a man who not only thinks he is Napoleon but hires an army to prove it."
-- Ted Morgan

"It's all right letting yourself go as long as you can let yourself back."
-- Mick Jagger

"All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others."
-- George Orwell

Too true . . .

All things may corrupt when minds are prone to evil.

- Ovid

Chinese Soupy Noodles!

 I've posted the recipe before but have an actual picture this evening. Instead of using our regular Chinese wheat noodles, we tried a brand made in Taiwan and found them to be more delicate and tasty. This was a beef version. It is a good way to stretch the meat, provide lots of vegetables, and keep everyone happy.

Cool Summer Lemon Cake in 'person'!

 Posting about this lemon cake made me hungry for one so here is my take on the recipe. I did make a slight change as I had extra whipped topping. Besides using the lemon filling, I also topped that with the extra whipped topping which met with good marks from my family. I decided to go with three, layer cake pans instead of doing two and cutting them in half - less crumbs.

Something to think about . . .

Shy cat?

 In spite of me loudly explaining to the kitten that she cannot sit on our chairs, she seemed to show remorse . . . or, she continued her bathing. You decide! :-)

Latest creation . . .

 I like to try out new ideas for quilts but don't like to tie myself down to the time and expense of a large quilt for every trial run. I've taken to making baby quilts for this. It provides enough of a quilt to get an idea of how it will look and I can always use a baby quilt for selling or donating to Pro Life. This is not my usual color palette so it was twice as interesting working on it.

Cool Summer Lemon Cake

Of all the flavors, I think lemon beats out chocolate for me. This recipe incorporates all that lemon flavor and is kept cold so makes a cool slice a perfect ending to a meal on a warm evening.

Cool Summer Lemon Cake
1 package lemon cake mix
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 - 14-ounce cans sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon extract
2 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed

Grease or vegetable oil spray two 8-9-inch round cake pans. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare the cake mix according to box directions with the addition of the lemon zest and vanilla extract. When the cake is baked and completely cooled, slice each layer in half to form four layers.

In a bowl, mix the two cans of sweetened condensed milk with the lemon juice and lemon extract. Use half the lemon/milk combination to ice between the layers. With the remaining half, fold in the whipped topping and frost the entire cake. This needs chilling overnight before serving.

You could probably do this with orange, too, but I haven't tried it, yet, but am considering it!

Should be easy to guess . . .

 Discovered this on the front porch this morning. The outside cats keep gifting us with these things. I don't know where they get them but we usually find either one of these or bird feathers left over from a midnight meal.

Christmas is coming!

A reminder for anyone looking for something special for Christmas, I have a yahoo group where you can not only find something homemade and unique for gift giving but can post your own sales or wants. Please read the rules before posting. Take a look and join if you have a handicraft you'd like to share or just want to browse.  I know everyone starts looking for stocking stuffers, hostess gifts, and such around the holiday season and that season will be upon us before we know it.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CatholicCornerforCrafts/

Time is like a snowflake--it melts away while we try to decide what to do with it.

- Unknown

This is the beginning of spaghetti sauce . . . ?

 My family's favorite meal on a Friday is meatless spaghetti sauce . . . as long as I make it myself! Believe it or not, all you see in the picture, and then some, goes into the making of it. Lots of onion and fresh Basil make it into the mix. Since my husband's tomato plants are going crazy with the warm sunshine, coming up with spaghetti sauce is an easy job. I like my version because it gets a whole lot of vegetables into my family but all they see is a mound of pasta and a sprinkling of cheese!

And the winner is . . .

 Our kitten, Marcela, likes it when Bold comes in to play. Marcela, however, is a frisky kitten and Bold, as you can see from the paws and tail under Marcela, often gets the worst of the playtime.

Heartbreaking . . .

 I sincerely wish that people would take responsibility for their pets. A gentleman in the neighborhood had a lot of cats in and around his house, inside and out. He took very sick, suddenly, and was quickly sent to live with his daughter. She cleared out his house and called animal control about the cats. Unfortunately, two of them coudn't be caught and within a month of so started coming around our house. We had decided to befriend one and take the other one to the shelter. Well, they grew up a bit too fast and both had kittens at a young age before we could do anything about it. We found homes for one cat's three kittens. One of the other cats either found a home or came to a bad end as the little grey guy disappeared. All we have left to figure out a future for are these two kittens. The one on the left we call Bold because he is and likes to race into our house to see what our cat is having for dinner. The smaller, female we call Fresh because she tries to be untouched by us mere mortals although she looks at the other cat getting petted with some longing in her eyes.

Unfortunately, no homes were found for either the two kittens or their mothers so we have to finally take them to the animal shelter. What saddens us is that they won't even have a chance to find a home. It seems to be 'kitten season' and they will be put down as soon as we turn them over.

You have to wonder how God is going to view man's use of his creatures when people refuse to do the proper thing by their animals and keep the population down so they can all find homes.

Is it real or not?

Every year, I get very frustrated at the disregard of Church rulings about unapproved apparitions and the posting of fliers for these conferences. This week, the annual Medjugorje one went up. I realize that it is up to each individual as to how they want to view this but posting it at a parish church gives undeserved credence to it that hasn't happened from the Vatican yet.

I was shown this link and found some interesting information in it.

http://www.catholictradition.org/Mary/medjugorje.htm

What caught my attention was the premise that Medjugorje could be distracting us from the verified words received at Fatima. Anyway, the priest I talk to about this says to concentrate on the proven until the unresolved is resolved. Not starting a 'religous war' here but just sharing some interesting information I hadn't heard or thought about until now.

A somber reminder of what we had in the past . . .

http://mychal-massie.com/premium/has-greatness-died-from-my-vault/

Quotes for Today - All Too True!

"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter."
-- e e cummings

"The word 'meaningful' when used today is nearly always meaningless."
-- Paul Johnson

"Organized crime in America takes in over forty billion dollars a year and spends very little on office supplies."
-- Woody Allen

The 5 Best Sentences You'll Ever Read

Got that right!

Remember our Fallen Heroes . . .

 America is blessed that no war is being waged on our land right now, yet our soldiers are fighting, getting wounded, and dying in battles overseas. You never really understand the impact of war until you visit the aftermath. It is too easy to forget the soldiers that fight for our right to live until you visit the resting place of those that died for it.

"When falls the soldier brave
Dead at the feet of wrong,
The poet sings and guards his grave
With sentinels of song."
Abram J. Ryan: Sentinel Song, 19th century

What you learn while waiting in line . . .

I was waiting in line at the college bookstore with my son this week. Since it was the beginning of the semester, the line was literally out the door so we had a bit of a wait to pay for the books. Next to us in line were two, strapping young men who were chatting back and forth to each other. Suddenly, one of them caught sight of a curvaceous young lady at the check out counter. She was wearing a skin tight, short dress that showed off her shapely but large backside. The way she was leaning into the counter, you could tell that she knew she was looking good and hoped her assets were drawing masculine attention. I'm here to tell you that she had been noticed by the two young men in line with us but, probably, not in the way she was hoping.

One guy said, "Who is that girl trying to imitate? Angelina Jolie?"

Second guy replied, " Yeah, I know, what's with that? Everywhere I look, the girls are showing off their butts."

First guy, "Must have seen a hundred of them today."

Second guy, "Yeah . . ."

And with that, the two college students shrugged, looked away, and started talking about something else. I'm sure this was not the reaction the young lady in the short, tight dress was looking for but even these young guys were obviously in overload in respect to the body parts on display.  And if there were that many young ladies putting themselves on display, their attempts to be dazzling and different just made them boring, leaving no mystery.

The girl at the counter sauntered off, wiggling her behind but the two guys in line with us were no longer bothering to look.

We need to instill this quote into our children's minds!

If we insist on being as sure as is conceivable... we must be content to creep along the ground, and can never soar.

- John Henry Cardinal Newman

Computers are boring . . . from a kitten's viewpoint!

 After insisting that she must 'help' me with my correspondence, the cat realized the errors of her ways and promptly fell asleep on the computer keyboard . . . which did not contribute to my productivity for the day.

Careful shopping . . .

 It's true! You can find things in your store-bought products that do not belong! Actually, our kitten found a hole in the plastic over bag and put it to good advantage. It was a bit disconcerting to reach for a roll of paper towel and discover a non-paper product inhabiting the storage bag.

Definitely a quote to ponder . . .

So you stopped eating at Chick-Fil-A because the owner of the company thinks homosexuality is wrong - - -

Tell me, when are you going to stop buying gasoline because the owners of OPEC put homsexuals to death?

Rosa Mystica . . .

The rose is a mystery - where is it found?
Is it anything true? Does it grow upon ground?
It was made of earth's mould, but it went from men's eyes,
And its place is a secret and shut in the skies.
In the gardens of God, in the daylight divine,
Find me a place by thee, Mother of mine.
G. M. Hopkins: Rosa Mystica (14th century)

August 15th - Assumption of the Blessed Mother into Heaven . . .

A day late but still important to make mention of one of the Church's great feast day - the Assumption of the Blessed Mother into Heaven. People would be hard put to deny that Mary was not deserving of this recognition. As our pastor said in his sermon, yesterday, we should not have envy of what was given to Mary but to use her example to one day, also, to be brought wholly into Heaven, too.

"The festival of this day is venerable to us, O Lord, to which the holy Mother of God succumbed to earthly death; but she could not be held by the bonds of death, who bore of her own flesh Thine incarnate Son our Lord."
Gregorian Sacramentary, Collect for the Feast. (17th century)

Oatmeal Coconut Banana Chip Cake

I like cake mix redo recipes. It is great to bake from scratch but we all have those days when the faster we can get something done, the better it is for our tempers and sanity. This is a good example and is open to variations.

Oatmeal Coconut Banana Chip Cake
1/2 stick butter
1 container prepared coconut pecan frosting
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
2 very ripe bananas
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1 box yellow cake mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Vegetable oil spray either a Bundt pan or a 10-inch tube cake pan.

In a cooking pot, melt the butter and stir in the frosting mix. Add the oats until the mixture becomes crumbly. In a large mixing bowl, place the sour cream, eggs, bananas, vanilla, and cinnamon. Blend until very smooth. Beat in the cake mix and stir in the chocolate chips.

In the prepared cake pan of your choice, spread about 1/3rd of the batter. Sprinkle in 1/3rd of the crumb mixture. Repeat   ending with crumbs on top.

Bake for about 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted towards the middle of the cake comes out clean of moist crumbs/batter. Cool for approximately 20 minutes before turning out of the pan onto
a serving plate.

Ideas . . .
Adding 1/2 cup of ground nuts would make it a bit denser but tasty.
Butterscotch chips instead of chocolate?
Try this with a chocolate or spice cake mix?

Our Brave New World . . . ?

We know the world has taken a downward turn when someone can't use initiative to get themselves out of a tight spot. Americans used to be known as resourceful . . . and still are . . . until the government overgoverns them and replaces gumption and drive with handouts and nanny state help they didn't want in the first place.

http://www.ijreview.com/2012/08/12695-13-year-olds-hot-dog-stand-shut-down-boy-now-homeless/

Not in my day . . .

The world has always been an interesting place. Change is constant and nothing is ever quite the same from day to day. We don't always notice this until there is a cumulative effect and the growing change is suddenly quite evident.

This kind of hit me suddenly as I was taking my son to college and I was talking to him about classes, teacher preferences, etc. and reminded him to make a note of all exits in the classroom and what to do if someone should go crazy and start shooting. This took me aback as I know my mother never had to even think about this when I was growing up! When my daughter and friends went to a late-night opening of a movie, earlier in the year, I wasn't very happy about the late hour or the crowds of people who just had to be there for the first showing of a film that would be out for weeks. It seemed to me that it was a perfect opportunity for a crazy person to do something stupid. Then the Colorado shooting happened . . . I prayed for the victims and their families and, like everyone else, was so glad it wasn't my children or their friends in that situation. The next time they went to the movies, after that, I reminded them about what to do it someone does something stupid like open fire in a crowded theater. Again, not something that even vaguely came to mind in my youth.

The world, as a whole, has a capacity for goodness and greatness and you have to wonder about the spreading pockets of random killings and such. Mother Theresa once said something to the effect that until we stop killing our unborn, there will be violence in the streets. I think God was speaking through her and sending us a message . . . One that many don't heed.

Great Quotes - All New Favorites!

"The only function of economic forecasting is to make astrology look respectable."
-- John Kenneth Galbraith

"Men of genius do not excel in any profession because they labor in it, but they labor in it because they excel."
-- William Hazlitt

"Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance."
-- Will Durant

"Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of, but do it in private and wash your hands afterwards."
-- Robert Heinlein

Wise attitude!

There may be those on earth who dress better or eat better, but those who enjoy the peace of God sleep better.

- L. Thomas Holdcroft

The Cries Not Being Heard Around the World . . .

In the world we have created for ourselves, today, you have to wonder that anyone can be shocked at pictures from the Holocaust when the unborn are being killed every 20 seconds. It is a modern day holocaust and, as this article says, we have the communications technology to spread the word that wasn't available in the 1940's. For anyone who doesn't truly believe that babies in the United States of American can be dismembered and thrown away upon the whim of the mother, read this article and pray for the unborn. We are throwing away our human resources to replenish the world God gave us and these poor babies are not being heard. It is a hard heart that can go into an abortion clinic with a late-term baby under her heart and pay to have it murdered.

http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/twenty-weeks-pregnant-with-twins-but-last-week-she-had-an-abortion

We've all grown up with a version of the first quote!

"Conscience is what makes a boy tell his mother before his sister does."
-- Evan Esar

"Here's a rule I recommend: Never practice two vices at once."
-- Tallulah Bankhead

"Every composer knows the anguish and despair occasioned by forgetting ideas which one had no time to write down."
-- Hector Berlioz

"Eternity's a terrible thought. I mean, where's it all going to end?"
-- Tom Stoppard

Conflict of Interests . . .

 The cat that adopted us as I refuse to take any credit and/or blame for this new resident, likes to get into everything. We now have spray bottles of water placed around the house and any kitten even thinking about getting into trouble will get a mist of water in her face. Her morning speciality is 'helping' me on the computer. She likes to follow the For major offences, like daring to even put one, tiny white paw on the dinner table, we offer her a sniff of menthol rub. This was her opinion of that punishment. We don't even have to open the lid, anymore. She sees the jar and she is gone!

Working Towards Christmas . . .

 Difficult to think about Christmas when the temperatures are 105 degrees and higher for the last couple of weeks. Christmas, however, will arrive and I need to get my sewing for gifts and for selling done long before December appears on my calendar. My latest project is religious Christmas stockings. I really enjoy making these as it is sort of like quilting on a smaller scale. No quilt padding involved but I get to play with fabric and put together unlikely combinations that suddenly work.

Self-explanatory quotes!

"That's the funny thing about havin' a kid. They come with their own set of problems; make everything else you were worried about seem kinda silly."
-- Greg Garcia

"The reason why worry kills more people than work is that more people worry than work."
-- Robert Frost

"Those whom the Gods would destroy, they first call promising."
-- Cyril Connolly

Definitely a good start . . .

So . . . That's how it happened . . .

I was talking to some friends, after Mass, and we were discussing the recent news about the vice presidential candidate. Another friend walked by and someone called to her and asked if she had heard. She just disdainfully waved her hand and said she doesn't bother with politics. You have to wonder about that sort of mind set where they live and breathe America yet have so little interest in how they might continue to live and breathe the same air of freedom.

Someone else said that she doesn't vote because that is how they get jury names and she doesn't want to be on a jury. Let's see . . . Jury is your duty. Voting is your privilege and duty. Besides, they pick the names from the Department of Motor Vehicles registry now. Hope she finds out some day because I'm not going to tell her.

Given all the odd reactions of people who refuse to vote or vote on the spur of the moment, I have to agree with the opinion that a small voting turnout is actually better because that usually means informed voters are casting their vote.

Still, it is sad that people don't get excited about the democratic process that makes us the country  we are today. This 2012 election is crucial as the outcome may determine how our future lives in this country will be. Probably the loudest complainers the day after the November election will be the ones who didn't bother to show up to vote the day before. We seem to live in a complacent, selfish world and that doesn't keep the peace or encourage progress. Attending church and believing in God is our priority in life, however, exercising our God-given rights to vote for freedom and good laws is extremely important, too.

Beautiful . . .

Knowledge is gained by learning; trust by doubt; skill by practice; and love by love.

- Thomas Szasz

Give Children What They Ask For . . .!

Quotes to smile about . . .

"He who lives without folly isn't so wise as he thinks."
-- Francois de La Rochefoucauld

"Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others."
-- Groucho Marx

Real hope for change?

The Republican vice presidential candidate has been announced and I'm impressed. I think Romney made a wise choice. People think that the VP isn't all that important but we discovered differently when JFK was assassinated and we ended up with Johnson. Naturally, we don't look to the demise of any president but it is good to know that the next in line is capable and in line with the policies set forth already.

I still worry about the people not yet 'enlightened' to the ongoing dismantling or our country over the last three-plus years who think the president deserves another term to finish off what has started. Uh, haven't they been paying attention since 2009? I also am dismayed by people who say they are voting their conscience and going with a third party. Since this is a crucial election, wouldn't it be wiser to get the incumbent out and start afresh? When I mention that a third-party candidate doesn't really have a chance, they come back with, "They would if everyone voted for them!" Yes, that is what it would take and that is not what is going to happen."

It will be interesting to see how this latest news is received by the people at morning Mass. I am constantly amazed at the number of daily Mass Catholics who see nothing wrong in supporting an adamant, anti-life, anti-religious freedom president. When I mention these facts to them, they say it is all a myth! None so blind as those who will not see . . .

And, yet, there was more . . . ?

As we all know by now, the United States' Roman Catholic bishops have been protesting the various policies of the current president including his support for same-sex marriage, abortion, contraception, and his insistence that all employer health insurance cover contraception . . . even if the employer is Catholic and this goes against the faith base and policies of the business and employer.

This week, however, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan  extended an invitation to the president to attend and speak at the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner. This is a New York Catholic charity event that has been in existence for more than six decades.

It sends such a mixed signal to our country and the world that while many American bishops are sueing the administration over their disregard for religious freedom, Cardinal Dolan is willing to have the pro-abortion president share dinner with him like no undercurrent was happening. A United States baby is aborted every 20 seconds and this horror is staunchly endorsed by the president . . . and he is invited to a Catholic event?

At first, I sort of thought that, perhaps, one has to keep the peace on some level and not start a battle but history shows that former President Clinton and Senator John Kerry were not asked to this event for their anti-life stance. Why the difference this year?

It makes one wonder how the cardinals and bishops can come out with lawsuits on one hand yet honor the recipient of the lawsuit at a Catholic function. You have to wonder how far the world has to go in disrespecting Catholics and Christians before all clergy put their foot down strongly on this issue? Do they need to see some of us fed to the lions before they put strength behind their words and actions?

Chocolate Cake the Easy Way . . .

I like to spend time creating a three-layered cake filled with tasty frosting but time doesn't always allow me to do that for my family. Rather than buy something day old and dry from the grocery store, the kitchen cupboard should have the ingredients to put this on the evening's menu.

Chocolate Cake
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup hot water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8-inch or 9x9-inch baking pan with vegetable oil spray.

Add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl and beat to just combine. Smooth the batter into the  baking pan. Bake for approximately 20-30 minutes. Cool and serve at room temperature or cold.

deas . . .
-Some freshly-grated orange zest and a teaspoon of cinnamon makes an interesting difference.
-1 tablespoon of espresso powder to the batter brings it up to adult level.
-Adding 1/2 cup chopped nuts is good.
-When the cake is cold, mix together an instant pudding mix according to directions and pour on top
of cake. Refrigerate until set.

Word to the wise . . . is usually sufficient!

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
— Abraham Lincoln

A reminder to take to heart . . .

“God will not hear our prayers unless we acknowledge ourselves to be sinners. We do this when we ponder on our own sins alone, and not on those of our neighbor.” ~St. Moses the Ethiopian

This was YOUR chair?

 The kitten is at the 'terrible twos' stage for cats. She wants what she wants and doesn't take kindly to a difference of opinion. Her latest quest is possession of my chair at the sewing table. Every time I get up to iron a seam, I come back to find her getting comfortable on my chair. We then have to have a firm 'discussion' about her place in my life. Then she gets sneaky. I will be sitting on the chair bent over my sewing and suddenly wonder where she has gotten to now only to find her squeezed behind me on the chair.

Life lessons in quotes . . .

"Most advances in science come when a person for one reason or another is forced to change fields."
-- Peter Borden

"Man is so made that he can only find relaxation from one kind of labor by taking up another."
-- Anatole France

"It is no good to try to stop knowledge from going forward. Ignorance is never better than knowledge."
-- Enrico Fermi

Unbecoming . . .

The incumbent president is currently allowing a political ad to run that is absolutely untrue. It has even hit the liberal media stations as being completely false. It accuses Governor Romney of 'murdering' a woman through his actions as a CEO. A very little research shows that the timeline doesn't work. This has been brought to the attention of the administration but they continue to run the ad? Why? Because many people will take it at face value and vote according to the lie presented to them.

I noticed this gullibility during the 2008 election. I questioned a woman's challenge to me about my vote and returned the favor to ask why she was voting as she indicated. She exclaimed, "Because I want change!" When I asked her exactly what this change would be, she had no answer. She is a representative of the problem. She heard a word she liked and voted accordingly. She didn't look past the glitz and show to find out what issues that would apply to her could evolve out of this vote.

This ad will probably do the same for her and many others. They will see it on television so it must be correct, right? How can they possibly consider voting for a murderer, right? With a well-place lie, the election could be won once more and I hate to see how the country will fare by 2016.

If people would bother to research their choices, they might be surprised. Most of them have access to the Internet. However, from the constant urban myths that keep getting passed on to me, research isn't part of their computer experience. Even when people are presented the truth, they don't want to acknowledge they might have made an error in judgment. Someone at my parish challenged me to prove that our current president was greatly in favor of abortion. I took up her challenge and printed out his voting record during his very short time in the Senate and what he has done the last three-plus years as president. As requested, I gave her the print outs, she folded them, put them in her handbag, and when I asked her several weeks later if she had read them, she said, "No." and has stopped talking to me since.

It is not only the lack of intellectual curiosity that is disheartening but that an elected official, the head of our country, would allow a blatant lie to persist on the airways in order to win an election. So far, he has done nothing but nitpick at his presidential opponent. Can't he find anything of his last three years to prove his competency for re-election?

Purple Heart Day

The Purple Heart is a medal given to military who were injured and died in the line of duty. This award has been present to soldiers since April 5, 1917.

Today is Purple Heart Day. While we celebrate many Olympic achievements, let’s not forget who some of America’s real heroes are and the sacrifices they make for us! The U.S. armed forces are truly American Heroes!

How to Face Eternity in a Great Quote!

A life is either all spiritual or not spiritual at all. No man can serve two masters. Your life is shaped by the end you live for. You are made in the image of what you desire.

- Thomas Merton

Proposed tasks for the day . . . accomplished!

 I had four quilts piled on my sewing table that I would have to move off every day when I wanted to sew. All they each needed was some final quilting seams . . . that took all of five minutes each which made me wonder why I kept putting it off.

Morning Chore . . .

 I spent the morning finally sorting through my quilts and refolding them. I do this every couple of months to prevent creases and to see where I'm at in regards to Christmas gifts, etc. The count was 57 quilts! I get a lot of offers from people who want to buy one but most of them think they are being generous offering me $20! :-( No sale at that price!

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes?

The year before, my husband went overboard on his tomato plants and we had an abundance of the crop. This year, he narrowed down his plant numbers and the plants got even by growing even more foliage than usual and doubling their output of fruit. Our friends and neighbors are happy about it and my freezer is filling up with bags of tomatoes. Although the call to help pick tomatoes sends us all into hiding, I have to admit that only having to go to the freezer for tomatoes in the Fall and Spring will be worth the effort.