50 more days until CHRISTMAS!!

This is remarkable! Even if you have no particular interest in baking, please pass on to the bakers in your life. They'll appreciate it. Just click on the name of the cookie and bam the recipe is there. Good to keep handy either by saving it in your drafts or in a word program.





1-2-3 Cookies 7 Layer Cookies Allie Nelson's Famous Snickerdoodle Cookies Almond Crescent Shortbread Amish Sugar Cookies Andies Candies Cookies Angel Crisps Angenets Applesauce Cookies Apricot Fold-Overs Aunt Edy's Molasses Crinkles Auntie Linda's Ginger Gems Bakeless Dream Cookies Banana Drop Cookies Best Chocolate Chip Cookies in the World Biscotti Biscotti Blueberry Cookies Boiled Chocolate Oatmeal Drop Cookies Bronwnies Brown Sugar Shortbread Brownie Cookies Brownie Delight Brownies Buccaneer Snowballs Buried Cherry Cookies Butter Cookies Butter Nut Balls Butterballs Butterscotch Haystacks C.O.P. Cookies Candy Cane Cookies Candy Cookies Caramel Shortbread Cheesecake Brownies Cherry Buns Cherry Crowns Cherry Winks Chewies Chewy Noels Chinese Chews/Haystacks Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Chocolate Chip Cookies Chocolate Chip Meltaways Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies Chocolate Christmas Trees Chocolate Cream Cheese Squares Chocolate Crinkles Chocolate Mint Snow-Top Cookies Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies (no bake) Chocolate Snowball Cookies Chocolate Streusel Bars Chocolate Sundae Cookies Chocolate Walnut Crumb Bars Choco-Scotch Crunchies Choose A Cookie Dough Recipe Christmas Crackers Christmas Crunch Bars Christmas Ginger Snaps Christmas Macaroons Christmas Mice Cookies Christmas Shaped Cookies Church Window Cookies Coconut Cookies Congo Squares Cookie in a Jar Corn Flakes Cookies Cornflake Christmas Wreaths Cowboy Cookies (oatmeal) Cream Cheese Cookies with Apricot Filling Crème De Menthe Chocolate Squares Crème Wafers Crescent Cookies Crispy Crunchies Date Nut Balls Date-nut Pinwheel Cookies Diabetic Peanut Butter Cookies Disgustingly Rich Brownies Doodles Double chocolate chip cookies Double-Chocolate Crinkles Eatmore Cookies Eggnog Cookies Elizabeth's Sugar Cookies Elves Quick Fudge Brownies Emily Dickinson's Gingerbread Cookie Recipe Emily's Best Brownies Famous Oatmeal Cookies Firemen Cookies Fluffy Shortbread Cookies Forgotten Cookies Frosted Peanut Butter Brownies Fruit Cake Cookies Fruitcake Squares Fry Pan Cookies Gems Ginger Cookies Ginger Crinkles Gingerbread Baby Gingerbread Cookies with Butter Cream Icing Gingerbread Men Gingerbread Men Ginny's Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies Glory's Golden Graham Squares Glory's Sugar Cookies Gramma Chapman's chocolate coconut drops Grandma Elsie's Zimt (cinnamon) Cookies Grandma J's Butter Cookies Grandma Olson's Parkay Cookies Great Grandmothers Sugar Cookies Gum Drop Cookies Gumdrop Gems Haystack Cookies Ho-Ho Bars Holiday Cereal Snaps Holiday Chocolate Butter Cookies Holiday Raisin Walnut Bars Holly Cookies Hungarian Cookies (Little Nut Rolls) Ice Box Cookies Irresistible Peanut Butter Cookies Italian Cookies Jacob's Peppermint Snowballs Jam Bars Jessica's Famous Brownies Jessie's Chocolate Chip Cookies Jubilee Jumbles Juliet's Peanut Butter Blossoms Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookies Kentucky Colonels Kiefle (cream cheese cookies with jam filling) Kifflings Kiss Cookies Lacy Swedish Almond Wafers Lemon Angel Bar Cookies Lemon Bars Lemon Cake Cookies Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies Lemon Squares Linzer Tarts Log Cabin Cookies Luscious Lemon Squares M&M Cookies Magic Cookie Bars Melt in Your Mouth Cutout Sugar Cookies Melting Shortbread Meme's Cream Cheese Cookies Milk Chocolate Florentine Cookies Mincemeat Cookies Mincemeat Goodies Molasses Cookies Molasses Forest Cookies Molasses Sugar Cookies Mom Mom's Crescent Cookies Mom-Mom's Ginger Cookies Mom's Nutmeg Sugar Cookies Mom's Old Fashion "Puffy" Sugar Cookies Monster Cookies Moravian Christmas Cookies Nana's Famous Soft Southern Cookies Nitey Nite Cookies No Bake Chocolate Cookies No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies No Bake Cookies No Bake Cookies No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies No-Bake Cookies Norwegian Sugar Cookies Nut Balls Oatmeal Bars Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Nut Cookies Oatmeal Coconut Crisps Oatmeal Cookies Oatmeal Scotchies Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies Ooey Gooey Caramel Chocolate Dunk Ooey Gooey Squares Orange Slice Cookies Parking Lot Cookies Peanut Blossoms Peanut Butter Bars Peanut Butter Blossoms Peanut Butter Cereal Cookies Peanut Butter Chewies Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars Peanut Butter Cookies Peanut Butter Cookies Peanut butter fingers Peanut Butter Reindeer Peanut Butter Surprises Peanut Marshmallow Cookies Pecan Puff Cookies Peppermint Snowballs Peppernuts Persimmon Cookies Persimmon Cookies Petey's Yummy Spicy Almond Thins Pfeffernuesse Pffefferneuse Cookies Pineapple Filled Cookies Pizzelles Potato Chip Cookies Potato Flake Cookies Praline Cookies Praline Strips Pterodactyl Nests Pumpkin Bars Pumpkin Bars Pumpkin Chip Cookies Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Pumpkin Cookies Queen Biscuits Quick Cookies Raised Sugar Cookies Raisin Filled Oatmeal Bars Raspberry Meringue Bars Really Peanutty Butter Cookies Reese`s Brownies Reese's Peanut Butter Bars Rich Flavor Christmas Cookies Rich Lemon Bars Ricotta Cheese Cookies Royal Almond Christmas Bars Rudolph Cinnamon Cookies Russian Tea Cookies Russian Teacakes Samantha & Kelsey's Chocolate Chip Cookies Sand Art Brownies Santa Claus Cookie Pops Santa Claus Cookies Santa's Butterscotch Melts Santa's Shorts Santa's Special Squares Scotch Cakes Scotch Shortbread Scotcharoos Scotcheroos Seven Layer Cookies Short Bread Cookies Shortbread Skor Squares Snicker Doodle Cookies Snickerdoodles Snickerdoodles Snow Balls Sour Cream Apple Squares Sour Cream Christmas Cookies Special K Cookies Spice Cookies Spicy Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Spritz Cookies Stained Glass Window Cookies Stir & Drop Sugar Cookies Sugar Cookies Sugar Cookies Sugar Cookies Swedish Pepparkakor (Pepper Cake) Cookies Swedish Sugar Cookies Sweet Marie's Swiss Treats Taralle (Italian Cookies) Tea Time Tassies Texas Brownies The Best Shortbread in The World Thumbprint Cookies Thumbprint Cookies Toffee Squares Traditional Christmas Sugar Cookies Traditional Gingerbread Men Cookies Triple-Chocolate Chip Cookies Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies Vanilla Waffer Balls Walnut Butter Cookies Walnut Crumb Bars White Chip Chocolate Cookies Wild Oatmeal Cookies Will's Famous Apple Jack Cookies Yummy Yummy Peanut Butter Blossoms

Let er blow

THis post was in my drafts, I do not know when it was written, but gosh it kinda fits right now!  No we havent lost our power, and I think this was a few years ago.  What the hell, Im posting it.  might as well!

Merry Christmas.  This is Owen, my Great Grandson, picking out a christmas tree with his grandparents and Patrick his Uncle.

The wind blew in from the South  which is highly unusual.  Normally we get our wind from the West or the North.  This Southern wind means that the Low pressure system has gone ashore below the Olympic Mountains and is moving up the Sound.  This can be a bad thing for us.  The Olympics keep the weather off of us here on Whidbey Island, by splitting the systems that hit the Southern face of the Mountains.  It sends the winds around the Eastern edge and Around the Northern Edge.  Sometimes they meet in the middle.  This is what has happened today.  The Winds from the South are fierce, but it is the winds that will soon hit from the West that will bring us the danger.  When they come around the Western side and then turn and head East into the Strait, they meet the resistance of the mountains on both sides of the strait, and the wind gets funneled through the gap between US and Canada, and increases in wind speed.  Tatoosh Island on the North Western edge of the US clocked winds of 91 MPH.  That is about 30 miles as the crow flies from my front door. 

Yep, we got hammered!  We lost our power about 230 AM on Tuesday night,, and left is in the dark.  I could hear trees and branches breaking all around me, but nothing hit the house.  The alders in the back were bent way over in the force of these winds.  I am afraid of the dark, and my night light went out too.  I grabbed one of the 25 flashlights I had beside my bed and headed in to get the candles and the lanterns.  I peeked out the front door and it was BLACK out there.  I could see the lights of Port Townsend peeking around the edge of the big white monster they built across the street, so I knew it wasn’t EVERY one.

I got the candle lit (a big apothecary candle from Yankee Candle) and put it on the bathroom sink to give me light.  Then I pulled the covers over my head and tried to sleep.  The wind was whacking pretty loudly, and it made it hard to sleep.  I kept hearing garbage cans rolling down the road.  (Garbage day was Wednesday, so all the cans were out early. ) 

When I got up the power was back on, so I jumped up and made a pot of coffee, and then it went out again.  I sat at my desk and looked out the front window, and read the latest Gourmet Magazine.  All the leaves are now off the Maple tree, and the Robins have found the tiny crab apples left on that tree, They were clinging with their little feet all hooked around the branches of the tree.  They would grab a tiny apple berry in their beak, and then try to swallow it all while trying to stay up right on the tree.  The back feeders are all empty, the wind has blown all seed onto the ground, so the rats and squirrels can find it easier.  The doves are happy too, as they like to ground feed. 

I had to get out the Coleman stove and lantern, and cooked my breakfast and lunch sitting at the dining room table.  There is just something about cooking on the camp stove that makes it taste so much better.  We did not lose our pump, so water was no problem.  I built a fire in the woodstove, and turned my chair around so that it faced the fire, and tried to relax.  The Phone kept ringing.  People checking up on each other.  I have a cordless phone everywhere but in my bedroom where I have an old fashioned Princess style phone beside my bed. 

I moved into the bedroom, layed on my stomach and propped my self up on my elbows, and was doing crossword puzzles.  Then it hit me, That this is not the fun that I remembered it to be.  We used to all gather around the fireplace with lanterns and play games, Cootie, Parcheesi, Scrabble, War, Books, etc. and roast hotdogs and marshmallows.  It was exciting!  We were camping in the livingroom.  I carried this tradition on with me and when we lost power when my kids were still home, We would camp in the livingroom too.  It is not the same when you live alone.  It is boring.  It is lonely, and when you are in dire straights, or feel that you might be, you want someone there with you.  At least I do.  So at 845 I glanced over at the lantern because it was sputtering, and then I noticed that my clock was flashing…HUH?  So I got up and turned on the lights…VOILA!!  Power.  I called Phyllis and said “Please tell me the power JUST came back on…”  Nope says she, it had come on about an hour before!  ARRRGHH!!

I got up, went around and turned on the needed lights, caught the last 15 minutes of JERICO, and came in to check email.  I had used my laptop until the battery had gone out, but I still had over 68 spam mail. 

I have rambled on long enough, But I just wanted to tell everyone that yes, we are fine.  Whidbey was the worst hit, but we are fine.  I guess it made national news because a long lost cousin called.  LOLOL  What  a way to get back in touch with family!  LOL

More storms coming,  so cross your fingers that this will dump tons of snow on us!  Now THAT is fun!!!

Merry Christmas to all.....2012

Uncle and Nephew, and not who'd you think!

This is Tim, My Son and Patrick, His son, on Patrick's first Halloween, well, really his second, as he was only a week old on his first one.

 This is Patrick age 1 year and 3 weeks, with Owen, Patrick's NEPHEW, who is 2 years and 4 weeks old .

Just so you dont get confused, Patrick is wearing the mustache so you can tell he is the UNCLE!  His sister is visiting with Owen her Son, and His Sister is 20 years old.  I know gets confusing huh?  These two adorable boys will grow up as litter mates, if you will, and will grow and play as contemporaries, but they really are Uncle and nephew.  Patricks Mother has 7 children, 6 from another marriage, and The 20 year old is the oldest.  She had Owen when she was 17, almost 18.   Patricks Mother started early herself, and is only 36 right now.  She is a very brave woman.  i dont know that I could have had a baby when I was her age, much less when I was 16!  Patrick is a healthy happy well adjusted baby, and of course he is the apple of my eye!  Owen is my Great-Grandson, by marriage, even though I rarely get to see him.

I just wish i lived closer so I could see them all the time.  They are both adorable little boys!  Tim is LOVING being a daddy and a grandpa!

My sweet Patrick....

 Learning how to eat with utensils!  He has been nursed since birth and is almost a year old.

                                       THe newest American Idol contestant...dont ya think?

                                                       Not too happy with this costume thing

                                                                 Liking the rice and green beans

                      His Mommie's companion dog, and obviously she has decided that Patrick is no threat to her.

                                                            First Chocolate Cupcake!

                                                      He loves sleeping on his daddy!

                                                       Hey there!  wanna take a bath with me?

                                                  Such a messy boy

                                                          

This is Patrick in his 2nd Halloween costume!  Last year he was 1 week old, and they put him in a monster costume and he was a little doll!  He will be a whole Year old next THursday.  and he has gotten so BIG>

Gorgeous Fall!

 I just LOVE this time of the year!  The light in the afternoon is low and long, and casts a whole new look on the colors of fall.  We do not have a lot of color up here, as we are mostly conifer, but occasionally we get the uber dry fall which makes the deciduous trees all the more colorful.   We are going on to our 79th day of no rain.  This is a record breaker for us.  By now we normally have our first really strong wind storm and the rains drive us out of our gardens and inside to the fireplace.

 The pumpkins and squash and corn are abundant this year, leading everyone to come up with newer and different ways of displaying their gardens bounty.  You can eat it or display it, up to you, some even do BOTH,  Display it and then EAT it.

Looking out my bedroom window this morning, I saw my first squirrel in two years!  I was thrilled!  I went from a steady stream of chipmunks, grey squirrels and Douglas squirrels to NOTHING this year.  I was wondering where they had all gone.  Today a young juvenile was dashing back and forth from the bird feeder to the grass burying every sunflower and nut he could find!  SO either I will have quite a few visitors this winter, or a lot of sunflowers popping up in my sumer lawn next year.

I am cold, Think I will go build a fire in the fireplace.  just feels like one of those kind of days. 

Autumn in THe Pacific Northwest

Fall has hit with a slap this week.  THe trees are all losing their  Leaves, and the Garden is going nuts trying to push out veggies before the weather turns too nasty.  We have not had any measurable rain in over 2 months, so everything in this state is firecracker dry.  The alders behind the house are crackly dry, and the first real blow we have will push them over.  I HOPE!  They are now 40+ feet tall, and are taking over my back yard and the sun!

I am so tempted to go back there and cut notches in the East side of them all so when the wind DOES hit, (and it will_) they will all fall to the east and open up the forest again.  THere are a few evergreens in the forest, but this has been logged over about 40 years ago, and the weed trees took over.

TOnight and last night we have had a beautiful Harvest Moon, but I cant see it because of the trees.  I have to wait until about now for it to clear the tree tops and by then it is high in the sky and not colorful any more.  With the eastern half of the state on fire, the smoke in the air makes for Gorgeous sunsets and rises and Moon rises too.

It has been relatively warm during the day, but cold into the 40's at night.  Quilt and blanket weather, and fuzzy socks in bed too.  I do love the cooler nights!  I am looking forward to the later Fall weather.  In October and November is when our hurricane force winds hit, and it is so neat to know that you are snug and warm and ready for them to knock out the power and blow down the trees.  I am safe.  no big trees to the West of me where the winds come roaring down the strait of Juan de Fuca and smack right into my house.  My roof is good and strong, and trees out back will fall into the woods, not over the back fence.  I wish Icould afford to buy that 50 acres, and put cows and pigs back there.  That would SURELY piss off the community.  (no livestock allowed in the development)  but the 50 acres back there is not a part of the cove.  But it belongs to a conglomerate, and they wont sell for a reasonable price.  DAMN>

Rosie the female Kitty is doing great.  I found a home for Fred, so I just have the one now, and she is turning this house on its ear.  she rules the roost!  Is a bit intimidated by the resident old fogey, Schroeder, who sits under the bed and growls and hisses at her, but she is learning to just swat back.

Well by bed should be warm by now, hope this works I used a different button to get to my Blog this time.

Gypsy!

 The next show for the Whidbey Playhouse 2012-13 season is the Musical Gypsy which is based on the true story of the most famous burlesque dancer of all time.  Miss Gypsy Rose Lee.  This is also the story of ROSE her mother, who has been known as the stage mother of all stage Mothers, and her push to make her Babies famous so that she can live vicariously through them.

 Ya gotta have a Gimmick!  

 Baby June,...  My name is June, What's YOURS?

 Have an Eggroll Mr. Goldstone!

 If Momma was married....

 Together wherever we go.

The strippers....Ya gotta have a gimmick!

The show opens tonight and runs through October 21, 2012.  Tickets are on sale at the boxoffice 360-679-2237.  

Mary Lou I Need help!

 So was the voice on the other end of the phone as I answered My SIster's call.  I need to know how to feed a week old kitten.  What?  where?  How?  I asked.  She said that 2 little boys found these kittens with their eyes just barely open in the weeds behind the fence. 

THey Knew Phyllis was a sucker for stray cats, so they took them to her. She called me because she knows that I have fostered kittens before.

 I immeddiately dropped what I was doing and rushed over to her house.  I could her the babies yelling for their mom as soon as I got out of the car.  I knew that if Mom was anywhere around, she would be there licketty split.  But she wasn't.  I thought that since there was only two of them that maybe Mom was moving her litter from here to there, but No Mom showed up. 

 I took the babies home with the help of her neighbors, who had run to walmart and purchsed bottles and formula for them.    They were so SMALL!  they both fit into my hand.  Every 4 hours, they had to be fed, and cleaned!  Yep, Momma cat licks their little bottoms so they will poop and pee.  I did not know that!
I got paper towels and baby wipes and made formula and every four hours they would wake me up to be cared for.  THey were weak, so I took them to the vet, and 144.00 later, I took home two baby kittens, who were de-fleaed, de-wormed, and had eye drops in their eyes!  He weiged them and said that they may not make it, but try.  I did.

 A month later, I have two adorable 5 week old babies, full of life, full of orneryness, and full of shit!  I have them pottie trained, and I just yesterday took them off of formula, and they are now eating Kitten chow, and Fancy Feast Breakfast, twice a day.  They do not like the water dish, but they are getting used to it. 

 Every morning after they have their breakfast, I get them and bring them into my bed with me while I drink a cup of coffee and wait for the sun to leave my window and go over the house. 

 They snuggle, they play, they attack feet and fingers, and they drive theirt big sister and Brothers crazy.

 LIttle Rosie has the strangest fur.  It is about 3 inches long, but it is really curly under neath, looks like she is missing patches of fur, but she isnt! 

 She also goes really limp when I pick her up.  Almost like she has died.  SHe hasnt, just goes reallly limp like a rag doll.  (hrmmm)

 Her brother is the biggest one of them.  He is a siamese marked kitten with tons of energy!  He has helped her a lot!  He shows her where to potty and how to eat.

 Rosie is going to have green eyes, but Fred (flintstone) is going to keep he beautiful blue ones.

 A firend of mine will take him home in a week, and he will meet his brother George (Jetson) and his other brother who I dont know.

 I will keep Rosie, as Kittens are my most favorite thing in the whole world.  And after all the hours I have put into helping her live, I dont want her to go to a stranger. 

 Could you give up this darling little face?

 Please people, Spay and Neuter your cats as soon as they are old enough and for GOD's sake if you have any feelings for them at all , keep them in the house!  Do not let them out where they will catch diseases and be Coyote Lunch, or fight with Raccoons.

Take them to the Vet and have them fixed.  Rosie and Fred will not have babies, they will be fixed in about two months.  Then they will remain indoor cats and be happy until they go on across the Rainbow bridge, hopefully after a long life!