the weathermen were right

That's my daughter's tweet on a digital billboard in OKCity
So far, the news says we've got about 8 inches of snow and may get 4 more before the storm front moves on.
These are not the best pictures, I could not walk out into that snow and was just standing in doorways while I took them. It's too cold and mess to actually go out in this stuff!
You can really see how the wind blew around the snow into deep drifts in the 3rd and
5th picture.

Grandpa's Bread

This is the recipe for my grandparents daily bread. Both Grandma and Grandpa were the best bakers and I learned how to make this bread from Grandpa.
It's just about the simplest bread recipe I've ever come across. And the best tasting. No fancy ingredients or equipment needed.
This bread is perfect for breakfast toast, sandwiches and just eating with any meal.

Grandpa's Bread
2 cups warm water
1 package yeast
1 t salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil - they used Wesson or Crisco oil - I used melted butter
about 6 cups of flour - they used all-purpose flour, I used 2 cups of whole wheat and 4 cups of unbleached
dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water. Then stir in the salt, oil and most of the flour. Mix well, then knead until you have a smooth dough. They kneaded it all by hand, I let my Kitchenaid mixer do most of the work
Let dough rise in an oiled bowl, covered with a clean kitchen towel, until at least double in size.
Punch down. Divide in 2. Shape into loaves and place in greased bread pans.
Let rise again, until at least double.
Bake at 375 for 35-45 minutes.

Here's my dough after the first rising, I even have their Pyrex bowl.

my 2 loaves baked

A loaf of bread lasts about 3 days with Jeff, Theo and I. I sliced both loaves, put them in Tupperware, and put the second loaf in the freezer for later in the week.

Linked up to Gayles Grocery Cart Recipe Challenge

Sepia Saturday - vintage farm dogs

On my grandparents farm, they always had a farm dog. I was just 3 or 4 and playing alone at the farm. A rooster that jumped on my back and the farm dog Doc chased away that mean rooster. When the attack was over, I went in the farmhouse and told my parents and grandparents that "Doc saved me"
I don't remember any dogs ever coming in the house. They lived outside, ate scraps left from the evening meal and earned their keep by watching over the land and farm animals.

This is Grandpa, why he was on a bicycle is a mystery, but that is definitely a farm dog getting in the picture.

I'm not sure who this baby is, it might be my mom. Whoever it is, they sure seem to like the dog.

My mom, Uncle Bill is wearing a cowboy hat and is kind of behind her and the dog.

Uncle Jarvis with one of his much-loved bird dogs.

Visit Sepia Saturday for more sepias - and participate if you have some sepias to share.

Oh My....not again

we've finally had really nice spring-like weather this week. In fact, today it is supposed to be close to 70 - but not for long....
here is tomorrow's weather forecast.
we live in the county shaped like a submarine, in the pink part of course



I am going to enjoy today while we can. I hung out the laundry on the clothesline and now Theo and I are going for a walk. And I guess I better make sure the snow shovel is in a handy place.

Don't forget to wear a little green today....

Happy St. Patricks Day to you all.
This Irish Blessing Sampler was made by my mom from a Jane Snead kit years ago. It still lives at their house but I think my brother and son have both requested it.

these next 2 are here at my home - everyone need a bunny in a leprechaun hat, don't they?

YoPlus Gift Pack Giveaway

MyBlogSpark has provided me with another great giveaway. I've already got my gift pack from them and they will send the same thing to the winner on my blog. The prize pack is a coupon for a free 4-pack of Yoplait YoPlus yogurt, a YoPlus on-the-go lunch container with utensils, an insulated lunch bag, and a pedometer.
Jimmy has already claimed my lunch pack, he thinks it will be perfect to pack his food for his long days at law school. The container has a freezable cold pack right inside and is still small enough to fit easily in a back pack and hold a sandwich with some sides.

YoPlus is available in six flavors including Strawberry, Vanilla, Cherry, Peach, Blackberry Pomegranate and Blueberry Acai.
YoPlus Light is available in three flavors – Honey Vanilla, Strawberry Banana, and Key Lime – all with just 70 calories per cup.



To enter, just tell me which flavor you would think sounds best, I tried the Key Lime and it is light with a very fresh taste.
I'll pick the winner next Monday, March 22.

here is a link to print a $1 coupon if YoPlus is something you want to try.
coupon

thank you for reading and entering

Thrift store finds and a hello from a sweet puppy

First, our sweet dog Theo wants to tell you all hello....can't you just tell he is a sweety by looking at him?

Now, on to the thrift store finds. Since I had already spent my morning repairman sitting, I spent the afternoon thrifting.

big pile of goodies - I'll break it down below

a cute puppy and shirt for grandson Gavin, 2 pears and a a pear stamp - I had so much fun using that rose stamp on the pantry wall, I know this pear will be fun to stamp somewhere
2 books and a pretty old plate, all 25 cents each

vintage patterns - just 10 cents each

a really long piece of shamrock fabric and 3 packs of vintage trim
I just unfolded that shamrock fabric, long is right! There are 22 yards and it was just $4

the little bluebirds are salt and pepper shakers.
I am pretty sure this fat blue bird will end up in Elizabeth's nursery!

Baby Elizabeth's room

I spent the morning at John and Nina's home. They were both at work and I was there while the 2 Sears washing machine repairmen worked over their washer.
While the repairmen worked, I was also working, doing some alterations to the dust ruffle for the crib.


The Crib - bedding is from Pottery Barns Kids, furniture is from a local store called Wiggles and Giggles and was a gift from John's mom and stepdad.

the dust ruffle has several pretty rows of ribbon, trim and rick rack. But the bar along the bottom of the bed hid all the trim. So I added some white fabric where those bars are and then hemmed the whole thing so now, the trim shows!

The dresser - the name letters were made by their friend Emily

Nina saw a similar piece of art to this one at PBKids but she made a knock- off, much cheaper and cuter!

Really, really cute, huh? Now we just have to wait until June when the baby arrives.

another project and an announcement

I don't think I have told you all that we will have a granddaughter in June!
This picture is our daughter Nina, taking a picture in their baby's nursery. Nina and John are expecting Elizabeth, their first baby in just a few months.
I think the nursery is about ready, I am going over there later to wait for a repairman and will take some more pictures of the nursery to show.
Yes, the walls are blue and the baby is a girl - John is a football coach and did not want things too girly - he may be in for some surprises down the road - but he is a good guy and I am sure he will be a great dad, even if Elizabeth is as girly a girl as her momma.




I found this old maternity top pattern at a thrift store for a dime and made Nina one top from it from a cute black and white print. Sorry, no picture though.
She liked it and picked out 4 more pieces of fabric from the sewing room.

I finished them up today and think they turned out pretty good. Nina is on the tall side so I added a couple of inches to length of all of them.

Sepia Saturday - one day late

These are pictures of my dad, he mostly grew up in Garber, Oklahoma. Dad is the
3rd boy in this picture, sadly, he says his other 3 buddies have all passed away.

He spent lots of time swimming at the Garber pool.

This is his high school football team, Dad is holding the football on the front row.
Garber has always called itself "Home of Champions" and it is still true, Garber won the class B state football championship in December and last night they won the basketball championship.

For more great pictures, visit Poetikat's Sepia Saturday

Sepia Saturday was yesterday but I am a day late as I came down with a terrible stomach bug/food poisoning or something. And I am very thankful to be better now!

Pantry re-dos - the projects that I thought would take 1 day but really took all week

Our home has 2 pantries, one is regular closet size and was mostly used for storage of cleaning supplies, cookbooks, and miscellaneous kitchen stuff.
The other pantry is bigger and has always held food. We have less food items with just Jeff and I living here but we seem to have lots of stuff so I wanted to switch the 2 pantries around. I also want to add some color to them.
So, last Sunday, I emptied everything out of the smaller pantry and thought this job would go so quickly. Well, sweet Gavin spent 3 days with me and I went to the VA hospital with Jeff one day and then on the other day, I mostly did regular home cleaning and a little shopping. But by Friday afternoon, somehow, the change-around was complete.


Before - big pantry


After - now it has red-check shelf liner with an ivory lace-look shelf trim
Can you see all the cookbooks? Uncle Rex gave me a big stack of his when he moved to the retirement home and now I have room for all the cookbooks in one spot


top shelf holds my cake pedestals, punch bowls and cups and plates - I don't use them every day but they are pretty and I like to look at them often

the bottom shelf holds Jeff's barbecue tools and pans

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Junk pantry before

After - I painted the walls green, lined the shelves with white shelf liner and added a trim on the front. I cut strips from vinyl lace tablecloths to make the trim and I really like the old-fashioned look.





I used a rose sponge stamp to add a little more color to this food pantry. I'd never sponge stamped on a wall before but it was fun and easy, and I may just put some more roses somewhere else.

Sepia Saturday

It''s been a busy week and this is my only blogpost all week. But I think these pictures are so fun, I had to share them.

I think this might of been a New Years Eve party.
The men are my Uncle Rex, cousin Kendall and I don't recognize the 3rd man.


Men at one table, the women at another.....
I think their little farm house decor, in the 50s, was just charming.

Uncle Rex resting, probably reading the weather or a farm report or maybe the sports page.

I expect Uncle Rex was going to eat both of these waffles, how he is posing with them is really funny to me!


for more Sepia Saturday, visit PoetiKat's blog - all the stories and photos are special and interesting.
I am so glad she hosts this one.

Sepia Saturday

My grandparents were farmers in rural Oklahoma. To get to school, my mom and her siblings mostly rode a horse to school. This is still hard for me to imagine even though I know its true.

This first picture is my Aunt Bernice and Uncle Rex (Mom, correct me if this is Uncle Cecil)



The next four pictures are my mom and Uncle Bill with the horse they rode to school. Her name was Topsy.
I really like that Grandma is in the background of this picture, can you see her on the porch? Guessing at my mom's age here, I think these pictures were taken around 1938.








for more Sepia Saturdays, visit the homepage, but I'm warning you, the pictures and stories that go with them are so good, you will want to read them all.