Memories.....

Have you ever noticed how little things can trigger memories?  For example, a smell such as fresh hay drying in the field or of bread fresh from the oven.  For me, the hay reminds me of growing up on the farm as well as riding behind Marcelle on his motorcycle, a black Yamaha, though I forget the CCs it was. Those at least are the first two things that come to my mind, and there are others.  The smell of bread baking makes me think of my Mom and how she always baked so many things for us while we were growing up.  Between her 5 children we went through a lot of food, so growing her garden and baking went a long way to feeding us healthy food while keeping the costs down. Earlier, when I read the words "Les Paul guitar", my mind went back to a boyfriend I used to have... no... make that 2 boyfriends that I had over the years who played guitars in bands. So many evenings listening to the band play while I served drinks in the cabaret, or while I danced the night away.  I really loved those days when I was young, loved music and dancing, and had the world by the tail with a down hill pull. I wonder what ever happened to those boyfriends, hmmmmm.  Now an advertisement that is playing on the TV reminded me of when I had horses in my life and rode them a lot, along with friends.  That memory reminded me that while riding motorcycles with friends today I saw a horse that looked soooo much like Wonder. I would have loved to stop and call the horse over, call it Wonder and see if she/he came to the name, and if it is a mare, if it has the same spots that it so loves to have scratched. Could Wonder even still be alive after all these years since I last saw her? I mean, she was already up in years back then.  But this horse is a 'dead ringer' for Wonder.  I must call PatZ and see if she remembers how old Wonder would be now and if she would like to take a drive out to see this horse, to see if it is Wonder, and maybe take my great-niece Nicole who, from age 5-7 or 8, rode Wonder all over the ranges with us. Wow.... memories sure can lead one down an interesting lane of thought.  I am so very very grateful to remember these memories, and to have lived through the events that the memories reflect.  I am so grateful to have had horses in my life and the dear friends that shared my life on and off horses at that time.

Chewy Chocolate Coconut Cookies

Check out this recipe.  I think it looks extra yummy.... and is healthy too!!!  The one draw back? Check out the calories in the Nutritional Information!!

5 Ingredient Chewy Chocolate Coconut Cookies

by Leanne Vogel

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Keywords: bake dessert snack dairy-free gluten-free grain-free paleo nut-free refined sugar-free soy-free vegan vegetarian coconut chocolate cookie 

Fudge filled coconut cookies with just 5 simple, easy to find ingredients.

Ingredients (8 cookies)

• 2 cup finely shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup unpasteurized honey
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicon baking mat.
• Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix until combined.
• Grab about 1/4 cup of mixture with hands and press together, flattening out like the mud pies you may have made as a kid with the mud in your backyard (I swear these cookies will taste better!)
• Place on prepared baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden. Mine were perfect at 15 minutes.
• Egg free: replace 2 eggs with 2 flax eggs – 2 tbsp finely ground flax seed mixed with 6 tbsp water. Cook for the same amount of time just be careful when removing from the pan as they’re a bit more fragile.
• Vegan: use egg-free option above and use date syrup or rice syrup instead of honey.

Airbrushing

Earlier this summer, my friend Phil was showing me his Airbrush equipment and how he paints things with it.  He even let me play with painting some myself. I enjoyed it and think I might be able to get fairly good at it if I had lots of practice at it. Phil did say I can practice with it if I want, but I never have because when I go there to visit him I don't want to sit in his back room airbrushing.  I go there to spend time with Phil, to visit my friend, not to sit alone in his back room. I told hi this one day and he understood and I think even agreed.

This evening, I happened to discover something online to do with airbrushing...  but this is not with paint, it is airbrush makeup kit.  I admit I was kind of surprised.  I so rarely wear make-up.  It has been so long since I last did that I actually don't even remember when that was. I used to wear it when I went out for the evening, then when it was a special occasion, and now I think I look like a clown if I wear anything more than lipstick. I look good 'natural' and have nice skin. I know I am unusual and that I am blessed as so many other women wear make-up every day. I wonder though, would anyone use airbrush make-up for personal use, or is something like this only used by professional make-up artists?

5 Minute Blueberry Quinoa Flake Bake with Lemon Cream

 5 Minute Blueberry Quinoa Flake Bake with Lemon Cream

 

 5 minute breakfast cake made with just 5 (simple) ingredients.

 

 

Author: Leanne Vogel

Allergen info: Vegan (option), Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Refined sugar-free, Yeast-free, Corn-free

Prep time:  2 mins

Cook time:  3 mins

Total time:  5 mins

Yield: 1 serving

 

Ingredients

Blueberry Quinoa Flake Bake

• ¼ cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 1 egg *see note
• ½ cup quinoa flakes
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Lemon Cream

• 2 tablespoons cashews, soaked for a couple of minutes to soften
• 1 teaspoon coconut nectar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• zest from ½ lemon
• ½ teaspoon alcohol-free gluten-free vanilla extract

Directions

Blueberry Quinoa Flake Bake

1. Prepare a 16oz. microwave/oven safe dish by oiling with a dab of coconut oil. Set aside. Drop all ingredients in a small bowl and mix until fully incorporated. Press mixture into prepare dish and even out with fork.
2. Microwave option: Place in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes. You’ll know when it’s done when it rises slightly, is harder to the touch, and pulls away from the sides of the dish. Don’t bake it too long, or you’ll have a chocolate Frisbee!
3. Oven option: Place in a preheated oven at 350F and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
4. Allow to rest for 1 minute before tipping over onto a plate and smothering with lemon cream. Or, serve in the dish as I did with this version.

Lemon Cream

1. Place all ingredients in a small blender and blend until smooth.

*Notes

Feel free to use ¼ cup egg whites instead of 1 egg. To keep vegan, use and additional ¼ cup apple sauce and cook for a slightly longer period. If you’re not sensitive to oats, and can’t get your paws on any quinoa flakes, quick oats will work well for this recipe, too. 

 

To read more on this recipe or to see more photos and the Nutritional Information, just click on this link. 

Tuesday Ride

After washing dishes and doing a bunch of cleaning in my bedroom, as well as doing some laundry, I was dirty and all sweaty.  I was so happy that this is the night that the All Canadian Riders Club ride is on, and I fully planned to go riding with the club this evening.  I haven't ridden with the club for a few weeks now due to other things keeping me busy and getting in my way. This time, just in time, I remembered I have some important projects to do online before 9pm.  This is a commitment I made and must follow through on. The ride starts at 6pm each Tuesday and at this time of year the ride would be shorter than during the hot evenings of summer, but I doubt I would be back home in time to do the work if I went riding, so again I have missed a club ride.  I wish them all a great ride and I look forward to riding with them again. I wish I had done the work sooner to meet my commitment in time to be able to go out riding. Something to work on for next time!!

CMA Music Festival

Last night, the CMA Music Festival was on TV.  3 hours of country music by some of the best of the best.  I wanted to watch it and something on another channel at the same time, so I recorded the CMA Music Festival while watching other things.  Today, I turned on my TV and watched a couple things, then I decided to play back the CMA while doing some house work here.  It would be great to sit and watch it, but so long as I can hear it that's the main thing.  I cranked the volume up and went off to get some of my work done in the kitchen then in my bedroom. I popped in and out during the show, so I did see a little here and there; Alan Jackson, Hank Williams Jr., etc. etc. etc. I'm not up on my instruments or equipment, but may have seen a mpc 5000 musicians friend on stage... or not.

I'm really grateful I recorded this show and I have decided not to delete it as I usually do after I watch the shows I record.  I want to be able to play this again while doing house work, and to at some point sit and enjoy watching the entire 3 hours.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Today, my sister Marcy turned 60!!  WOW, it is hard to believe, time really flies by so fast, seems like just yesterday we were still kids.  I hope you are having a fabulous birthday, M!! Wish I could celebrate it with you.

Today, my dear friend Brooks turned 48. Hard to believe... seems like just yesterday he was only 47.  LOL. Here's hoping your day has been awesome, M' Lord. I wish I could be there helping you celebrate!

Family Stuff

My sister and her husband are traveling across Canada then the United States.  They spent 2 weeks in Newfoundland, a province of Canada, and while there, a very bad storm blew in... loads of rain and wind!! While they were going through that, out in British Columbia we were having hot, dry weather and wild fires all around us. It is so crazy, the different extremes of weather happening at the same time in the same country.

So, now Marcy & Randy have left Canada and are traveling down the eastern seaboard of the US. Maybe after them going through that storm I should tell them about carpet cleaning Chapel Hill NC, they probably tracked mud into their RV and will want it cleaned long before they make it home next spring, and they are going through North Carolina. 

A Great Friday

Yesterday my plans were to go to the chiropractor, then to the food bank to do my volunteer hours. I don't have a regular schedule for this, just drop over to the food bank whenever I have time to give. Well, when I came out of the chiropractor's office, I saw my buddy Phil having coffee out on the picnic table at Chevron, just across the street, so over there I went, got a tea and joined him.

When we were leaving, a car pulled up and it was my friend Lorraine whom I haven't seen since last summer. She had seen my trike so stopped to say Hi. As we were finishing a short visit, a guy on a Harley comes in, backs in beside my trike, right where Phil's Harley had been, and just sits on his bike. Lorraine leaves and this guy starts talking to me about my trike. That led to other topics of conversation. He lives in the town where I grew up, where Mom still lives as do some of the other family bits and pieces. He knows my sister Marcy, used to work with her husband Randy, knows many others I have known or have heard of over the years. He bought me another cup of tea, himself a coffee and cigar and we sat there chatting. Since I missed the time frame I'd have to be at the food bank, I decided to ride out to visit an elderly friend of mine, on Gerald's way home, so we rode out together. I decided to stop at a view area, a nice little park over looking Otter Lake. Gerald pulled in behind me "I was hoping you'd stop here!" So we sat there talking for some time too. Finally, we rode together to Armstrong, then he continued on. I had called Glen from the view area and had to kill a bit of time for him to get home, so treated myself to a ice cream cone at McDonalds then rode out to Glen's. Had a nice visit there. By the time I got back it was later than I had planned, so I didn't make it to the Spiritual Gathering I go to each Thursday evening. I phoned friends in Lillooet, planning to ride over there (about 5 hour ride as I have to stop every 100km to fuel up the trike's little gas tank), but there was no answer. SO... today I made it to the food bank. I am once again all caught up on my filing there, and I printed out some recipe labels that were needed for our food bank as well as the one in nearby Enderby. It was all in all a great Friday.

Dreaming of Travels

I just got home from a most wonderful day.  I rode my trike out to a friend's home and had a very good afternoon there. Since Kathy's home is very near the small town where my Mom lives, upon leaving Kathy's I rode down to Mom's. We had a very nice visit, as is the norm for us, and I rode down town to pick up Chinese take-out for dinner. It was such a warm, sunny, beautiful day for riding, yet when I was leaving to head home the sun had gone down and the warm had left the area. Being as it is September, the nights can be rather cool here.  Last night I was out at a friend's home and had to bundle up for the 20 minute ride home as I had to tonight for the 1/2 hour ride. I carry the appropriate gear with me, knowing I will need it, so am relatively warm. However, it saddens me to no longer have the hot days and warm summer nights, to know that the riding season is soon coming to an end. I wish I could go shopping at custom swing sets richmond va or some store in some other southern US state.  Why? Well, one of my dreams is to spend winter riding my trike in warmer places.  I would so love to go visit Facebook friends in North & South Carolina, Florida, New Mexico, California, and to spend some time in Arizona where my sister & her husband spend their winters now. If I had the money to do it, there is only one thing that would make it hard for me to just head on out.  I have pets, my family (1 cat, 1 rabbit, 4 chinchillas, 3 birds) that would not be able to go along and it would not be easy to find anyone to take them in and care for them for the 6 months I would be gone, or to give some of them a new 'forever home'.

More Trike Bling

 In my last post, I showed you some Bling I put on my trike. Here is a bit more.  Phil drew the eagle heads, at first with 2 feathers, but I wanted 3 (one for each wheel of my trike) so he added one more.  He did a lot of the work, and I did a lot of it too... lots more than I did on the feathers because, as I said in the previous post, I do more and he does less on each of the pieces made for my trike.  I am blessed to have a friend who is teaching me this kind of work.

The dull, ugly aluminum is transformed into something so shiny it's almost like a mirror! This is me with my camera.

We made 2 eagles, one for each side of the box. Next year, I hope to have a new box on it too.

Each year I will do something to change the look and to improve my trike. This year I did a lot and it looks almost like a totally different machine.