This is a true story of Halloween night at my house last year.

THE OLD WITCH
On halloween night I opened my door to four trick-or-treaters, dressed like a skeleton, a pumpkin, a vampire and something unidentifiable. One I recognized as a neighbor boy, through layers of face paint.

I live at the end of a dead end street without street lights, in a quiet neighborhood. The night was black as coal so I could barely see the silhouetted heads of their mothers in the street in front of my house, as they patiently waited in the drizzling rain.
I dropped fistfuls of sugary treats into the boy's bags, smiling at the squeaky little boy voice saying 'thank-you' from the fanged, bloody mouth of a ferocious vampire.

Just as these brave boys turned to leave there was a horrific flash of lightning and the immediate explosion of thunder. It sounded like a bomb. My front deck shook, and the windows rattled, as for a split second the flash of lightning cast terrifying shadows on the trees in my front yard.
I should have felt sorry for the boys, but when I saw them running in four directions as fast as their legs could carry them, screeching like little girls, I couldn't control my laughter.
I'm sure they thought they had visited an old witch because I was laughing like one as they ran.

I wonder if they will be back this year? 

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Children's Science Exam - actual answers given

Q: Name the four seasons.
A: Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar.

Q: Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to
drink.
A: Flirtation makes water safe to drink because it removes large
pollutants like grit, sand, dead sheep and canoeists.

Q: How is dew formed?
A: The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire.

Q: How can you delay milk turning sour? (brilliant, love this!)
A: Keep it in the cow.

Q: What causes the tides in the oceans?
A: The tides are a fight between the Earth and the Moon. All water
tends to flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature hates a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins in this fight.

Q: What are steroids?
A: Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs.

Q: What happens to your body as you age?
A: When you get old, so do your bowels and you get intercontinental.

Q: What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty?
A: He says good-bye to his boyhood and looks forward to his adultery.

Q: Name a major disease associated with cigarettes.
A: Premature death.

Q: How are the main parts of the body categorized? (e.g., abdomen.)
A: The body is consisted into three parts - the brainium, the borax
and the abdominal cavity. The brainium contains the brain; the borax
contains the heart and lungs, and the abdominal cavity contains the five bowels A, E, I, O, and U.

Q: What is the fibula?
A: A small lie.

Q: What does "varicose" mean? (I do love this one...)
A: Nearby.

Q: Give the meaning of the term "Caesarean Section."
A: The Caesarean Section is a district in Rome.

Q: What does the word "benign" mean?'
A: Benign is what you will be after you be eight.

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CHICKEN FRIED

 
I watched Food 911 a few days back and saw Tyler Florence create Chicken Fried Steak. I watched him dish up with garlic mashed pototoes and greens cooked with hamhock, and fluffy buttermilk biscuits, I knew I would have to try it.
so I found the recipe on the internet, and picked up the ingredients I needed and last night I made it.

I pounded the steak and marinaded it in seasoned buttermilk, just like he did, fried the one inch pieces of bacon to use for garnish, then went through the messy job of dredging the steak in flour, egg and then flour again before it hit the pan. I followed the recipe carefully but did not use the hot sauce because it hurts my tummy.
I did like Tyler said and cooked it on low heat, seven minutes per side. When I turned it and saw the beautiful golden brown, I was impressed.

I had made Kale greens with bacon and mashed potatoes, but skipped the biscuits. I made the gravy, with buttermilk, just like Tyler did and when I dished up and drizzled the gravy over the steak it looked very professional. I even garnished it with the bacon and parsley, just like he did.

By the time I was done, I was very ready to eat. It smelled ok and looked like a gourmet meal. I had to take a picture of my plate because I planned to share the recipe on my blog.

Well, I won't post the recipe. It was perfectly awful.
My tummy does flip-flops when I think about it.
Maybe it was the spices, or the egg .....or maybe I just don't like chicken fried steak.

DO you have a recipe for it that you like? 

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COMEON SUCKA, MAKE MY DAY! 

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HALLOWEEN IN THE 40'S

 

We didn't have costumes, jack-o-lantern's, scary face flashlights or a decorated container to collect our treats in but boy, did we ever have a good time!
Halloween officially began in school a few weeks before, where our teacher tacked up construction paper pumpkins and black cats in our room.
On Halloween day, about an hour after lunch, those who had costumes put them on and we would parade through all the classrooms.
Back in our room just before dismissal, our teacher would pass out treats that she or a parent provided.

Then at home, the forever-long wait until it was considered dark enough for us to go trick-or-treating. We lived next door to my cousins so my sister and I went with them. It was considered safer as we had a few undesirable men in the neighborhood.
We sometimes dressed in mom or grandma's dresses and hats, but usually just wore our regular clothes. Sometimes mom would paint our faces with make-up to resemble something totally unidentifiable, especially after wiping the perspiration from our frenzied faces.
A few times we cut holes in a paper sack to resemble eyes, nose and mouth and wore it on our head as a mask, but it always got twisted so we couldn't see where we were going. After running into one another a few times, they were quickly discarded.

Plastic grocery bags had not been invented, so we collected our treats in a paper bag. If it was raining and the bag got wet, we lost our loot. Some of the older kids collected their treats in a pillow case.
Our neighborhood was not wealthy, so treats given were generally an apple from a backyard tree, (sometimes wormy) maybe a cookie or a penny candy.
However, on the hill overlooking our neighborhood, were wealthy people in gorgeous homes, and our classmates told about the incredible treats received there. Things like five cent candy bars, which were larger than the fifty-nine cent regular size bars today. Also whole packages of gum and sometimes even a ten cent treat, which was unheard of in our neighborhood.

One Halloween an unusually large amount of trick-or-treaters came to our house and when we ran home to use the bathroom, mom explained that her treats were all gone and told us that if we would dump our loot into her treat bowl she would let us go 'up on the hill' to trick-or-treat.
You can't imagine how fast we drained our tanks and dumped our treats! Our skinny, young legs ran several up-hill blocks in record time and to our delight, all we had heard from our friends at school was true. We had really hit the jackpot! Our bags were bulging and we had to hold on to the bottom to keep it from tearing.

There were no limits on how much we could eat. Mom let us learn on our own that over indulgence has consequences. Funny, I can't remember ever getting sick!
As for tricks, we were pretty mild. I only remember putting soap on someone's window once, but that was cousin Esther's idea.
Other tricks done in our neighborhood by the 'bad' boys, were dumping over trash cans, cutting clotheslines, and tipping over outhouses. I never witnessed these things being done but sure heard about it from my parents.

One Halloween we went to a house that had no lights on, but we knocked on the door anyway. No one answered, then just as we turned to leave, a huge white ghost jumped from behind a tall bush howling like a banshee! I will never forget the terror I felt as we ran home.
I will also not forget the embarassment of wetting my pants from the fear.
 

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TIME TO CELEBRATE!

 

Happy Birthday to
Diane!
Tomorrow she is celebrating her 43rd, and has recently learned that she is going to be blessed with her first grandbaby. As if that isn't enough, she will be celebrating her Wedding Anniversary on the 25th.
God bless you with many more Happy Birthdays, grandbabies and anniversaries dear friend! 

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I am a Snapdragon What Flower Are You?

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COLORS OF AUTUMN

 
 
 

The leaves lay like hands upon the ground.
When the wind rustles them, they applaud softly.
By Laura E. Stevens 

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Here's my pup's. Both have a bone in their mouth so look sort of odd.
I have been boiling up lots beef rib bones, cutting off all the fat and most of the meat (disposing of that. It's pure cholesterol) and freezing the bones. Then I thaw and give the pups each one a week to chew on. If the bones get too dry I dump them because they could splinter. I am desperately trying to get their teeth clean.
To have the vet clean their teeth is about $155. each. They have to put them to sleep to do it.

It sounds crazy, but apparently peridontal disease is very common in our little furry friends. I don't remember any of our dogs having this problem when I was a child. They never had shots or license either.
In dogs, up close to the gums, there is a slight indentation in the teeth. Plaque gathers there and works up under the gumline, causing ulcerations and lots of pain. I tried a toothbrush and doggy toothpaste but my boy dog, Tudie was terrified of it. He still runs when he sees a toothbrush. Maybe he thinks it is a strange blue critter with very stiff fur.

I sure don't want my little Pups to have toothaches!
If you have any advice I would sure love to know about it. 

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A HISTORY OF THE JACK-O-LANTERN
 
People have been making jack-o-lanterns at Halloween for centuries. The practice originated from an Irish myth about a man named, "Stingy Jack."
According to the story, Stingy Jack invited the Devil to have a drink with him. True to his name, Stingy Jack didn't want to pay for his drink, so he convinced the Devil to turn himself into a coin that Jack could use to buy their drinks.

Once the Devil did so, Jack decided to keep the money and put it into his pocket next to a silver cross, which prevented the Devil from changing back into his original form. Jack eventually freed the Devil, under the condition that he would not bother Jack for one year and that, should Jack die, he would not claim his soul.

The next year, Jack again tricked the Devil into climbing into a tree to pick a piece of fruit. While he was up in the tree,
Jack carved the sign of the cross into the tree's bark so the Devil could not come down until the Devil promised Jack not to bother him for ten more years.

Soon after, Jack died. As the legend goes, God would not allow such an unsavory figure into heaven. The Devil, upset by the trick Jack had played on him and keeping his word not to claim his soul, would not allow Jack into hell. He sent Jack off into the dark night with only a burning coal to light his way.
Jack put the coal into a carved out turnip and has been roaming the earth with it ever since.
The Irish began to refer to this ghostly figure as "Jack of the Lantern," and then simply, Jack-O-Lantern.

In Ireland and Scotland, people began to make their own versions of Jack's lanterns by carving scary faces into turnips or potatoes and placing them into windows or near doors to frighten away Stingy Jack and other wandering evil spirits.
In England, large beets are used.
Immigrants from these countries brought the jack-o'lantern tradition with them when they came to the Untied States. They soon found that the pumpkin, a fruit native to America, make perfect jack-o'lanterns. 

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IN MY GARDEN

 
 
 

This is what's happening in my back yard right now. The roses should be preparing for their winter sleep, but this summer I mulched them with grass clippings, then put about three inches of beauty bark down. Apparently this made them very happy because they are covered with buds. They will bloom until a hard frost comes.
The Chrysanthemum is one I just planted this year. I think the tubular petals look like little trumpets. Aren't they cute?
 

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OCTOBER PARTY by George Cooper

October gave a party, the leaves by hundreds came,
The chestnuts, oaks and maples, and leaves of every name.

The sunshine spread a carpet, and everything was grand,
Miss. weather led the dancing, Professor Wind the band.

 
 
 
 


I got these shots of the lovely Autumn leaves today. 

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DISCIPLINE

 

When I am good, I am very, very good and when I am bad I have to put my nose in the corner!

I really don't believe there are 'bad' children, I do believe they need to be corrected and disciplined. 'How' they are disciplined depends entirely on the individual child and the offense.
I believe what the Bible says about disciplining our children.

In the past several years it seems that many parents don't believe in discipline at all, and everything their children do is cute, excusable or ignored.
Many have grown to be disrespectful, demanding and self serving.
I don't believe it is a coincidence that so many children today are in serious trouble.
The prisons and jails are packed, and criminals are walking free because there is no place for them.
When we bring back the teachings of Almighty God, and put them into action, I believe we will see a change.

There are many teachings in the Bible about disciplining our children. Proverbs has a lot on the subject.
Dr. Dobson's book, Dare To Discipline, is a good read for Christian and even for non Christian parents. 

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NEW PAINT JOB

 
 

I saw this car last week a few blocks from my house, and had to go back home for my camera. From a distance it looked like the car had caught fire and the paint had done something weird.
When I got closer I could see that this strange finish was deliberate. I can't imagine what or why. And it must be miserable to clean.
Have you seen anything like this? 

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A PARTY FOR JOHN C.

 

Tomorrow I'm having a get together to celebrate my grandson,
John's accomplishments. This is the cake I made for him. It took three cake mixes and oodles of hershey's dark chocolate.
I have invited the entire family, mine and both of my sisters families too. Including kidlets and babies there could be around 45, and I have a bitsy house, so pray for a nice day.

May our beloved Lord bless your Sunday and the week to come with an abundance of love, peace in your heart and home, and faith to face your daily challenges. 

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ARE YOU A MAN OR A MOUSE?

  

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"CLEANING POEM"
I asked the Lord to tell me
Why my house is such a mess.
He asked if I'd been 'computering'
And I had to answer "yes."

He told me to get off my fanny,
And tidy up the house.
And so I started cleaning up.....
The smudges off my mouse.

I wiped and shined the topside,
That really did the trick.
I was just admiring my work....
I didn't mean to 'click.'

But click, I did, and oops I found
A real absorbing site
That I got SO way into....
I was into it all night.

Nothing's changed except my mouse
It's very, very shiny.
I guess my house will stay a mess...
While I sit here on my hiney.

Author unknown

A country curtsy to my sweet cousin Phyllis Mae for sending me this cute poem. 

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Photo
MY KATHLEEN SUSANNE
 

"Dear Lord," the Minister began, with arms extended toward heaven
and a rapturous look on his upturned face, "without you we are but dust." He would have continued, but at that moment, my very obedient daughter,(who was listening) leaned over to me and
asked quite audibly in her shrill, little girl voice, "Mom what is butt dust?"
A country curtsy to cousin Lili for the cute story. 

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THE BEACH AT MARINE PARK

 
Many years ago when the Spanish came to bellingham Bay, there was a terrible war between them and the Native people. Indian and Spanish artifacts have been found here as well as on nearby properties.
The waterfront was the Indian's summertime campground where they fished and gathered shellfish to dry for winter use.

The ridge where I live was their springtime camp area. We have found arrow heads in our gardens. In the winter months the Indian people camped on Chuckanut Mountain, where the tall and closely growing evergreens provided shelter and the varied game provided food.

 
Wood, Stone, Grass & Sky, on the beach.

 
Ornamental grass in the seabreeze.

 
Another sunset.
Isn't it amazing how our Heavenly Father gives us a different sunset each evening? No two are ever the same. 

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BLOGGY TOUR OF TESTIMONIES

Lauren at CREATED FOR HIS GLORY is doing a 'Bloggy Tour Of Testimonies.' Go to her blog to see who is participating.
Below is my testimony.

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MY TESTIMONY

It’s hard to say when or how I became a Christian. I was born into a Christian family so Christ has always been in my life.
However I must give my maternal grandma credit for helping me to understand God’s love and showing me how to have a personal relation ship with Him. Grandma didn’t just speak it she lived it. She taught us to love one another and to forgive our enemies. If she hadn’t done it herself I would not have learned. She set an example and in my soul I knew she was like Jesus, so I wanted to be just like her.

She took us to a big white church, where we heard Bible stories, many of which grandma had already told us.
One Christmas the Sunday School teacher brought out a pretend birthday cake, made of metal and painted with cream color and pink decorations and told us we were going to sing happy birthday to Jesus. The cake was chipped and dented, rather dirty and looked awful. I was the most mortified eight year old, little girl you can imagine. How could they offer something like this to my sweet baby Jesus? It brought me to tears and I vowed to myself that someday I would make Jesus a really pretty cake.
When I grew up I started a cake decorating business that kept me quite busy for several years, and although the cakes were for weddings, anniversaries and birthdays, each one was really for Jesus.

When I was fourteen, my dad drove mom, grandma and me to our Pastor's church in Canada which is not far from where we live. Our Pastor had home church meetings during the week in our town, but his main church was in canada and had a baptism pool. All of us were baptized that evening and on the way home there was a lot of singing and laughing in the car. I had never heard or seen my dad so happy. We could actually 'feel' the presence of the Lord in the car with us.
We were all filled with the Holy Spirit and there is no other happy like He gives!

Over the years my relationship with the Lord has changed. It has grown in a variety of directions.
I have learned that the best source of information is as close as my Bible.
My relationship with the Holy Spirit has become very strong and I pray it will become stronger still.
I have received gifts of the Spirit, which have enriched my life significantly, and I know that my happiness is fuller if I can keep my focus on my Lord and His love and faithfulness.
My prayer is that all the world will come to know and love Him.

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