Lazy Day in NC

Today is a dreary day , it looks like it wants to rain..and the winds keep trying to be "howling" but they are just a little pain in the neck for now...
I need to do laundry, but who ever feels like doing laundry...I just want to sit around today and be lazy! I've got my Corn beef cooking and that takes several hours the way we like it, and it's well worth the wait...have to check the freezer to see if I have some Rye Bread (that's my New York influence:o)
Watching PBS the fishing program came on...and the kid in me (wanting every thing they see) said "Ginny make some fried fish for lunch". I asked Cecil what he thought and his reply was "It sounds good to me" < that's the typical answer I get when his greedy gut kicks in too! :o)
I'm so glad I have a grill with a side burner....I like frying my fish outside, this way the odor doesn't linger in the house for days, Although I'm not such a prude when I want fish and it's raining out,I'll cook it inside and boil some vinegar and water< that does a good job taking the fish odor out of the house (or camouflaging it real good).

Frying Fish on Outside Grill

Wish I could remember how to show the fish frying with the Video part of the Camera, I did it once and don't know how the heck I did it to do it again...Whenever my Grands come visit they will show me how to do it...But all that light colored stuff is actually the smoke from the fish frying! It's making me salivate watching it fry.

Tasty Little Morsels :o)

Surprise , Surprise, I thought I was cleaning "Croaker" and thought to myself these fish look and feel like "Spots' (another one of my favorite fish)...Well, after the frying and tasting...they were "Spots". Somehow, they had gotten separated from the "group" and I mistook them for "Croakers" anyway, what ever the name..the taste was the game! they were delicious and we didn't even waste the heads,I didn't show them frying in the last pot...but there's a lot of tasty meat in the head and I always eat the brains that's why I'm so smart hehehe :o) that's what I was told as a kid when Mom made "fish head stew" (anybody know what that is?)

A Meal Fit for a King of the Castle

Only thing this is my plate, hehehe Cecil had already jumped into his and it wasn't fit to be "snapped"....He loves Cole Slaw, and I made this to his liking, I added some raisins for that extra chew!...and don't say anything about potato's , I could shop till I dropped when I feed him French fries :o), and I would if we could afford it and I had the stamina to shop longer these days, (one bad part about getting older, you get tired to quick! Long shopping days are over ...ugh!) The fried Chicken wings, I like the long part and he likes the short part that looks like a thigh! , so I cut them and we eat them up real quick....Dinner was especially tasty tonight, guess it wasn't quick on the fly from ginning cotton :o)....Guess Ladydi will be happy Cecil is eating good again :o)
Think I'll make some Corned Beef tomorrow, I have one kid that might just fly in for that meal :o).....

Treating Cecil with Kindness :o)

Cecil has been so patient while I was "Ginning" the Cotton, I thought I'd give him a reward, so at night I'd ask "What do you want for Breakfast" This morning it was Bacon and homemade waffles...with a glass of milk ..(after we sat around for an hour having a cup of coffee watching the news)
It's going to be another slow Saturday unless I decide to do laundry (that may be the excitement of the day) we both have reached the stage ,"if it's not done today there is always tomorrow, and if I'm not here, someone else will have to do it":o)
I was going to "snap" a picture, but in haste of serving it hot, the "snap" had to be put on hold (sorry Ladydi:o)
Last nights supper was another photo I "intended" to snap,Lamb chops, boiled Sweet potato,broccoli and cauliflower with butter and Parisian cheese...I found a nice way to make it, first i steam it in a square pan with a round grate(for lack of right word) then I empty the water when the veggies are soft to the fork, I sprinkle cheese and salt over it and kind of "toss" them around to get the butter and oil on them, and that's it..Cecil loves it and always remarks how he never thought he would eat Cauliflower and Broccoli.I want to tell him "I'm a better cook than you Mama!, but I leave it alone hehehe....( I copied a lot of her recipes :o)
Thus far there isn't anything else new here today...unless you want to see the cotton again, scroll down :o) hehehe I'm silly this morning , maybe it's the syrup!I only have it if my blood sugar is at a good level and today I was lucky...

Cotton Seeds from Project

Besides a few cotton bolls and twigs, this is all the waste from the Cotton project thus far....there are 2 1/4 pounds of seeds which really isn't waste, I think there are enough seeds to plant a couple of acres of Cotton :o)..maybe my
"Almost an Acre Farm" will house some of them :o)...I wouldn't mind sharing them if anyone is interested.

A Bag Full of Cotton

This was a long process separating the cotton from the seed but the results have been rewarding...Here is a full bag that will keep until the next step...Carding it and making rolags of it to Spin..I'm so glad that inventions have taken place since the old days Like Eli Whitney inventing the "Cotton Gin"< instead of me being a constant "Cotton Ginny"! :o( I just had to try this process at least just once! I thought of how hard it must have been for people doing this chore by hand, and worst picking the cotton by hand and getting their hands ripped open by the sharp boll ends, worst than the Rose thorns...I'm sure it was a job nobody wanted,and not all shared the profits of it...I feel myself getting into another story, so I will end this one here!!!

"My Cup Runneth Over"

I tell you! this has been one long trip! although it was fascinating to me, and I enjoyed the process, it was one hell of a job getting it done. Sometimes I felt that there was going to be no end to it! I was reminded of the Three loaves of bread and five fish (I may have that backwards) it seemed athe cotton kept on multiplying ugh! I've been told "Patience is a Virtue". I've decided I'm a "Virtuous woman" no one can deny that one after completing this task!....

Explaining the procedure I've used

This picture is showing the process the first item on the left is the Cotton Boll
the next item is showing the cotton removed from the boll (there was a little more, but I wanted to have room to show), inside one of the short strip of cotton are 5 seeds that you can feel but not see plainly.. first I separate the seeds
then on the bottom row, you see one seed that I was pulling the cotton away from,
Then you see how much cotton was attached to that seed...sometimes there is more
Then on the right of it you finally see the Seed :o) tiny little bugger, almost looks like an orange seed.
And that my friends is the lesson learned for the day! Some of you already knew it, but for those like me...it's a fascinating experience...

This much done :o)

I've been all week working with this project and I still have a little more to do before I can begin the next process (carding and making rolags) so I can spin it into something...I'm going to take my time with it...and think about what I want to make out of it..I hope it has enlighten some to one of the gifts we have inherited on this Earth, we just have to take the time to discover it ..and some of us who already know should show those who don't without thinking they are some "Smarty Pants" or "know it all"...just think about it...Somebody showed you..unless your light was turned on for paying attention...

My Cleaning Method

Watching (I should say listening to) the TV I would clean the cotton of the debris first and put it into the basket....then I would remove the debris from the blue pan and put the cleaner cotton back into the pan...where I had a little baggie, I would then pull the cotton from the seed and place that fluffed piece into the basket and the seed in the little baggie...it was a good little routine,and it amazed me how white , fluffy and clean the cotton became...almost like a dish of ice cream :o)

Is it Snow? or a Fluffy Cloud?

This is what it looks like close up ...after I've removed the debris and pulled the cotton away from the seed...

Cleaning stage done

So far this is as much as I've cleaned and pulled away from the seeds...it's now ready to be carded before being put into rolags so I can Spin it....It's a long process, but each stage has been facinating to me...I'm delighted to be experiencing this

Here's a Pretty Box from Kathleen "Eggs in my Pocket"

We both have been waiting for it's delivery...I think it got here pretty quick, we both have been anxious for it's arrival! The Giver and the Receiver :o)
I've been watching for the mailman every day since I knew it was coming! The day has finally arrived....here it is..Now to open it up like it's Christmas morning !

First thing I see is a large Envelope!

I gotta open it up with care, (cause it looks like it was put in with care)
It's all so exciting, and making my blood pressure rise :o) can you hear my heart going thump! thump! thump! < I'm so dramatic :o) I'm excited!!!

The Goodies Inside the Envelope

Look at all the little treasures Kathleen sent me! There is a hand embroidered Dish Cloth (I'm not messing that up washing dishes) there's also a little Hand embroidered coaster ( I'm not messing that up either) I'll probably hang it up to be seen :o)and some messages with heartwarming sentiments.....Boy! it makes you feel real warm and fuzzy inside :o)

Cotton Straight from the Fields :o)

This is the first experience I've had with Cotton straight from the field, I've seen it riding in the car, I even bought a sprig from "Garden Ridge" so when my friends from the North visited, I could show them how it grew and what original Cotton looked like....they are all like me, never been that close to cotton , unless it was in a package from the store to take off makeup :o)

Close up of Cotton with seeds

Kathleen said I'd have a job "cleaning" it, but the benefit is I'd also have some seeds to plant my own Cotton next year...I'd like to try it and see how it does :o)
I'm a farmer!:o)

Here is the new Decision

After going to Wal-mart's I decided to go to Joann's hoping for a better selection. Well I wasn't satisfied with the Beads that I saw at either place, but I did see some blue tassels that had the right Hues of blues that matched the fabric pretty good and gave it a rich look ....So this was my decision hope you can see the shades of blue in fabric and tassels...

Ta Dah! All Done

This is the second picture that I took of this view and I don't know how I could have made it any lighter in that corner for you to see! anyway you get the picture :o) and in looking closer you can actually see more of the curtains design than I had previously tried to show you...and you can get a slight glimpse of the Corn Plant Bloom that's on it's way out...but what a joy when we walked into the house and smelled it's aroma...a built in scent :o)
Did you ever hear that a Plant that Blooms and sweetens the air in the home brings forth good luck? I'd say the luck was changing this head strong mind from beads to cotton tassels :o)....Even Cecil thinks they look nice...and he only notices things if I move the bed :o) Men!

Back Door

I really could have lessened the width of this one, but decided I may want to use the valences in another room and it was best to keep the width for use at another window..or whatever bright idea I might get :o) ( I'm such a smarty pants :o)

Selecting Valences from some old Patterns

Yesterday was a busy day for this one!.Cecil and I went out early to take care of some business ...and we finished early ..and decided to try out a new store in the area for Valences for my curtains.....things have changed so much...I almost shopped til I dropped..but the stiff prices kept me upright :o)
I couldn't believe the cost of some of the Valences..and to get two would be the shooting of my budget, plus I felt guilty to purchase something I could whip up with out a struggle....so into my Pattern Stash from way back (I was even skinny then :o). Plus The guy on TMZ always says at the end "I'm a lawyer" well, "I'm a Grandma", and Grandma's mostly save everything :o) I made my selection and worked all evening to complete my task..First my so called best machine messed up ,(it needs to be overhauled) So I was able to use another (I've been blessed) and got thru that one..I had to keep the book at my side ,I had forgotten how to use it :o(

Sampling the old Trim

I like the way the trim would look .....what your looking at is one that i pinned the trim on to see how it would look..but in the back of my mind I still see those beads ....I like the beads and it would really be a change....and we all need a "Change" :o) I just have to decide how much I want to spend on that change.Sometimes a change is costly....but the results are very satisfying...I'm the bookkeeper so I don't have to hide the cost :o)...

Both Valences waiting

At least I have both Valences ready for my decision.....

Last Pictures of Corn Plant and Blooms

What a blessing to see the Corn Plant in full bloom! I've been watching to give you a good report, Wednesday it was in full Bloom the little flowers didn't appear to open any, but there was an aroma from them ..the aroma was in between a Gardenia and a Jasmine...very sweet smelling....(I thought it was me :o)..it really filled the room with the scent... I saved this picture to add to today's post, want to inform and enlighten you , without boring you to tears....

This one shows it's on it's way out! :o(

You will notice the Bloom at the top is beginning to turn brown!, Cecil remembers that happening to the one he had 20 years ago! ,this is the first time I've seen the bloom..I'll take his word for it , that's what generally happens to most blooms anyway...

UpDate on "Corn Plant"

I noticed a slight difference in the "Bloom" on the "Corn Plant", and thought I'd better take another picture of it so you could see the change also ...didn't want to miss some elaborate bloom that appeared without sufficient coverage :o) If you click a close up, you might see it better...I'll keep you posted! :o)

"My Old Iron Pot"

I've been saving a Hunk of Beef to make an old fashioned Roast, you know, the one with all the veggies cooked with it, in a "One Pot Meal" I suddenly thought about my "Old Iron Pot" that I had stashed in the bottom back of a cabinet, well, I bent my little fat self down and retrieved it for a "Sunday's Roast". It's been down there for so long I almost forgot I saved it, (knowing I would never throw a pot away :o). Since it's just Cecil and I and the Kids are so far away I'm reluctant to cook some meals that we have to eat for days, doesn't bother Cecil , but I grow weary after the second helping!
Today is a perfect day for making this dish , it's kind of Nippy outside, and smelling a roast cooking (this one on top of the stove, perfect for an iron pot), give a sense of comfort and makes you remember to thank God for all the blessings you have received...

Roast Beef with Veggies

This is the results of cooking with an "Old Fashioned Iron Pot" ;o) First I browned my roast on both sides, and ends (no flour, just "Emeril's seasoning"and a sprinkle of garlic, (no salt< I think salt toughen it if added in the beginning),Then I sit (set?) the meat aside while I make a "poor man's gravy" from the remnants of browning the beef, with onions, a 1/2 tsp of Habanero pepper minced with garlic. When the gravy is the consistency I want I add the Beef and 1/4 cup Garlic cloves, quartered red potatoes (white or yellow will do nicely also) Carrots cut diagonally looks nice,couple of stalks of celery cut large, one large onion quartered,can of mushroom if you don't have fresh, add salt at this point...Let simmer for a couple or three hours until the meat is so tender it will melt in your mouth. A couple of biscuits on the side and you have a meal that will carry you for two days :o)

Gingerbreads Homemade Carrot Cake

Isn't this a dish to sit before a King and his Queen :o) Felt like baking another cake since the "Sock it to Me" took wings and flew away real quick :o)
This one contains fresh grated Carrots, raisins, egg, and Walnuts ( I ran out of Pecans)...The Icing is made with cream cheese, confectionery sugar, butter,and walnuts < Truly a "Fat City Cake" I'm a sinner , catch me I'm falling :o)
It sure looks kind of pretty....that's the dangerous kind :o)

Sliced for tasting :o)

The taste of the cake gave the looks justice, it is delicious and I'd gain a pound for every bite :o) .....If you hear me say "I need to lose some weight" Slap me I would deserve it ...with a glass of milk or a cup of tea, I'd deserve every slap you gave me....

Will Wonders never Cease!

Cecil and I have a new "Baby" and we never knew it was pregnant :o).....
Here goes for a nice story...Years ago Cecil had a "Corn Plant" on his job that was about 9 years old and it bloomed! I never saw the bloom...and when the Job folded he gave the plant to our Son...who gave it away when he moved..Here is a close up of the bloom, just in case that's something new to you too! They Bloom.
Now 9 years later (we moved here in 1999) The first plant we bought was a "Corn Plant" it wasn't any more than 3 feet tall if that much...It has grown up to the Ceiling and is almost bending over, and needs to be potted in a larger pot...I have to move it, and soon! It will call for Major re-decorating :o)
You can see that the ceiling gets higher in the middle of the room, I have a few idea's ....just have to give them time to "materialize" in my brain, and not cost a fortune, you know, one of those "do it yourself" thingies :o). In time I'll think of something....I always do!

Plum tuckered Out!

Today was that time of the month for "Paying Bills" and "Food Shopping" < We try to get an early start, and sometimes I prefer to do it later in the month...but this month there will be crowds and I don't like being in the middle of them...
I made my list of things I needed , and bought more than what was on my list :o(
Sometimes you forget you didn't put this or that on the list and figure you may as well get it now than later....I like to have a heavy breakfast before I shop, if I don't I buy too much! Well that toast and coffee didn't stop the roll :o( There were a few items out of stock, which only meant I had to go to a second store..first Sam's Club , then Wal-mart's (same people, really_....anyway....I'm sure to have forgotten something....(I always do), I did get a couple boxes of Cake mix :o)
That's about it for what's happening at Gingerbread's house for today! I need some hot chocolate (told you I'd forget something.) ugh!

Recipe for "Sock it to me Cake"

One Box Duncan Hines Golden Butter Cake Mix
(I've made it with other brands and they work fine)
One Cup Sour Cream
1/3 cup Crisco Oil ( I use canola, any oil will do)
1/4 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Water
4 eggs
(cake rises better when the whites are beaten separate and folded in the mix)

Reserve 2 tablespoons of cake mix, to mix with
2 teaspoons cinnamon and 1 cup chopped pecans (or chopped walnuts)
2 tablespoons of brown sugar (or plain sugar)

grease one large bundt pan

Pour a portion of mix into pan, add nut mix, add rest of cake mix...then give a litte stir around the pan to "design" the nuts within..

Bake in 350 oven 1 hour (give a dry skewer test, to make sure it's done)

Glaze: (optional)
Mix 2 tablespoons milk with 1 cup confectionery sugar
Hope you enjoy it!

Where did the Time Go?

I'm still piddling in the Studio, trying to put things in order until I get it "just the way I want it"...Idea's are flowing...but I still don't know if I want to put the shelves up! They are stacked in a corner waiting for my decision. I'm still finding things I want to keep and throwing away those things that don't mean that much for me to keep. Still finding treasure worth keeping.
Ye Gads! I can't believe how the time has slipped by! This sign used to hang in my old Sewing room in the basement home in NJ about the 1970's now that would make it about 37 years old!! Good grief!
You ever hear the saying "Once a Man, twice a babe"?, Does that apply to females as well?....The sign reads "Ginny's Playroom" , have I grown up enough to now call my "Playroom" my "Studio" ,hmm, that's something to give some thought....When I was younger, I did a lot of sewing strictly "Vogue" I did pretty good and wished I had saved some of the "skinny" stuff I used to make..I would just like to look at them to remember :o)...I've gone from Sewing,Quilting,needlepoint,knitting, ,spinning,Dyeing, Weaving...only to double back on all of them, plus some I've forgotten to mention.Pray tell me What's next!!?