Day 7

Today I am grateful for:

1. having a deep, restful sleep.
2. another beautiful, November day.
3. accomplishing many tasks

Tomorrow will be a challenge. Sundays are always rough but maybe tomorrow will be surprisingly wonderful.

Attitude Adjustment

Wow, so much negativity going on these days. Is our government on the verge of financial collapse, will I (and my loved ones) have proper medical care in the near future, do we still have a say in how our lives are run? Swine flu, property tax increases, gasoline increases, income reduction, layoff woes... I find it harder and harder to have a positive attitude about my life. Recently I came across an article about life being better with a gratitude attitude. David Hochman writes about a self-proclaimed Month of Gratitude. Sounded like a really good idea especially this time of year with the demands of the holidays and families attacking from every angle. This thought brought to mind of a former boss who would stroll through our offices late in the day after most workers had gone home and stop in each office and yell "attitude check." We were the bean counters who never saw the light of day, heard all the grumblings from customers and vendors, and still tried to squeeze 6 cents from a nickel. He just listened and it didn't take long to figure out he knew we needed to grouse a little. It wasn't long before our discussions were more upbeat and we realized complaining didn't solve anything.
So starting last Sunday (11/15) I have been mentally listing the really wonderful things I am grateful for. Not just my family who I love dearly but today at 6:00 am (when I was so rudely awakened) the sun was coming up and casting a golden sheen on the yellow leaves that fell so freely in yesterday's rain. The VIEW FROM MY WINDOW - spectacular!
Starting today I will list - in print - things that turn my :( to a :) :
1. Maureen - thank you for posting the picture of 5th grade classmates with all the names. The memories are priceless.
2. The gorgeous November day with a perfect blue sky and temperature in the 60s.
3. A new car battery so I can keep on truckin'.
Can't wait til tomorrow.

Split Pea Soup

This is an old recipe I saved from a fund-raising cookbook I acquired back in the 1970s called Americana Cookery - An Illustrated Cookbook of Regional America's Traditional Recipes from Home Economics Teachers. This recipe was provided by Mrs. Shirley Leslie, J D Leftwich HS, Magazine, Arkansas. The info provided says: "This method of preparation, the inclusion of ham, and the economy of this recipe all reflect the influence of New England's French Canadian population."



I make this soup several times a year and try to freeze half for another meal. My favorite soup pot is a club aluminum Dutch Oven my mother gave me many, many years ago. It is well-seasoned so I am able to cook a soup like this low and slow until it thickens. Hope you all love it as much as we do.

Old-Fashioned Split Pea Soup
(Americana Cookery – Mrs. Shirley Leslie)

1 Bag split peas, picked through and rinsed
1 hambone
2 carrots, grated
2 medium onions, minced
2 potatoes, grated
½ C celery, finely diced
½ C green pepper, finely diced
S&P to taste
Pieces of cubed ham – optional

Cover split peas with 12 cups boiling water; let soak for about an hour. Add hambone, carrot, onions, potato, celery, and green pepper. Season with S&P. Simmer until peas are tender. This takes several hours on very low heat. Be careful not to scorch the soup. Add cubed ham and simmer 10-15 minutes.
Yield: 8 servings

A Yellow Day

Apparently I have been pondering how to format my blog for quite some time - more than a month and this morning I just decided to just jump in. My "mission statement" will form as I go along. So far I know that this is my soapbox and my place to chat about what I see from my window.

Today is a beautiful fall day. I call it a yellow day because the maple trees are casting a yellowy golden hue. These days are to be savored because soon enough the days will be shades of grey for many months. I'll try to capture the colors in a picture and post it later. This kind of day brings warm thoughts -
- raking huge piles of leaves
- kids jumping in huge piles of leaves
- burning leaves
- apple pie, cinnamon buns
- red cheeks
- Friday night football games and the big bonfires
- the absolute freshest air

Hope everyone enjoys this beautiful day!

Peanut Butter Fingers

This simple dessert couldn't be much easier or more delicious. My mother started making this Pillsbury recipe in the 1950s and now my granddaughter likes to make it and share with the neighbors.

Preheat oven to 350°

½ C butter
½ C sugar
½ C brown sugar, firmly packed
Mix ingredients until well creamed. Blend in:

1 Egg
1/3 C Peanut Butter
½ t baking soda
½ t vanilla
¼ t salt
Mix until batter begins to get fluffy.

Stir in:
1 C flour
1 C quick cooking oatmeal
Spread in 9 x 13 baking pan. Bake 20-22 min until barely brown. (NOTE: do not overcook or cookies become dry instead of moist and chewy.) Turn oven off and remove pan. Sprinkle 1 package (12 oz) chocolate chips. Return pan to oven for about 2 min. Remove and spread chocolate over the bars. Let cool and chocolate set before cutting.

Late Nite Musings

Another day... Watched Dancing With The Stars - another item on my "To Do List"