Custom Search

Saturday, July 7, 2018

Basic Macaron Recipe

Basic Macarons (French Meringue)
Makes 32 shells (16 macarons)



1/4 c ground almonds, blanched
1/4 c confectioners sugar
1 large egg white
1/4 c  white sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 F (This is the ideal temperature for my oven. Because each oven is different, you may want to start at 325 F. I know that my oven is on the cooler side, which is why my temperature is higher than normal, so make adjustments according to your oven.)
Sift the almond meal and confectioners sugar together. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, start whisking the egg whites at a high speed.
Once it begins foaming, start slowly pouring in the sugar. Continue whisking the egg whites until glossy and medium-stiff peaks appear.
Pour in 1/3 of the almond meal/confectioners sugar mixture in and fold it in    thoroughly using a spatula. There’s no need to be extremely gentle at this stage. This step is called the macronnage and it is key to the success of the macarons.
Pour the rest of the almond/confectioners sugar mixture into the egg whites and fold it so that everything is incorporated thoroughly. The mixture should become more glossy and it should be able to form ribbons when lifting the spatula. However, there is still more folding to be done. Be more gentle at this stage. The egg whites should not be able to hold their form, and they should slowly sink down until somewhat flattened. When making a ribbon on the surface, the ribbon should sink in and disappear at around 20 seconds.

recipe adapted from macaron how to guide   

Fill a pastry bag with the batter and pipe onto parchment paper or a silpat mat. When piping the macarons, keep the piping tip still while piping to get a round macaron. Swirl the tip on the top to finish piping. If you’re like me and you can’t pipe evenly spaced or sized macarons for your life, a handy-dandy template will do the trick. I used this one from yumarama.com and I’ll never go back again. Print two to fit on either half of the baking pan and lay your parchment on top. Make sure to slide out the paper before baking it! The batter should perfectly fit one pan.
By the time you finish piping a row of macarons, the first macaron you piped in the row should already be almost perfectly settled.
Tap the pan to get rid of the air bubbles within the batter. Sometimes, using a toothpick to burst the bubbles at the surface can really help. Let your macarons rest until a skin forms on top. The macarons will become less glossy as the skin forms.
Put the macarons in a preheated oven, with an empty pan on the rack below it. Having the double pans lets the macarons rise more evenly, especially if you have an oven with uneven temperatures. If you started at 350 F, turn the temperature down to 325 F at around the 5-6  minute mark. Rotate the pan when you decrease the temperature.
The macarons should be done at 12-13 minutes. If the tops don’t move from the feet when nudged, they are done. The macarons should not brown, but slightly overcooking is better than undercooking. The macarons will stick and the feet will shrink if they are undercooked. Once you add the filling and refrigerate it overnight, slightly crunchy macarons as a result from overcooking won’t be a problem. Gently remove the macarons from the parchment and let it cool on a wire rack.

If macarons are cracked on top there is most likely a mixing problem. The macaronnage step is very important. Letting the dough rest may help a bit.

If the bottom of the cookie looks as if it is overgrown decrease the oven temp. If the bottoms rae very small and minimal increase the temp.


shared this food related post at this blog hop
full plate thursday 


retweet post here
find this post shared on facebook here

shared on fb group at
social media --- facebook reactions 8/18

Sould Food ----- Fried Chicken

Many recall back home cooking and refer to it as "soul food" . Where did that term come from?? "Soul Food" is the cuisine that the African slaves primarily from the south originated. While it is a time in history that is sad and often not brought up in conversation the United States did learn a way of cooking that came about because of a life style that was very unpleasant. Soul food is created from what meager ingredients were available to the slave and sharecropping black families. Meat was the leftover parts after the white family took there share and often more. The veggies and sometimes they were more weeds than vegetable were all that the families had to work with.




In highschool I was lucky enough to make friends with a black girl named April. Many times we hung out together and I often was able to eat delicious food at her house as well. There was a great difference between the food at her house and mine. My mother cooked in a manner that she grew up with on the farm, her mother cooked what I would refer to as "soul food". Oh I can still recall the pigs feet, fried chicken, polish sausage, stuffed pepper, and the list goes on so yummy and delicious.



This recipe for Fried Chicken is one that has been passed down over the years. look for it and many others here


  2     3 1/2 pound  Frying chickens,  cut into 8 pieces
   Salt
   Freshly Ground Black Pepper
   2      cups all-purpose flour
   2      tablespoons paprika
  1       tablespoon paprika for the finished chicken
   vegetable oil

1) Trim the excess fat and skin from each piece of chicken.  Sprinkle the
pieces with salt and pepper.  Stir the flour and paprika together in a
shallow bowl.  Dredge the chicken pieces in the seasoned flour to coat on
all sides.  Shake off the excess flour.

2) Pour enough vegetable oil into a heavy deep skillet (cast-iron is
perfect) to fill it to 2 inches.  Heat over medium heat to 375¼ F. (A small
cube of bread dropped  in the dropped in the oil will brown in about 20
seconds.)

3) Add only as many of the chicken pieces as will fit without touching.
Overcrowding will lower the temperature of the oil and make your fried
chicken greasy.  With a long-handled fork or tongs to prevent getting
splattered, turn the chicken pieces until they are golden brown on all sides
and cooked through, about 6 minutes.  The easiest way to tell if the chicken
is cooked is to poke a fork down to the bone near the thickest part  -  if
the chicken is cooked the juices will run clear, not pink.

4) Remove the chicken pieces from the skillet to drain.  If you have to fry
the chicken in batches, keep the fried chicken warm on a baking sheet in a
250¼ F oven.  When all the chicken is fried, sprinkle the pieces with paprika
and serve hot.

this post shared at blog linky parties
creatively craft

shared this post at the fb group
blog support --- comment #1 7/29 

retweet post here

Liar Liar Pants On Fire

Most if not all of us have at one time or  another told a lie. Whether it be a little white lie or one crafted by using charm to get something without regard for te feelings of others. Some lies may be compulsive leaving the one telling the lies a chronic liar. Chronic liars lie consistently about anything and most of the time everything. Lying becomes second nature and sooner or later the individual will get caught up in his lies. July 7 sets aside a day to simply tell the truth.




Tell the truth day is an unofficial holiday. The day helps bring awareness to the damage of lies has on ones life. It also encourages people toe always tell the truth,even if it inconvenient and hard for one to do. Ben Franklin once stated that "honesty is the best Policy' Honesty and truthfulness are virtues that must be emphasized all world religions.




Have you ever heard the old line "Liar Liar Pants on Fire" I grew up with this little line and still remember wondering if someones pants was actually "hanging on telephone wire" When a lie is told is it ever o.k??? Does it matter if it is a little white lie or all lies the same?? At any time is a lie something to be over looked?? Parents hear children telling white lies all the time is that because children repeat the behavior of adults?? Parents should strive to tell as much truth as possible so that their children will have a good example of how to live.

Can we always tell the truth?? There are times that we may need to tell a lie to protect the feelings of others or to prevent problems. So what is it we should do?? Here are a few tips:

  • What is it that you are lying about?? Can it be avoided. Why is it that you must lie about these things. 
  • How long can you go without lying when around others How is your life at home and work when you go lie free
  • Take note that the truth you share should be something to appreciate


shared this post at fb group
social media network=== blog post share


shared this post on facebook here
retweet post here


shared on fb group
social media network --- 8/2 click thru

Thursday, July 5, 2018

Jamaican Cornmeal Pudding

July celebrated carribean food. So I thought I would share a great recipe to inspire you. In Jamaica a common custom to dine on cornmeal pudding. This delacacie was around long before modern stoves and ovens. Whether you eat it hot or cold it is perfect anytime snack or serve it up with ice cream for a dessert special



1/2 cup(s) flour
2 cup(s) Grace Cornmeal
1 1/2 cup(s) brown sugar
4 cup(s) Grace Coconut Milk
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla essence
1/4 teaspoon(s) mixed spice
1 teaspoon(s) salt
1 teaspoon(s) nutmeg, grated
1/4 cup(s) raisins
1/4 cup(s) coconut, shredded
1 tablespoon(s) Grace Margarine

Pre-heat oven to 180°C (350°F).
Sift together flour and cornmeal.
Blend together brown sugar, coconut milk, vanilla, mixed spice, salt and nutmeg.
Add to cornmeal mixture, stirring until there are no lumps.
Scrape batter into a greased baking pan.
Coat raisins with a little flour and sprinkle into pudding mixture.  Sprinkle shredded coconut on top, and dot with margarine.
Bake for 1 hour or until set.

To Serve: Cool, slice and serve.

recipe source here


shared on blog hop
your the star 


this post shared on facebook here
retweet post here

shared on facebook group at
social media network group - blog comment 8/1
social media network group === blog comment 8/12

Great Day for Watermelon Lemonade

When I moved to Southern Illinois in the '80s I was given a first hand look at growing watermelons. My parents had friends that planted, grew and sold many different crops including mellons. July is the perfect time for ice cold lemonade. Some enjoy a bit of salt and others not so much. Watermelon is also delicious when used in drinks and slushies

.

Watermelon is a favorite summer time fruit of many. Children and not so grown up adults enjoy watermelon speed contest as well. Whether a large wedge or small amount of chunks are enjoyed the cool mellon is an enjoyable activity. A special picnic treat as well as perfect outdoor socials can be helped out by watermelon.


Growing watermelon is part of the ag industry of the United States. A highly loved consumable fruit the United States produces around 4,000,000,000 lbs of watermelon annually. Watermelon is grown in 49 states and consumed in all 50. Made up of 90% water. The body needs a lot of water to function so watermelon is great and nutritious for us all. Watermelon has no fat or cholesterol and an excellent source of vitamin A, B6, C, potassium and fiber which are all struglle to get more of.

\
Enjoy some Watermelon Lemonade





Watermelon Lemonade
The mild flavour of the watermelon blends nicely with the tart lemon juice.

6 cups watermelon
1 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice

Remove as many seeds as you can from the watermelon flesh. Place watermelon and water in a blender and blend until smooth. Strain liquid into a pitcher, along with sugar and lemon juice. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate until chilled, then serve.

this drink recipe post shared at
blogger pit stop
amaze me monday 
TFT Party

find this post shared on facebook here
retweet post here 

Graham Cracker Day

Graham crackers, the crisp cookie like crackers that are common in the United States and needed for recipes such as smores and gingerbread houses. Graham crackers are often sweetened with sugar, honey, and / or cinnamon. Originally the graham cracker was a mild unsweet biscuit that was made of unbleached flour with bran and wheat germ added in. Graham crackers were invented in the early 1800s by a Presbyterian minister by the name of Sylvester Graham. He was in search of a snack that would fit into his radical vegetarian diet that eschewed white flour and spices. Graham crackers were first made in 1822 in Bound Brook New Jersey. Advertised as a cracker they ar sweet rather than salty




Today, Graham Crackers are made of refined, bleached white flour both of which the Rev. Graham was implacably opposed. While graham crackers may have been once considered health food. but are not any more. Many graham crackers on the market now include great amounts of sugar, honey, and other sweeteners than in the original recipe and far less graham flour



If you was to sit down with a cookbook and look for all the recipes that use graham cracker you would find a great list. To celebrate Graham cracker day select a few recipes that use graham crackers and use them for you family. There is a grand variety of dessert recipes that call for graham crackers including

.

Graham Cracker Pie Crust

1.5 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup melted butter / margarine
3 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves

Mix and press in bottom of pie pan.


retweet the post here
share on facebook here

shared this food related post at
happiness is homemade 
snickerdoodle sunday 

shared on fb groups
 grow your  blog ---- ct 8/25 
retweet the words 8/27

Lobster Carnival





Lobster carnival celebrates three  favorite things of Prince Edward Island's passion. Lobster, harness racing and good entertainment have been part of the carnival for over 60 years. The carnival helps celebrate the fishing industry of lobster. It plays an economical way of life on Prince Edward Island.




retweet this post here
post shared on facebook here

shared this fun post at these blog hops
artsy fartsy 

shared on facebook party
retweet words 8/19

Get Out and Hop A Park

Tommorow, July 6th is a gret day to join the crowd during Hop a Park Day and get out and have a bit of fun. Getting families out to enjoy the outside is the goal but there are many physical and mental benefits as well.

Our family has loved visiting and playing at parks for years. The Governor of New York in 1686 declared that part of all vacant areas of land should be cared for , and created into city parks. Thirty plus years later and the total of parks and gardens total in the thousands all over the world.


When at the park try some of these fun filled family activities



  • Play a game of  tag, its a great way to get two or more players participating in one activity. one person is normally it and they chase the other kids. The game is a great way for children to release energy and offers great fitness as well 




  • How  about a game of frisbee. Frisbee is a trademark name of a game using a flying disk. It is ideal for older children. Whether you simply throw the frisbee back and forth or gather the whole gang up to play ultimate frisbee that results are the same lots of fun. 



Every year on the first Saturday in July a day is set aside to celebrate the National Hop a Park day. It's a time to get away from the technology in the world and take a trip into the green spaces and public parks in your own community.

retweet the post here
this post shared on facebook here

shared on fb group
blog big --- fb like and click through 8/8
blog big ----- first  blog comment 8/16 
blog support ---- facebook like / share or like / comment 8/24


shared this idea for families and others post at
saturday sparks 
silver penny sunday
sunday at home

Wednesday, July 4, 2018

History of the Bikini



While you are at the beach or pool this summer you may want to recall one individual from France, Louis Reard. Reard was a car mechanic that ha a side job working at his mother's lingerie boutique in Paris. He would go on from the lingerie and create bikinis.

Bathing suits in the vintage time period were not daring rather costumes that covered the entire body. But Reard believed women should become more daring and "do their own thing". Europe would never be the same as a taste of new freedom had now been observed.


Using no more than 30 inches of fabric to create a bottom of two triangle pieces tied together and the top to be made like a skimpy bra. The name "bikini" came from the located testing of the American atomic tests in the Pacific Ocean "bikini atoll" He believed the new bathing costume would be as explosive thus the  name.

Now that the costume was created , the problem of who to model it took place. It seemed noone wanted to be the first bikini model then a 19 year old exotic dancer was found who had no issues of sharing the suit that make her look partially naked for all to see. Reard decided that the launch of his new bathing costume would be the Paris swimming pool.



A second designer Jacques Heim also from France would introduce a similar bathing costume called the "atom". The "atom" was described as the "world's smallest bathing suit" Reard's "bikini" was much smaller so he advertised it as "smaller than the world's smallest bathing suit" When the bathing costume was introduced many were appalled to see the bikini exposed the wearer's navel.

The bikini was banned on many beaches including those in Spain and Italy. Many beaches in the United States considered it unacceptable. Perhaps, this was part of the draw that made many women want one and as time went on bikinis were seen more and more on Europe's beaches.

Movie stars such as Brigitte Bardot helped the bikini as they wore them in movies where all could see. When the bikini was wore in the 1958 movie "And God Created Women"    the popularity of the new style of swimsuit costume grew. Again , the bikini would be helped out by stardom when in 1960 the pop star Bryan Hyland shared the popular song "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini" 


Reid would continue to sell the skimpy style of bathing costume that could be pulled through a wedding ring in his Paris shop until 1980 Reid would pass in 1984 when he was 88 years of age.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       shared this fashion related post at
Saturday Shuffle                                                                                                                                                              READER TIP TUESDAY                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 retweet the post here                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            shared this historical based post on
Blog Support Facebook  Group 8/15 2018                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            ”

Happy 4th July



Happy 4th of July, here in the United States it is a day of celebration and festivities. Where you are located July 4th may be just another day, but it was on July 4th 1776 that the Declaration of Independence was authorized. What was the Declaration of Independence??



The Declaration of Independence was created by members of the Continental Congress. It stated that the thirteen American colonies as a union wanted to be known as a new nation. The nation would be known as the United States of America. By coming together and forming a new nation they no longer wanted to be ruled under the British Empire. While July 4th is the day the Declaration of Independence was authorized members of the Continental Congress had actually voted in favor of it on July 2nd.



The importance of the 13 colonies gathering their independence is not only historical but also a reason to celebrate. Today the day may be celebrated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, and reunions. Many times political speeches and ceremonies will take place as well to celebrate the historical date related to government and the creation of the United States.

Monday, July 2, 2018

Happy Birthday Thom


Thomas Cruise Mapother IV was born July 3rd, 1962. You may know his name better as Tom Cruise the American actor and producer with academy awards and golden globe awards as well. Born in Syracuse New York. His mother was a special education teacher and his father an electrical engineer. His parents, a surprise to me, came from an area that is near by me, Louisville Kentucky.

Thom and his 3 sisters grew up in poverty by Catholic parents. His father was abusive to the family In the 1970's the Cruise's moved to Canada and his father became a member of the Canadian Armed forces. It was here that Thom Cruise would become interested in acting. The family would live in Canada for just a few years, until his mother divorced his father and took him and his sisters back to the United States. In total Cruise would attend 15 schools in 14 years but the love of acting would endure all.

At the age of 19, Cruise appeared in the movie Endless Love in 1981 HIs most  note role was as an IMF agent Ethan Hunt in the Mission Impossible film series. The last installment of Mission Impossible was released 27th July 2018. Cruise has been noted during his acting career as the highest paid actor making over $100 million in the United States. One of my personal favorite movies Born on the 4th of July earned Cruise the award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture.

A long time advocate for the Church of Scientology Cruise has worked as an advocate for its associated social programs. He credits the church with helping him over come dyslexia. His marriage to Nicole Kidman and Katie Holmes many have credited for his public advocacy for the church.



retweet post here
shared on facebook here


shared on pinterest under theme
famous people birthdays

shared on facebook group
social media network group ==== 8/7 blog post comment
retweet words ---- twitter retweet 8/13 
grow your blog ---- share 8/23

this celebrity post shared at
saturday sparks 
sundays at home 

Beautiful Beads

The American Indians told many messages through beadwork. Before the Europeans arrived the beads were created by hand. Beads were created by hand with no use of metal tools. The long process used tools created by stone, wood or bone Many beads were large in size and would be strung on necklaces Europeans would bring trade beads from Europe. Trade beads were used by the Native Americans to make beaded designs of art.



Even before the beaded art work, communities located in the northeastern United States and the Midwest were decorating their clothing made of leather with porcupine quills. Quill work was tedious work that took hours to do. Each quill was attached to a background material with a small stitch making intricate and beautiful quill work pieces.
Quill work was once used for clothing, homes, horse gear, and even utensils bead worked was much the same. In many places beadwork art sales continues to grow. Native Americans would meet white settlers and the fashion line of the Native Americans would change. Clothing would no longer be made up of buffalo skins but out of wool or cotton but the decorative beadwork continued.
Bead work art would continue through the 18th and mid 19th century. The twentieth century found the art interesting as well. In history the beadwork of each tribe was the design element. Tribal lines would cross after WWI.



picture located here

Many think that Venice Italy may have been the originating place for glass bead making. An industry filled with production of beads was present prior to the 14th century. Bead production transported itself into Europe communities such as Bohemia, France , England and Holland. Glass beads were used for trading between the Europeans and the Native Americans. Beads primarily came from trading post, some times Native Americans would trade among their own group and the activity spread through out the early United States .



Notes of the early days of beadwork can still be seen in beaded headbands, beaded jewelry and bolo style. Beadwork shared during powwow celebrations shows up dramatically in the costumes wore by dancers. Moccasins, cuffs, chokers, arm bands, belts and suspenders are all fashion hi-lights of an earlier time.

Artwork in the form of beadwork has served as powerful symbols in the Native American ethnicity Beadwork started as decoration for every day clothing. Today, it is a wa for Native Americans to hold on to the past through festival and powwows. The dancer costume sends a strong signal of membership, one that can not be ignored.






resource used located here


shared this post on facebook here
retweet here

shared this artistic post on the following blog hops
decadent and delicious
wonderful wednesday 8/8 
saturday shuffle 8/18 


pinned to beauty and fashion

shared on fb group
blog support group == 8/8 pinterest / repin
grow your blog ct 8/19

Happy Belated Birthday Canada

Our neighbor to the north , Canada, celebrated a grand - day this week. July 1st, 2018 Canada celebrated it's 151st birthday. In 1867 the Constitution of Canada was signed, uniting the colonies of  the providence of Canada. The colonies Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Canada would all be under British control.

The date of July 1st was originally known as Dominion Day but in 1982 became known as Canada Day. The same year the Canada Act was passed allowing celebrations to take place all through the country as well as in places around the world.



Canada is more than a land of ice and snow. The summers in Canada will find temperatures over 100 degrees in the southern regions of Canada. Most hot summer days are normally in the 90s.

The second largest country in the world, Canada is located on the North America continent. To the south you will find the United States of America , while the rest of the country is surrounded by water. The Pacific, Arctic, and the Atlantic Oceans surround the country of Canada The country itself is made up of 10 provinces and 3 territories. Nunavut is the newest territory established in 1999. Pronounced Noon-a-voot it is around 2 million square miles.

picture courtesy of ABC news

The capital of Canada is Ottawa, Ontario. The first prime minster of Canada was John A. Mcdonald. The current Canadian prime minister is Justin Pierre James Trudeau. The leader of the Liberal Party since 2013 Trudeau is the 23rd current Prime Minister of Canada.



The Canadian maple leaf is the emblem found on the flag of Canada. The beaver is another emblem of Canada. The young country of Canada was over ran by beavers, a few millions. Beaver skin was highly sought after in England for beaver skin hats. 



retweet post here 
shared on facebook here



shared this celebration style blog post at
totally terrific tuesday
dishing it / digging it
inspire me monday

shared this post at fb group
blog big ==== comment 8/14
grow your blog ==== blog share 8/18
retweet the words ------ retweet 8/22

Just Joking


Hope you have a great day. While I was unable to share a joke with you on national joke day I hope you had a great day and enjoy my joke today. Have one to share?? would love to hear a joke of yours as well. Have  one to share?? Leave it in comments       

shared on facebook here
retweet post here


shared this post on blog hop
wonderful wednesday

shared on fb group at
social media network group === 8/7 blog post share

Heat Related Illness

Excessive heat is present this time of year. Be careful, the heat can lead to sunburns, heat cramps, heat exhaustion and even heat strokes. Heat cramps can start in the legs or stomach. When these start a cooler area must be found. In the cooler area stretch the muscle out and take in plenty of fluids start with 1/2 glass water or 4 ozs. every 15 minutes.

Heat cramps are muscle spasms that are normally in legs or abdominal muscles. They often occur after physical activity. These cramps occur because of salt reduction due to sweating. If heat cramps do occur take some time to sit or lie down in the shade, enjoy a sports drink or cool water, stretch out affected muscles. Medical attention should be sought if the individual has history of heart problems or if the cramps do not get better in an hour.



Heat exhaustion often appears with cool, moist, pale or flushed skin, heavy sweating, headache, nausea, dizziness, and / or all over weakness. A cooler place should be found. Tight clothing should be loosened a spray bottle with cool water should help here also a cool compress would be helpful. Small amounts of cold water should be offered Individuals that refuse water, vomit or start to black out should be sent to emergency room. Call 911 at once

Heat exhaustion left uncontrolled most often result in heat stroke. Quick action is needed. During moments of heat exhaustion:

  • move individuals to shaded or cooled areas
  • offer water or cool, nonalcoholic beverage to drink
  • a cool shower or applying wet towels should help




Heat strokes can be life threatening so quick action is needed. Signs of heat stroke include hot, dry red skin, moist skin may also be a sign. Blacking out, vomiting, high body temps are all signs of heat stroke as well. Altered mental status and hot skin are often present in heat stroke. Often seizures may happen as well. The local emergency number should be called at once. The individual should be taken to a cooler place, if possible wet down with cold water, or cover the individual with cold wet towels.

Heat strokes occur when the body can not sweat and the temperature of the body rises quickly. The body begins to cook the brain and vital organs when the body temp rises to dangerous levels in a quick period of time. Heat strokes are often fatal or long lasting damage to bod organs.

During a heat stroke do not:

  • offer aspirin or tylenol
  • offer anything to drink



Heat related illness can be avoided by limiting outdoor exposure on hot days. Using air conditioning is the best way to cool off. Drinking more water and avoiding alcohol will help to keep fluid level up. Wearing a hat with loose light clothing is a grand idea as well. Sweating will reduce salt in body so replace salt with fruit juice or sport drinks. 

The hottest part of the day occurs from 11 am to 3 pm so try to avoid doing outside activities during this time period. If you are outside remember to apply sunscreen to avoid sunburns and pace your activity so you do not exert your body. 

shared this weather related post at these blog parties
waste not wednesday
wined down wednesday 

retweet post here 
shard on facebook here 
shared at google communities at healthy living

shared at facebook group
  blog  big 8/7 facebook support 
blog big 8/13 comment

summer time memories and meal planning



memory Monday----

when I was a child I was lucky enough to have 2 sets of grandparents that loved me very much. Summer times were fun playing hide and seek, ball and so many other games at my grandmother Stewarts as there were kids there to play with. At my Grandma Hicks there were less kidsas me and my sister Kim Hammond loved to stay the night there. We would create our own games such as grocery store as grandma would keep empty containers for us to use to "shop with" we also had a set of books that we would spend time reading , and made up games as we went along. Oh those precious childhood memories of years gone by. What did you do on hot summer days??

The heat has hit and it is time to have a bit of fun and make meals that are delicious but with a cooler side to them. Here is what I will be serving our family:

Monday===
grilled cheese or cheese toast whatever you may call it what is the difference you may ask here is a post that may help you understand

Tuesday ====
this is the night that my son picks his choice polish sausage casserole with grilled peppers. and vidalia onion dip with veggies

Wednesday =====
We will be celebrating the 4th of July with many of our friends. On the menu will be a smorgasboard of food including hamburgers. By the way what do you take on your burger

Thursday ======
The crockpot will do the cooking on this day as we will be preparing for our weekend get away Thinking abut a fun filled fondue night for the family to share and have a great time.

Weekend====
we will be eating on the run as it is the large yardsale weekend, or at least one of them

What is on your menu this week

shared this post on facebook group
blog big first comment 8/7 
blog big fb / ct 8/14
retweet the words 8/16

pinned post on pinterest here 
retweet post here
post shared on facebook here

shared this food related post at
dare to share 
Menu Plan Monday
soft space hard place 

Sunday, July 1, 2018

Beat the Heat




Our bodies are in a constant battle to stay at the proper temp. This process often goes unnoticed, but there are those days that we can tell for sure. On hot days when our bodies are exposed to more hot weather than what it can handle we become very aware of the process our body goes through to stay cool. Every year, people die from exposure to excessive heat. These unintentional injuries and deaths caused by heat can come on with an escalation of speed. 



While heat stroke is the most severe there are other heat related illnesses that can come on without a warning as well. Heat exhaustion and heat cramps are two of the most common. Individuals most at danger include;
  • infants and young children
  • older individuals including the elderly among us
  • our pets are at risk as well
  • individuals with heart or long term illnesses
  • those who work outside
  • individuals who enjoy exercising. This ranges from beginners to athletes
  • individuals taking medications that slow sweat production
  • alcoholics and drug abusers are also at high risk-




Never leave children or pets in cars. The temperature inside the car can reach 120 degrees within minutes. In addition to this heat related guide here are a few more tips:

  • drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated. Avoid caffeine and alcohol related beverages
  • Dark colored clothing can easily absorb the sun's rays so whenever possible wear light colored, loose fitting clothing
  • Relax whenever possible on hot days by slowing down a bit and staying inside. Exercise in the early morning or late afternoon / early evening when day begins to cool down
  • When exercising, working in garden or yard use the buddy system to avoid excessive heat. Frequent breaks are a must as well
  • Check often on family and friends without air conditioning especially on those who spend lots of time alone or those most likely to be affected by heat
  • Animals should often be checked on as well. Ensure they have access to plenty of cool water
  • Search for areas such as schools, libraries, theaters, malls to escape heat during the warmest part of the day
In Review to help you 








  • retweet post here
  • shared on facebook here
  • this weather related post shared on these blog hops
  • friendship friday
  • happiness is homemade 



  • shared this blog post on fb group
  • twitter marketing twitter like / favorite 
  • retweet the words retweet 8/13