How About Something Not Negative?

How 'bout a shot of my favorite boys making our bed?

Happy Birthday to Me

So the other day was the big 3-0 for me. The Man took the day off and we had fun together. We just did random stuff, went out to dinner, ate pumpkin cheesecake (yummy!) and watched a movie. We crawled into bed at the usual time - 1ish - and were just asleep when we heard a loud noise.

The Man crawled out of bed and went around the house to investigate. He was just returning to bed when we saw flashing lights go past and stop just up the street. We went to the front window so we could see what was going on and we could see a vehicle upside down in the driveway two houses up. He got dressed and went outside and checked to see if our truck had been hit. Of course it was!


Turns out that they hit our truck, went up the bank just past our neighbor's house, hit a pine tree and flipped a time or two before coming to rest in the next driveway - upside down. I suppose they were drunk, since it was only rainy and dark, however, they bailed out and took off, so who knows? When the police went to the home of the owner of the vehicle, it was discovered to have been stolen. Yeah! Could this be more fun?

Oh, I suppose that it could. I don't imagine they would, but I suppose we could up the fun factor by totalling the truck. Surely not, right? Perhaps that's just the pessimist in me.

For now, we're out the deductible, since there's no one else to pin it on. The insurance adjuster hasn't been here yet. Take your sweet time. We're not worried about what this will cost us!

Okay, I'll stop being negative. Perhaps it will just be the deductible and all will be fine.

Its just that we also had a landscaper here today who is going to widen our driveway and rebuild the retaining walls. To be safe, we're only going to do one side right now, but I think I'm still suffering from sticker shock on that little project. I like a nice cushion. Bye bye savings! I was hoping for a bathroom renovation or two, but I guess I get retaining walls and wider driveway. Hooray! Okay, NOW I will stop being negative. Because I'm going to shut up.

**Perhaps a disclaimer is warranted. I maybe abnormally cranky about the whole thing. Its a possibility. Just sayin'.

Cowboy up, Dutchie!

The Man came home today with what I'm going to call a snowsuit for the dog. It is so stinking hilarious. I think if he got over his dislike of anything on his little body, he'd love it, since he's always cold. He however, acts as though he's being tortured and may possibly fall over and die at any moment (just like he did with his first few times on a leash - heavens, the torture!) He's not dramatic at all.

Anyway, aside from looking like a cowboy in a snowsuit, he's waddling just like one too. We were crying trying to take his picture in it.

This is what I think of your stupid snowsuit, Dad!

Leaf Peeping

What is leaf peeping anyway? Why "peeping"?

A few weeks ago, the Man had a rare Saturday off, so we went on a drive south to Ohiopyle State Park to look at leaves and get out of the house and spend some time outside.

I'm so in love with rocks and water. Darn city. This is what I need in my backyard.

Maybe part of why I love it so much is that it reminds me of all the time that the Man and I spent in a nearby gorge when we were in college. I think we literally spent every single afternoon that first spring that we dated in that gorge. You know, studying and all.

But anyway, it was the perfect weekend to go and all the leaves were beautiful down there, even though the trees in our backyard didn't change color until this week.

Even Dutch enjoyed himself climbing over and around the rocks and crunching in the leaves. There were so many things to see and smell, he didn't mind the chilly weather or even his accidental leap into the water.

It wore Dutch and I out and we spent the drive home on the "scenic route" sleeping. He's a fabulous warm little cuddler and the sunshine and the ride put us out. That part ought to have reminded the Man of all those trips home from college when I napped for 5 hours while he drove. What can I say? Sunshine knocks me out.

Almost Done With The Doilies

Here is number....um. Six. Yes, six.

This one is creatively named as well, as Doily Number 7797. This one could stand to be blocked, but I'm just not up for it. I don't know what I'm going to do with all of them anyway.

Doily Part Five

This is Doily 4403 - 8 Point Star. Very creative name, no?

Doily Number Four

I have gotten over my doily-making obsession and have been too lazy to block the last few. So I just ironed them and starched them and will show them to you that way.

This one is the Daisy Ring Doily.

Found someone selling it on etsy, should you want one already done.

What I'm Wanting Now

I've been having a small obsession with wanting new doors and doorknobs lately. We just happened to wander past some doors at Home Depot the other day and we found one we agreed on right away. It was a solid wood, 6 panel Cherry door. Darn. We would pick the Cherry. So expensive, but beautiful. Perhaps someday.

Jeld Weld interior doors - this one is not cherry, but the design is the same

This is the exterior doorknob set that I liked.

Camelot Entrance Set & Georgian interior knob by Schlage

Georgian Interior Doorknobs

And I accidentally found a lovely window that I need to replace the one in my bathroom.


from JELD-WEN

eBay Finds

If I happened to be swimming in money, I might buy this at eBay now.

Isn't it pretty?

Dahlias at Last

Back in the spring, I was with my Mom and Grandma, and for some reason, we talked about dahlias and Gram said she had some white dahlia bulbs that she could give me. I said that I would love to have them.

She sent them with my Mom later this summer, and I planted them out in the backyard. They came up quickly and seemed to do rather well, but then no flowers. What's up with that? I did see that my friends, the deer, seemed to have had a nibble at them, but nothing major. They took off the tops of a few stems.


Then two little buds appeared. It took weeeeeks for those little buds to get bigger and fatter and start peeking out white petals. Slowly it opened a little bit more every day, until yesterday I finally ran out and clipped them off. No use leaving them for the deer or to display to no one out there! And maybe cutting them will produce more? I don't know.


There are some more buds on the plants, but at this rate, I don't know how many will open. I would presume that we've only got a month or so before it starts freezing. So I shall enjoy the two I have for now.

There's something lovely about white flowers.

Flameless Candles?

So yesterday I got a bee in my bonnet about making some "flameless" candles. I've been thinking about buying some for putting in certain spots in the house where you wouldn't really want to burn a candle, or for using them outside at night. Or, I could light them up every single night I'm inclined and not feel guilty about "wasting" candles. Yes. I did say that. I have issues. I'm also too cheap to buy them and I wasn't sure if it was really what I was wanting anyway.


Then I actually turned on my brain for a change and remembered that I have hurricane wax downstairs. Duh. So I pulled out the candlemaking supplies and started making a grand mess with wax and molds everywhere. Ah. I've missed that. Except that now my kitchen looks like a disaster area. Oh well. I'll probably get sick of the mess and put it all away in a day or two.

So these are the the results. I have nice white candle "shells" and I've slipped a votive cup down in each one of them. Last night I put tea lights in there so that you can have a real flame if you wanted, but I'm also thinking about getting the little faux tealights that flicker so they would really be "flameless" candles.

Now I'm thinking about breaking out some more wax and making some more candles. Hmmm.

Labor Day

Panther Hollow Bridge

I never seem to get around to posting anything about the 'Burgh. I guess its hard to tote a camera around to places sometimes. Must work on that.

Panther Hollow Lake

We didn't do too much for Labor Day. We did go for a walk in Panther Hollow in Schenley Park in the hopes that it would be fun for us and get Dutch some exercise. The little guy is a trooper. He doesn't give up. I have the feeling that he would walk until he collapsed if we asked him too. I think it was the first walk we've taken him on that truly wore him out. Mostly he comes back and still wants to play. Darn dog.

Panther Hollow Lake

After the walk, we visited a friend who just bought his first house and stopped in at the Rib Festival near Heinz Field. Apparently this is a celebration of the kickoff of the football season? Who knew? I guess we don't normally get out much on weekends with The Man's schedule and we tend to miss stuff like this. Anyway, they had tons of food and it all smelled heavenly. They had concerts going on all weekend too. It was a great weekend for it. We picked up our ribs and headed home, since we had Dutch with us and they didn't seem to be letting dogs into the festival.

The Point

Give it to me

Peanut butter in kong. Dutch in crate.

Well? What you waitin for? Give it here. You slow or something?

This is how much Dutch minds The Man and I running errands on Monday afternoons.

Dreamin

Liz Lambert's house in Marfa, Texas - Photo by Francois Halard

I came across this pool on someone's blog the other day. I realize that it is stone, but it looks for all the world to me like a giant hollowed-out tree stump. Sheesh. Doesn't it look heavenly to have a pool in the middle of nowhere?

Dutch as Eskimo

Dutch's bed as Eskimo costume. Is soft and cozy.

You is wierd. Put me down.

I love this little guy. Mostly, anyway. He's just too stinkin cute.

Popovers Revisited

My Mom was down here last week and we went shopping, of course, because that's what we do! We had to stop in to Target and make sure there was nothing there that we must have, and lo and behold, we found some things.


I found this popover pan. Yay! Why didn't I think to look there before? So we had to make popovers. It worked well.

I think that the popovers are probably twice as big as they are when using a regular muffin pan, just by virtue of having that much deeper wells to fill. I think they should probably have been baked longer to keep their shape after cooling, but we were too impatient.

Yum.

S'more Cupcakes

I finally tried the S'More Cupcakes from Martha Stewart

Ingredients
Makes 2 dozen
2 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 20 squares)
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 standard muffin tins with cupcake liners; set aside.


Sift 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix ingredients together on low speed.

In a large bowl, mix together eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Add to flour mixture and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl and continue mixing on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add boiling water and stir to combine; set cake batter aside.

Place graham cracker crumbs, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and melted butter in a large bowl; stir until well combined.

Place 1 tablespoon graham cracker mixture into the bottom of each prepared muffin cup. Use the bottom of a small glass to pack crumbs into the bottom of each cupcake liner. Reserve remaining graham cracker mixture for topping.

Place 2 teaspoons chocolate in each muffin cup. Transfer muffin tins to oven and bake until the edges of the graham cracker mixture is golden, about 5 minutes.

Remove from oven and fill each muffin cup three-quarters full with cake batter. Sprinkle each with remaining chocolate and graham cracker mixture. Return to oven and bake, rotating pans halfway through baking, until tops are firm and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.

Transfer muffin tins to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and let cool completely.


Transfer frosting to a large pastry bag fitted with a large plain round or French tip (such as Ateco #867 or Ateco #809). Pipe frosting in a spiral motion on each cupcake.

Transfer cupcakes to a baking sheet. Using a kitchen torch, lightly brown the frosting, taking care not to burn the cupcake liners. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container, up to 2 days.



Marshmallow Frosting

Ingredients
Makes enough for 2 dozen cupcakes
8 large egg whites
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract


Directions
Place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer. Set over a saucepan with simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 3 to 4 minutes.


Transfer bowl to electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat, starting on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix until combined. Use immediately.

They were really good. I'm more of a vanilla or fruit kinda girl, rather than chocolate, but they turned out really moist and the Man is a chocolate person and he liked them. The graham cracker part starts to get soggy after the first day or so, but still good. I'd make them again, only if I have somewhere to take them, because cupcakes are waaaaay too tempting at our house!

He's such a twirp!

I got a few new embroidery hoops awhile ago (I forget why), but Dutch discovered them and it only took him a few minutes to demolish it. Good thing they're cheap! He's lucky he's cute.

He's got the look of the devil in his eyes, doesn't he?

Collar Two

I made up another collar for Dutch the other day. I decided to try white to blend in a little better. Okay, so it kinda makes his fur look dirty, but whatever.

The thing that bugs me is that it makes his fur stick up. If I make it any looser, though, it wouldn't be safe to hook a leash to. I've tried that. Bad, bad idea. Chihuahua run fast.

Random Finds

As a sucker for white dishes, I can't seem to help myself when I find them. I spotted this stuff at Marshalls, of all places, the other day.

I love the scalloped and beaded details.

This little pitcher was only $2.99 - I couldn't leave it on the shelf alone!

This bowl matches a platter that I have, so I needed it too.

I had to buy a couple of these for my bathroom & the kitchen sink.

I shouldn't be allowed to go shopping. I can't seem to control myself lately.