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Along the Dirt Road

Along the Dirt Road

Monthly Archives: August 2012

Greasy Ann

31 Friday Aug 2012

Posted by Kelli in fluffin' the nest

≈ 4 Comments

So, not everyone names the “animals” in their kitchen.  We do.  At least we have been lately.  We arrived at the name of Greasy Ann because this little lady sits on our stove.  She is quite the classy little gal.  Even when she needs to be wiped down because I forgot to move her…..before frying something.

Do you have crazy “animals” in your kitchen?  I would love to hear about them.  Maybe you are an elephant famer…so you have an elephant egg timer.  No?  Okay.

Happy Friday Dirt Roaders!  Have a happy and safe holiday.

Greasy Ann in all of her glory.

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All for the love of the Mr.

30 Thursday Aug 2012

Posted by Kelli in Yum for the Tum

≈ 6 Comments

A couple of days ago… I cooked two different meals at suppertime.  The girls wanted to eat whatever their little hearts desired. (We do that at times.)  My little one wanted an omelet.  Let me tell you…did I ever deliver?  A three egg omelet w/pepperoni and mozzarella.  Since I was in the middle of a good book I decided that I would have a ginormous bowl of air-popped popcorn after I got everyone else fed.  (Okay, lest you think that I was too saintly, it did have a tad of olive oil and a smidge of real butter.)  Okay…..so….what about the mister?  Where does he fit into the story?

Enter:  The Mr.

My husband came home a little early to mow our jungle of a yard.  How precious.  I have been known to mow (a lot) but at this present time the ragweed is out to get me.  Soooooo… since this hard workin’ man worked all day and then came home and went straight to work again I decided that the burgers that I was going to fix him needed to be just a leetle extra special.

I must fess up now.  I did cheat.  These are turkey burgers and they were frozen.  I love, love…..lovedy..love…love turkey burgers.  Now I am sure that not all of you do.  I’m okay with that.  😉  But, I saw these at the store and couldn’t resist.  Anyway, lest my man have to eat a plain ol’ burger on a bun…I doctored it a tad.  That is hereditary. (My dad….is a doctor-upper in the food dept.)  Do you want my secret?  I will share it with you and show you a picture all at the same time.  (btw:  you will notice that I also cooked corn for the man.  He is a lover of all things corn. ;))

Happy Thursday Dirt Roaders!  Celebrate Thursday…..just cause you can.

Let me know what secret weapons you use on your burgers!  Mmmm….I think that I could eat burgers…….a lot!

These burgers were upgraded from “plain Jane” by adding a little feta cheese, avacado, onion, garden tomato and homemade dill pickles. The little shot of pizazz was the garlic mayo. (Yum-a-dee!) Plus…while I was frying the burger…I made a little seasoned butter to brush on it. Butter, paprika, salt and pepper. Try it….you might like it!

Fall…I have missed you.

29 Wednesday Aug 2012

Posted by Kelli in fluffin' the nest

≈ 3 Comments

Okay….okay.  I’m jumping the gun a little.  Fall is actually the twenty-second of September.  The thing is, I luff to decorate for fall.  What is it about fall?  It is soooooooooooo cozy.  It makes me want to eat chili and burn apple scented candles.  It makes me want to make goodie bags for people and pumpkin bread for my neighbors.  (Okay…I don’t always get these things done…just in case my neighbors are reading this.)

I think that this love affair with fall goes back to childhood. Smelling wood smoke in the air, eating good soup at Granny’s house, darkness settling earlier, all these things seem so cozy to me.  Maybe that is why I love to make huge vats of soup for my family.  There is just something about that nip in the air that seems to promise the joy of things to come.  Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Maybe that was it…it was the beginning of things to look forward to.

I hope that I have inspired you.  I hope that you run to your box of fall decor and shamelessly put it out all around you.  I hope that you cruise Pinterest and every favorite blog and look for good ideas.  I have a few up my sleeve that I plan on trying this year.  Remember…the sooner you put it out…the longer you get to enjoy it.  Live, laugh, love and get with it…Dirt Roaders!  😉

Sweet little “not-so-pretty” pumkins and gourds are my favorite.

Topiary, topiary, topiary…

28 Tuesday Aug 2012

Posted by Kelli in fluffin' the nest

≈ 1 Comment

So I have this friend.  We shall call her M&M to protect her identity.  She may be a celebrity…she may not.  I will never tell.  M&M has this uncanny way of decorating with greenery.  It is inspiring.

When I first went to M&M’s house I was so amazed and impressed.  We are talking class.  Just the right touch here and there.  That is the thing that I love about people.  We are all different.  We can glean things from each other that make us better people.

So M&M…she revived my passion for decorating with greenery.  I do have some live plants and some that are just “pretending.”  She has the most beautiful little olive tree (pretender) that you ever did see.  Anyway, she inspired me so much that I started making my own little “topiaries” here and there and everywhere.  Okay…not everywhere, that would be too much.  Just a few.  The green stuff plus my passion for mercury glass and silver (well-loved) things seem to go good together.  Plus, I am crazy about the greenery with all of my white decor.

M&M is “good people.”  We can trust her Dirt Roaders.  So go…go out and buy some fake plants.  Make topiaries and smile.  😉

Did you know that you can make topiaries by just wrapping greenery around those willow balls? You can. I promise. Cross my little heart. ❤

Hoo…Hoo needs a new recipe?

27 Monday Aug 2012

Posted by Kelli in Yum for the Tum

≈ 9 Comments

Okay…okay….I couldn’t resist.  Corny title?  Maaaaaybe…but I do have a recipe for you today.  Who doesn’t need a new recipe on Monday?  Everyone does.  With school starting and people being a little more busy than the slothful summer months….we could all use a shortcut in the ol’ kitchen.  My MIL gave me this recipe just a few days ago.  I haven’t tried it yet but she did and said that it was delish!  So…here we go Dirt Roaders…enjoy!

My mother-in-law is such a hoot. (Bonk! bad joke…bad joke…okay..I’ll stop now.)

Velveeta Cheesy Beef Stroganoff

1 lb. ground beef, 2 c. water, 3 c. egg noodles,uncooked, 8 oz. Velveeta…cut into cubes, (she used shredded cheddar instead) 1 can mushroom soup, 1/4 tsp. black pepper

Brown meat and drain. Stir in water and  bring to a boil.  Add noodles.  Cover and simmer for 8 minutes or until noodles are tender.  Add cheese, soup and pepper.  Cook five minutes or until cheese is melted and well blended.

Now how wonderfully easy does that sound?  Thanks MIL…you are a wise ol’ owl.  (hee hee…;)) Okay….I’ll stop…now.

Favorite, simple treasures…

25 Saturday Aug 2012

Posted by Kelli in fluffin' the nest

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I know that you have them.  They are either out where you can see them or stashed away to never…ever…ever…in your long-legged life, go into the yard sale (around here we say yard sale or garage sale, garage sale being a little more sophisticated but if you are a little on the hoity-toity side you might want to say tag sale. ;)) Anyway, they are those treasures that you would never part with.  The things that make you smile when you look at them.  They might not even be worth much to anyone else but to you they have so much meaning because of the giver or the place and time that you bought them.  Today I am sharing one of my favorite treasures of all time as far as possessions go.  A very simple thing indeed but a treasure none the less.  What are “a

My mom gave me this right after we built our home. It matches the Russet Rose walls perfectly. I love the little lady on it. The simplicity just makes me smile.

few of your favorite things?”  I would love to hear about them.

From Rock Candy to Midwinter Sky…

24 Friday Aug 2012

Posted by Kelli in fluffin' the nest

≈ 12 Comments

Okay Dirt Roaders, I finally took the plunge.  I had been contemplating changing our family room’s color for a while.  It had been Rock Candy, which is a yellow/gold color.  When I first painted it a few years ago I was pleased until a certain time in the afternoon.  Then it took on the beautiful glow of Kraft Singles.  Yes, good ol’ American cheese.  I lived with it though and even grew to like it.  Until I got tired of it.  I do that sometimes.

Enter:  Midwinter Sky

Midwinter Sky is a BHG color, which kind of sold me from the beginning because I love their stuff.  Classy yet homey (yo, can you get down wif dat?)  Sorry…got sidetracked for a minute. 🙂  Anywho…I was really wanting something that looked old-fashioned.  Something with a hint of turquoise (love that color…

A little change…is good.

Thanks Mom for always dressing me in that as a child and now I have a strange addiction to it.) but not too much.  Midwinter Sky had that kinda washed out, antique color that I was going for…that I wanted to use for a neutral.  Yep…you heard that right.  See, I still wanted to use my same stuff.  By the way, there is something about this color that I ADORE with white and mercury glass.  I don’t know…maybe in a few years I will have some issue with it, but for now I love it with my reds and golds and burlap shades.

(btw: I never could find that Ravioli Soup recipe, so I made up my own.  Just a basic chicken and veggie soup with the ravioli thrown in at the last-minute.  The cheese in that particular brand was a tad wangy for me…but if I could find a different kind, it would be a keeper.  I shall be on the lookout. It’s a great way to incorporate pasta into your soup.)

Enjoy your weekend!

New every morning…

23 Thursday Aug 2012

Posted by Kelli in heart and soul

≈ 1 Comment

Aren’t you glad?  Every morning God’s mercies are new.  I promise.  It’s in His word.  This makes me very happy.  You see, I am a human.  😉  We humans tend to need mercy.  Matter of fact I live on a steady diet of mercy and grace from above.  Without that…I would have to give up.  Because of that…I can live happy, with hope.               Happy Thursday Dirt Roaders!

Morning glory from the herb bed in the back yard. They bloom every year at back-to-school time.

Thursday has always been my favorite day of the week.  What is yours?

Enamel Ware

22 Wednesday Aug 2012

Posted by Kelli in fluffin' the nest

≈ 2 Comments

I have had a love of Enamel Ware for quite sometime now.  It just seems so “kitchen-y” ya know?  🙂  I am so pleased with the way that our table turned out.  I can’t wait to put a pumpkin ~((()))~ or two (or twelve, no, not really twelve…I’m not into clutter) on it.  Fall is my favorite time of year to decorate.  How about you?

A great place for an owl cookie jar and a .25 bowl from the thrift store. Good job….husband. 😉

When a man loves a woman…..

21 Tuesday Aug 2012

Posted by Kelli in everyday stuff

≈ 2 Comments

Labor of love. 🙂

It all started over a year ago. We went to this old farmhouse {my fav} to look at a pick up that was for sale.  It was that magical time of evening in the summer…almost dark…but not quite.  Twilight…(no vampires)..that amazing time in the day.  Anyway, you get the picture.  This great little lady takes me on a tour of the house.  (Inside, I’m squealing with delight…on the outside calm yet friendly.)  It was really quite the little fixer-upper but had so much potential.  On the last leg of our tour we venture down into the basement.  If I’m not mistaken, it had a dirt floor.  Out in the middle of the floor…..stop…insert heavenly music here…;)……..was an old enamel ware topped table!!!  Be still my little junking heart!  The kicker to the story is…she gave it to me.  I tried to pay her, over and over.  She said “no.”  We just had to come back and pick it up.

I’m not sure why we waited so long but about a year later husband went by and got it.  At that point, the people who had rented the little farm drug it out to the goat pen to use.  They were having to medicate their goats and used it to set their stuff on.  This is the bad part.  The billy-goat was offended that they would impose new decor in his pen.  He decided to take matters into his own hands (hooves) and he did a little number on the table.  Enter:  Husband of mine.

This year on my birthday (Are you tired of hearing that yet?  Hey…you gotta milk it for all it’s worth.  I highly suggest that you try it. ;)) I asked my husband if he would finish fixing my table.  He had already cleaned it up and taken it apart.  Some of the boards needed to be replaced and new brackets put on.  He tried using the old wood, and it was just really too old.  That was a little sad because the paint was nice and chippy and would have been great.  So…it was a very lengthy project.  As soon as I get the new boards dry brushed a little I will post a picture of the finished project.  It is now sitting in our breakfast nook.  (Insert hysterical, excited giggling.) It really was a  labor of love.  I am very thankful…for this man who I have been blessed with.

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alongthedirtroad

Kelli

Kelli

Welcome to our stretch of the dirt road! It is filled with junkin' trips, culinary experiments and anything to "fluff the nest" which is our farmhouse. I love home decor that fits my family. I love a simplicity that we can live in. Maybe that is why the country life is so appealing to us. It's a place to breathe deep...and enjoy the journey. Join us! We would love to have you. (You might even see a chicken or two.)

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alongthedirtroad

alongthedirtroad

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