The Writing on the Wall!

 We have a dry erase board that we leave messages for each other on.  Sometimes they are simple messages, like grocery lists, schedule reminders and happy birthday wishes.....
Sometimes they are sappy and say I love and will miss you if someone is gone for a vacation.

So I saw this and thought oh yea they are getting it........ I know sometimes to them;  I come off as a mad crazy woman. But this brought a smile to my face..........

Rainy Day Fun

Yea it's raining here but hey maybe it will end before the cook-out in my backyard. Oh well it's a day to remember the brave men and women that gave their lives for our country not just a cook-out day...

So I am on line reading my email and surfing the net.

I land on Planet Green (yea who would think that would happen?? LOL)
 I find the craziest things sometimes. But tomato haikus?

So I had to make up one of my own Humm maybe I should have put this blog on my recipe blog:  The Sassy Semi-Vegetarian!!

Simple summer treat
Sliced ripe tomatoes on plate
Present as side dish

My parents, grandparents, and even my daughters' fathers' family did this is the heart of summer for a side dish. Nothing tastes so good on a hot summer day. For extra zing you can drizzle some Italian dressing over the tomatoes and chill before serving. 

Miss Animals Rights wrote her own tomato haiku but doesn't want it here on my blog. Oh well be that way....... LOL. This is the young woman that loves to eat tomatoes like a apple, whole!

Oh no!!   Another haiku?

Eating tomatoes whole
Enjoy the taste of summer
Fresh juicy goodness

Ok I have to stop... I like writing  haikus- one more crazy fact about me....

Ahhh Spring!

I was playing ball with the dog and noticed something fluttering around my raspberry bush. I am very impatience with waiting for the berries!!! But I see this beautiful butterfly. The wings look so brighter in the sun but this picture didn't do it justice!

It fluttered around and even was still there after I ran in to get ny camera.  The dog was so good when I told him to sit while I waited for the butterfly to land. He got a treat for that....  

So the berries are many but still white and small.  Can't wait for the red berries...  told I was very impatient 
!

Goodwill deals!

My new favorite drink is lemonade.
I squeeze a lemon into some water and ice. Then I add about a tablespoon of sugar. And shake just like they do at the carnivals!
I even do some orange shakes like that too. Very refreshing on a hot spring day.... Yea it's around 88 degrees and it is still spring...
I went to goodwill the other day I and I found a old fashion glass juicer.  I get more juice that way... and if you notice there is a pouring spout on the side...... Very happy with my find.

It was only a $1.00!

Plus I got another loaf pan seeing how we always seem to need another. 

I am Having Nightmares!

So if you live in Ohio you have seen the video that is giving me nightmares. It been on the news. I saw it first on line last night from reading the newspaper online. Cleveland.com. It was a undercover video of a Ohio dairy. A guy undercover for group called Mercy for Animals shot the video.

I am telling I have seen animals butchered, helped my grandmother pluck feathers and more. She used to tell me that I should respect these animals for they give their lives for us to eat. Or they give of themselves so we have food, their milk or eggs. But  OMG! But this video really had me shocked. If you think you want to watch it you can find it here. Warning it is so disgusting the way they treated these animals.

Really I had nightmares! I dreamed that I was one of those animals but I was still a woman. And was treated like that as they abused me and my family. I guess I do have to wonder if someone can be that sadistic and cruel to an animal how do they treat people???? Gee if I didn't like PETA I send them my dream as a idea for a controversial commercial they like to do.

But even after one of my co-workers freaking out asking someone "please, please change the channel I can't watch this" today at lunch. Something good is coming out of the video. The guy that did the "bragging" of abuse is now in jail. He is charged with 12 counts of cruelty to animals. Farm animal abuse is a misdemeanor in Ohio, punishable by 90-days in jail. 12 times 90, might not be enough!The owner released a statement saying he knew nothing of this treatment and plan to cooperate with the authority's on the investigation and are planning a  internal investigation. But I read that he is in the video also......  I just saw on the late news a company and  I didn't catch the name is now canceling their contract with the farm due to this video..  I tried  to google it but I just got links to the video on tons of newspapers and TV stations around the world! 


But talk in the lunch room turn to how could someone tape that and not say anything, or do anything... I agreed.  I will not let Miss Animal Rights see it......... She the type that crys at movies when animals get hurt. I can't let her see this video. She really doesn't want to anyway! I wish I never did!

 

Making beads

Flour Beads
2 cups flour
1/2 cup salt
3/4 cups water
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (helps keep from cracking)

Mix flour and salt together. Slowly add water. If too dry add more water, too moist add more flour.
Knead for 15 minutes. Cool in refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Pinch off a piece of dough form a bead and poke with a toothpick, straw, stick, skewer or nail.
Bake at 350 for 2 or more hours.

Add different flours for different effects.
Can add Unsweetened Kool-aid, paint or food coloring to the beads before baking. Can paint after baking.

Jewelry Clay Beads

1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 flour
1/2 salt
1/2 cup water

Coffee Dough (the dough kinda drys to look like stone)
1 cup flour
1 cup coffee grounds (cold)
1/2 salt
1/2 cup of cold coffee



Can add some small flower petals,  ground herbs or flowers to any bead recipe for beads that smell nice.


Sawdust  Beads
2 cups sawdust
1 cup flour
1 cup water

Knead  until mixed.
Pinch off a piece of dough form a bead and poke with a stick, skewer or nail.
Can be sanded after dry.


 Paper beads.
news paper, magazines, catalogs, colored paper, copy paper, junk mail,  brown paper bags, gift wrap (not heavy or shinny) or scrapbook paper.
glue

You cut the paper into strips some may be triangles, Different sizes will make different size beads, Have fun making all sizes and shapes.

Paint glue on the wrong side of the paper.
Roll  up the paper from the widest end; with a toothpick, straw, stick, nail or skewer.
Add a small drop at the end of the bead.

Can be painted if wanted.  To help protect the beads use  paint the bead with clear/top coat nail polish or a clear glossy varnish.

Helpful plants for the garden

Banana peels and lemons are good compost for roses. Bury them around your rose bush. It is said they will help your rose smell stronger. Onions planted near rose are said to be sweeter. In turn the rose smell stronger. Plant parsley near by for the same effect.

Plant basil to keep away fruit flies. Perfect for in the kitchen. In the garden it repels many pests like aphids, mites, and mosquitoes.

Three sister planting. A Native American way that is corn, beans and squash. The corn acts a the "pole" for the beans and the squash (watermelon, cantaloupe or cucumber) acts a ground cover to keep in the water.

Mints are said to help repel many pests. But you might want to use containers for the mint they love to take over your garden. I am doing the container gardening so no problem for me.

Marigolds (also help keep the soil free of pests) and garlic are smells pests don't like. I just pick up some at Home Depo for 99 cents for 6!

Rue helps keep pests away from roses fruit trees and raspberries; humm I have to get some for my raspberry bush. Plus keeps away cats and other thieves from your garden.

Peas help your soil by adding nitrogen and can grow well by anything.