6 Essentials for Your Trip to the Pacific Northwest
6 Essentials for Your Trip to the Pacific Northwest Have you decided when you are coming to the Pacific Northwest? There is so much to do here anytime of year. The entire Pacific Northwest is an outdoor lover’s paradise, and that holds true no matter what the season. Boating–anytime. Fishing—anytime, though you will definitely want to fit salmon season into your schedule. Imagine hauling in your own! Camping—year round. Hiking...
Make your own Hamburger Buns with a Bread Machine
Make your own Hamburger Buns with a Bread Machine Now that I have a bread machine I try to avoid buying bread at the store. The machine makes it so easy and inexpensive to prepare it at home, and the aroma of bread baking spreads through the house. My review of this fantastic invention is right here. At first I stuck with loaves of bread, not sure I would do well making rolls. But the first time I tried them I found they are so easy...
Does Your Stuff Slow You Down?
Does Your Stuff Slow You Down? I read an article a week or two ago where the writer said she was so energized after clearing out an area of clutter that she was inspired to make soup stock. What a great feeling that is. Think about how often we get in that situation. We tend to collect and accumulate, from mugs and dishes to small appliances to paper. All of it stacks up, takes up space and can bring us to a full stop. Let’s face it,...
Book Review: Ice Cold, by Tess Gerritsen
Book Review: Ice Cold, by Tess Gerritsen This fast paced mystery may be my favorite by Tess Gerritsen. From the very beginning it pulled me right in. An impromptu ski trip, an accident in a snow storm leads to an unexpected find. A small group of houses that have been totally abandoned, and quite suddenly. That only begins the mystery within this great story. Missing people, an attempted rescue, someone watching them—or are they...
Garden Veggie Hot Dogs
Lettuce On A Hot-Dog. So have you ever had lettuce on your veggie hot-dogs before? Believe it or not, I’ve never had before until now. I opened up a can of vegetarian Big Franks. I put them in a fry pan and browned them up a bit. Normally these are just warmed up in a sauce pan. I had some fresh garden lettuce that I had in my refrigerator from a friend and thought why not, I’d give it a try. I chopped it up and topped it...
Apple Crisp, The Old Fashioned Way
Apple Crisp, The Old Fashioned Way Mom often made this simple, old fashioned apple crisp for us when we were growing up. It was always a favorite. Dad liked ice cream with it, but I like it just the way it is, especially when still warm from the oven. The flavor is delicious, the crumb topping just crumbly enough. It’s very easy to make too which is always a plus to me. The hardest (or most time consuming) part of the recipe is...
Cheesy Tuna Casserole with a Twist
Cheesy Tuna Casserole with a Twist Tuna casserole is one of this dishes you love or hate. Before you decide though, check it out. This one might be just a little bit different that the ones you’ve had in the past. Whenever I told my husband that I was making it for dinner, we would go out instead—guaranteed! While he apparently wasn’t fond of it, it was always one of my favorites, especially when it has all these ingredients in it!...
Hanging out with Alzheimer’s
Hanging out with Alzheimer’s Last week, one of the aides at Mom’s facility showed me a picture of one of the residents with her husband when they were young. It might have been their wedding photo, they looked so happy. They could have been taken right out of a scene from a Bing Crosby movie. He was dressed in a sailor uniform, she in a sweet dress. Both had big smiles on their very young faces. More often than not when...
Book Review: The Collector, By Nora Roberts
Book Review: The Collector, By Nora Roberts Nearly every year, Nora Roberts publishes a new stand alone romantic suspense novel. In 2014, the book was The Collector. It was an exciting story that I enjoyed so much. With Nora Roberts’ new stand alone novel due out in a couple of more months, it seems a good time to refresh my review of The Collector. It’s a book anyone would enjoy, male of female. Usually any romance included in Mr....
What Makes a Cozy Mystery?
What’s So Cozy About Murder? Recently reading a mystery I found in the reviews it was considered a “Cozy” mystery. I’ve read quite a few cozies. Often they are easy to spot. You’ll find a quilter’s club, bookstore owners, library cozies. They cover all types of topics that way. But the one I was reading didn’t seem to necessarily belong in that category. It roused my curiosity, so I decided to look into what constitutes a cozy....
The Marriage of Potatoes and Cauliflower
The Marriage of Potatoes and Cauliflower This time of year most of us are trying to shape up our eating habits. We want to stay on top of things, look at our diet with fresh focus and determination. It isn’t necessarily about dieting, but more about eating healthier food that is better for our bodies. There are countless books written on the subject, many of which are invaluable. But I’ve found if I can start small, find new ways to...
Trust your Eyes, Another Hit for Linwood Barclay
Trust your Eyes, Another Hit for Linwood Barclay Recently Linwood Barclay has become one of my favorite new authors. New to me, that is. The book, Trust your Eyes, is the one that started it all. The description of the book caught my eye. “a map obsessed schizophrenic” who rarely leaves his bedroom witnesses what he thinks is a murder. Naturally, with that twist, I had to read it. I enjoyed it so much! Part of the fun of Mr. Barclay’s...
Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars
Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars I’m in the mood for something rich, crunchy and chocolatey. Look what I picked. These delicious bars are one of my Mom’s recipes. Of course hers were always better, but mine came out quite tasty too. The recipe makes a 9×13 pan fun of delicious! There might be a lot of ingredients, but it is really an easy recipe to prepare. Once they are finished cooking, be sure to try one while they are still warm....
It’s Murder, My Son, by Lauren Carr
It’s Murder, My Son, by Lauren Carr It’s always a pleasure to find a new author you enjoy, and that is exactly what I have done with Lauren Carr. She has a series, considered by some to be ‘cozy’ mysteries. I think I would agree they are cozies. The word that comes to mind is “gentle.” This book was easy to read, light, with likable characters. Mr. Carr has managed to write an exciting mystery without explicit violence, sex, or bad...
Book Review: The Accident, by Linwood Barclay
BOOK REVIEW: THE ACCIDENT, BY LINWOOD BARCLAY Linwood Barclay is another new author to me, and a very pleasant surprise. Since mysteries and suspense/thrillers are my favorites, I get to read of lot of detective or police procedural novels. It’s perfect. I do love the genre. Because of that, it’s fun to happen on an author who has a different twist to begin with. Linwood Barclay does. This was the second book I’d read by him. I’ve now...
Book Review: The Cleaner, by Brett Battles
Book Review: The Cleaner, by Brett Battles What a great start to a series. The book, The Cleaner, by Brett Battles, is another exciting suspense thriller with a unique twist. The main character, Quinn, is an independent contractor who will step in after a ‘situation’ and clean up the scene. Do you want the bodies to disappear? Should there be an accident? Or perhaps simply nothing that shows anything happened at all. Mind you, he...
Book review: Eye for an Eye, by Ben Coes
Book review: Eye for an Eye, by Ben Coes Ben Coes has become another of my favorite new authors. When I say new, I mean in the last five years or so. His first novel was a wonderful find. Power Down was an amazing book, and will soon be the subject of another review. Eye for an Eye continues the tradition or suspense and excitement. Featuring recurring character, Dewey Andreas, in all his talented glory, the novel is a roller...
The Single Item that Simplified Camping for Me
The Single Item that Simplified Camping for Me What is it? A Food Saver Vacuum Sealing Kit If your family camps, I highly recommend you get one of these invaluable tools. If you only use it for your trips, it would be worth it, but I bet you will like how well it works and use it all the time. Mine was called a Seal-a-Meal. The updated name, The Food Saver Vacuum Sealing Kit. One year we decided to go to Yosemite for the Thanksgiving...
Want an Easy Way to Shampoo Your Own Carpet?
Want an Easy Way to Shampoo Your Own Carpet? This time of year, between the rain and dirt, the floors and the carpet tend to need more attention. Actually post holidays they usually do anyway. For me that usually meant paying someone $100 plus to come out and shampoo it for me several times a year, or renting a big unruly machine myself, hauling it to and from the store, and doing it myself. That didn’t sound so overwhelming when I...
D-I-Y Essential: The Magnetic Wristband
D-I-Y Essential: The Magnetic Wristband I love this magnetic wristband. So much so that I have to tell everyone about it. Isn’t it funny how some of the littlest inventions can be the most used, handiest gadgets around? Everyone in my family old enough to use a hammer or a screwdriver will be getting one of these sometime this year. Do you often find yourself on a ladder working on one project or another? It must be one of Murphy’s...
6 Essentials for Your Trip to the Pacific Northwest
6 Essentials for Your Trip to the Pacific Northwest Have you decided when you are coming to the Pacific Northwest? There is so much to do here anytime of year. The entire Pacific Northwest is an outdoor lover’s paradise, and that holds true no matter what the season. Boating–anytime. Fishing—anytime, though you will definitely want to fit salmon season into your schedule. Imagine hauling in your own! Camping—year round. Hiking...