Monday 31 December 2012

Family Pictures 2012

We wanted some pictures for our Christmas cards this year, but did not want to pay the exorbitant prices that professional photo places charge. We did a little research, and finally decided to meet up with some friends who had the same dilemma, and help each other out. We chose a couple of different locations, and started clicking pictures. This is what we ended up with.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 


 
Happy New Year!!! 
 

Friday 28 December 2012

Winter Wonderland



 
Our little part of the world got dumped with snow in a winter storm yesterday, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching every minute of it yesterday from my warm, cozy house. It was snowing when we woke up, and was still snowing when we went to bed last night! When Matt opened the door this morning to go brush off his vehicle and get it warmed up before he went to work, I couldn't believe how much snow we got! The snow was almost to his knees as he waded out to the Jeep!!!! After he left for work, I bundled up and went out to take some pics. It is absolutely GORGEOUS outside, because all of the trees are absolutely laden with snow. Even the trunks of the trees have snow sticking all the way up one side of them. I haven't quite figured out why, though, because it is not packy snow at all--very fine and powdery! The pictures don't really do it justice, but they are all my limited photography skills could handle! *wink*
Come take a walk with me through the winter wonderland at our house!
 
 
 
Our house is tucked back in off the road a little way making it feel very cozy on stormy, wintery days.
 
 
 
 
Looking both directions-up and down- our lane.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Isn't it just beautiful???
I'm enjoying the snow from my windows today, after spending the morning out in it. The forecast is calling for more snow the next three days...I'm hoping they're right!! *smile*

Friday 30 November 2012

Ellsworth Dream Team 2012

Last night Matt participated in a charity basketball game featuring the Ellsworth "Dream Team" against the Harlem Superstars.  The "Dream Team" consisted of Matt and all of his fellow salesman from Darlings Chevrolet, as well as some of the guys from the Ellsworth Police Department, and a few other guys from various other businesses, schools, etc.  Matt and I were both a little bit apprehensive about what might happen in a "comedy" basketball game, but it turns out we had nothing to fear. Matt had a blast and I enjoyed watching my all-star player and cheering him on from the stands. Here are a few pics of the action.


 
There's my man standing to the right of the guy in the red shirt. This is a pre-game warm up shot.
 
 
 
My man and the guys he played his shift with.
 
 
In action!!


 
Matt had to shoot some hoops for the Superstars, and since he couldn't seem to make the hoop, the guys decided to "recline" and get out of the way to try to help him out. Here they all are "chillin" on the floor. =)
 
 
They finally let him come closer to the hoop, and he made a basket. Here one of the Superstars is congratulating him on his basket.
 

 
There's my McFarland #5 running down the court!!
 
 
Watching his teammates "duke it out" with the Harlem Superstars.
 
 
 
 
To see some of the action check out this link below.
 
 
Hope you enjoy the game in pictures as much as we did in person! :-)
 

Thursday 8 November 2012

We woke up to.....

......... a white world!!!!!!
 

 
It started snowing last night just after we got out of prayer meeting, and must have snowed into the night quite a bit. Our porch looked like it had maybe an inch on it this morning.
 
 
 
 
It's not the beautiful kind of snow that sticks on the trees and makes the world look all lacy, because it is very windy and any that might have stayed on the trees is blown off. But, I'm not complaining...it's snowy and white outside, and that makes me happy!! :-)
 
 
I'm sitting in front of my fireplace all cozy and warm with a cup of coffee, just enjoying looking out the windows. I'll probably soon add a new scented tart to my tart burner that may or may not have a hint of Christmas smell in it *wink*, and maybe light a candle or two. BUT.... the best part of all... the forecast is calling for more snow today!! I hope it is right!!! =)



Friday 21 September 2012

Is she a TRUE "Mainer"???

The two most common things thought of when you mention "Maine" to tourists is blueberries and lobster. Well, everybody knows I married a man from Maine, but have I really become a true Maine resident yet? I was put to the test yesterday, and I'm not sure how well I did.
On Wednesday, a "Darlings customer" gave Matt four lobster. (Side note: My man LOVES lobster!) Accidentally, my man left them in the fridge at work Wednesday night, when they actually should have been brought home and cooked. Worried that they would die before he got them home Thursday night, he asked me to come in Thursday morning, pick up the lobster, and take them home and cook them. He would pick them out that night, since I haven't the foggiest how to pick out lobster. I arrived in to work, around 11:00 in the morning, with a bowl in hand to put the bag of lobster in. All was fine till I got part way home and heard them moving in the bag in the bowl over in the passenger seat of the truck. Nothing was wrong with them moving, it was just my thoughts of " I am driving in this truck by myself... being kept company by these creepy crustaceans wiggling their feet and tails around in the passenger seat beside me. (The way lobsters move CREEPS ME OUT!!!!!) I pushed all disgusting thoughts from my mind and made it home without further ado. I immediately put a huge pot of water on the stove to boil, determined that these lobsters were not going to die on my man. He was going to get the meat from all four lobsters to enjoy. The pot of water finally boiled and it was time to reach my hand in that bag and pull each lobster out with my hand and put it in the pot. Just thinking about it made a shiver run down my spine! Matt, as well as some of the other guys from the dealership had schooled me to make sure each lobster was moving before I cooked it... DO NOT COOK DEAD LOBSTER!! How was I going to make sure they were all alive? I decided that I would get out a pair of salad tongs and poke each lobster with them to see if it would move, then I would use the tongs to pick them up and put them in the pot. To my relief dismay, none of the lobster moved after much poking and prodding. I called my man, feeling bad for him, that his delicious lobster were dead, but also a bit relieved to think that I didn't have to touch these disgusting things. "Honey none of your lobster are moving" I said when Matt picked up the phone, " I don't think they survived the ride home." "Okay," he replied, "Did you pick them up and hold them upside down and kind of turn them to their side to see if any of them would move?" "No," I faintly answered, just shuddering at the thought, " but I poked and prodded them and didn't get a single movement from them." "Well, they don't really respond if you are just poking their shells. They don't care two hoots about being poked on their shells, they don't even feel it," my poor man patiently replied. "Do you know how to pick them up?" Another squeemish "No" escaped my lips. "Pick them up by the tops of their bodies..it's all shell there and they won't be able to do anything to you. Hold them upside down and kinda turn them to their side. They probably are half gone and don't have much energy, so you kind of need to wake them up by jostling them a little to see if they are still alive. If they even so much as twitch their tail or their legs, throw them in the pot of water. I will stay on the phone with you while you are doing it," were the instructions from my man. "Okay....." I started, and then stopped. " I'm sorry, Honey, you don't have to cook the lobster, I will do it when I get home," Matt sweetly and sympathetically tried to help. Determined that I could do this for my sweetheart, and not wanting the lobster to die on him, I mustered up enough courage to say " No, I'm just being silly...I can do this, I'll be fine!" "Okay, let me know how it goes. I love you!" I walked back out to the kitchen, took a look at the lobster and immediately headed to the laundry room to retrieve two plastic bags. NO WAY was I touching these things with my bare hands. I wrapped the bags around my hands and dove in for the first lobster. With a terrible face I clasped onto it's shell and pulled it from the bag hanging it upside down. It's tail and legs moved!! Quickly I dropped the lobster into the boiling pot of lobster and banged the lid onto the pot...no way was this thing getting back out on me!!! First lobster down, three more to go. By this time, the second one was already wiggling it's legs in the bag (shudder), so I dove in with my bagged hands and immediately threw that one in the pot as well. Third lobster up next. After having trouble getting hold of it because my bags were getting wet and slippery, I held it upside down, and its tail began moving. Not waiting to see if its legs were moving, I threw it in the pot to join the others. Only one more to go...this one was not moving in the bag. I picked it up, shook it poked it, everything. Alas, this one had not made it home. He met his final resting place in the woods when Matt came home from work, in the meantime I set it outside so it wouldn't stink up the house. Next conundrum: how long do I cook these things? I had been talking to some of the people at the dealership while waiting for Matt to get the lobsters from the fridge out back, and they said 12-15 minutes. However, one guy there had advised between 17-20 minutes. "I want these things to really be dead and cooked well," were my thoughts so I took the highest bid and put the kitchen timer on for 20 minutes. PHEW.... lobsters were taken care of!!!!!! Sitting down for a break, I started to think about what I must have looked like with plastic bags wrapped around my hands, and a look of sheer horror on my face; and what I must have sounded like to Matt, shuddering and whining on the phone, and I started to laugh!! "You definitely haven't become a full-fledged Mainer yet," I thought to myself, "or at least not in the lobster aspect of Maine life." The lobsters were definitely cooked after 20 minutes and my man picked them out and ate some last night, declaring them delicious. It definitely was worth it all, to see his delight when he tasted it! :-) However, I think I have some more work to do before I can claim the name of a true Mainer!!
In other news, my kitchen wasn't only busy with lobster yesterday. I harvested our peppers and pickled them, peeled and froze apples, and made some cookies for my man and the guys at work. Here are some of the fruits of my afternoons labor.



Our pepper crop I picked yesterday.
 
 
I had this jar half full from peppers I have been picking through the summer, but the harvest yesterday filled up the bottle! :-)
 
 
Cookies for Matt and the guys.
 

Thursday 20 September 2012

More recipes...

It's a beautiful fall morning here on the coast of Maine, and I am feeling like lighting my pumpkin spice candle,putting on some music and baking/cooking the day away! Even though that won't actually be what happens today because I have to run some errands, tend my vegetable garden, freeze apples...(the list could go on), I thought I would at least THINK about food,baking, cooking, etc. by sharing a couple of recipes that we have been enjoying lately.

Philadelphia Chicken Enchiladas
2 cups chopped cooked chicken or 2 cups cooked turkey
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cubed
8 ounces salsa, divided
8 (6 inch) flour tortillas
3/4 lb Velveeta cheese, cut up
1/4 cup milk
Stir chicken, bell pepper, cream cheese, and 1/2 cup salsa in saucepan on low heat until cream cheese is melted. Spoon 1/3 cup chicken mixture down center of each tortilla; roll up. Place seam side down in a lightly greased 12x8 inch baking dish. Stir Velveeta cheese and 1/4 cup milk in saucepan on low heat until cheese is melted. Pour sauce over tortillas; cover with foil which has been lightly sprayed on the underside with non-stick spray. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Pour remaining salsa over the top. Can be served with sour cream, extra salsa, and tortilla chips.
* I use whatever kind of cheese I have on hand, and it tastes just as good...you don't have to use Velveeta cheese. I also make my own tortillas. This is a good recipe to use up leftover chicken! :-)


Cordon Bleu Pork Chops
4 bone-in pork loin chops ( 1 inch thick) * I used boneless
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons dried minced onion
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground mustard
4 thin slices fully cooked ham
4 thin slices part-skim mozzarella cheese
Cut a pocket in each chop. Combine the next 10 ingredients. Reserve 1/2 cup for basting and refrigerate. Pour remaining marinade into a large resealable plastic bag or shallow glass container. Add pork and turn to coat. Seal bag or cover container; refrigerate overnight, turning meat occasionally. Place a cheese slice on each slice of ham; roll up jelly-roll style. Drain pork and discard marinade. Insert a ham/cheese roll in each pocket; secure with soaked toothpicks. Grill, covered, over medium heat, for 4-5 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 145 degrees, basting occasionally with reserved marinade. Let meat stand for 5 minutes before serving. Discard toothpicks. Yield: 4 servings
* I did not refrigerate overnight. Who on earth gets up in the middle of the night to "occasionally turn" their pork chops?? =P Instead, I put them in the marinade first thing in the morning and marinaded them all day.

Enjoy!!

Friday 14 September 2012

With the man I love....

 
 
 
The best place in the world is in the arms of someone who will not only hold you at your best...but will pick you up and hug you tight at your weakest moment!
 
 
The real lover is the man who can thrill you by kissing your forhead or smiling into your eyes or just staring into space.
 
 
 
If I had a flower for every time I think of you...I could walk through my garden forever!
 
 
You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams!
~Dr. Seuss
 
 
Oh, to be married to the one you do love...and love most tenderly and devotedly.
That is the bliss beyond the power of words to express or imagination conceive. Every day as it shows more of the mind of your beloved, when you have such a treasure as mine, makes you only more proud, more happy, more humbly thankful to the Giver of all good for this BESTof earthly gifts.
-Hudson Taylor
 
 
 
Oh I wonder what God was thinking when He created you--
I wonder if He knew everything I would need
Because He made all my dreams come true!
When God made you
He must have been thinking about me!
 
 
 
You are my best friend as well as my lover, and I do not know which side of you I enjoy the most. I treasure each side, just as I have treasured our life together.
 

Thursday 13 September 2012

Fall Decorations

The weather is feeling "fallish" now.... cool mornings and nights, cooler temperatures in the daytimes... and that has given me the "apple cider- colored leaves- pumpkin spice scent" kind of thoughts. I think my husband got those same kind of thoughts as well, because he took me shopping the first Tuesday in September and let me pick out some fall decorations. Our house is all decorated now, and feels and smells very festive! :-) Maybe we jumped the gun just a hair when we decorated the first Tuesday in September, but I don't care... I LOVE the fall season!
Here is a quick tour of our decorated house for you!


Matt found this little wagon when we were shopping, and we both thought it was C.U.T.E.!!! He filled it with the leaves, gourds, pumpkins, etc. and randomly sprinkled some leaves around it! I added a couple of candles I had picked up.... and WOW!!! the top of our extra cupboard in the kitchen popped!! We LOVE it!!
 
 




I found this in the decorating section of our local pharmacy. I gave you a panoramic view of the little shade so you can see what it looks like all the way around. It makes a perfect table centerpiece... and the pumpkin spice candle smells AMAZING when we light it!



Again my man came to the rescue to help me out with my limited decorating abilities! :-) He helped me arrange these little blocks so that they weren't just placed in a straight line, by putting them in a semi-circle and adding some height to them with the acorn block. I think it was just what the gun cabinet needed to fill the "empty space" on that side.



We can't leave our fireplace undecorated!! We found a bag of all of these decorative pumpkins/gourds for $3, and as soon as we saw it, we knew we were going to decorate the fireplace with them. Here is a view from both ends of the fireplace. The tart burner is currently burning an apple cinnamon scent, but I also have pumpkin spice scent for it as well. :-)


Our coffee table centerpiece. Matt helped me decide which centerpiece I wanted...flowers or apples... we finally decided on the apple one. I think we picked well. :-)


Our wreath over the front door. So pretty!!



Mrs. Bamford gave me these adorable little pumpkins that she grew... I think they are SO CUTE!!! I'm thinking I will try to grow these Jack-be-Little pumpkins next year myself.
 



My little pumpkin candle holder. A little fall addition to our half wall! :-)