Antiques Roadshow!

Mom and I started off to the roadshow a little later than the time on our tickets...if we had only known! Our ticket was for a 9:00 am entry time and apparently they have several entry times after that, like every hour on the hour!! So we arrived around 10:30ish and joined a huge line (they really should explain it better...or I should have actually read the back of the ticket!) and you wait in line the whole time until you get close to the end. At least they have something for you to watch...Antiques Roadshow episodes and various facts...and they just show the exciting ones of course to get everyone's hopes up! ha

But standing in line offers many opportunities...to people watch...some people brought truly cool antique items like these people...

I loved the doll buggy...amazing...and I hope the painting makes it on the show. It looks really old & is painted on three wood panels. Very cool.

And then there are the random people with their random items...

I mean how tall is that chair?!?! And the next one!! OMG!! Those are the kitchen chairs Warren and I have right now (thanks Allison) do they really think they are antique enough to bring to Antiques Roadshow?!?

But that's not all...even the white trash people showed up...

Tattoo woman on the left had on a cute black plaid dress...with brown boots! Sooo wrong! But the better to show off her tat's I guess, & she had a nose ring and the front half of her hair was blonde...all that with her kid in a stroller. Then there was old pink hair lady. I think she was trying to get noticed. Ew.

By the time we had stared at everyone and their items for a couple of hours and chatted up the people in line next to us, we finally make it to the entry way. And the pictures stop here because no photos past that point.

When you reach the head of the line, there are six "sorting" tables that you can go to. The line attendant lady will give you tickets for each item you have (two items per person) that tells you what kind of appraiser line you need to wait in. I had an item for decorative arts - I took the mother-of-pearl opera glasses that I bought in Rome - and an item for the jewelry section - Lori had a cameo of her mother's (grandmother's?) that I took for her.

Then you enter the area where they actually do the filming part of the show, which in reality it is very small! It always looks so large when you are watching it on T.V. but they have their camera crew set up in the middle with three areas (left side, front, and right side) with the black covered tables like you see on the show that they prep and then just swing the camera around to film whichever section is ready. They just sort of rotate between each platform/table.

None of our stuff got chosen for filming but we will be in the background of a few items! We were waiting in line for appraisals on what we took. Our totals turned out to be the following:

Mom:
collection of four carved ivory items - about $150 to $175 apiece totaling $600-$700 for the set
collection of ceramic (?) baby dolls - about $15 to $20 each...I can't remember how many there were so not sure of her total...
Me:
cameo necklace - about $50
mother-of-pearl opera glasses - about $125-$175

Our "show" will air sometime next year bewteen January and May. ha We may have forgotten by then!

Are you a rotten neighbor?!

Check out the new link on the side....where you can complain or compliment your neighbors! It is nice because it also will show (on Google Earth) registered sex offenders, area foreclosures, rotten and nice neighbors!

Fortunately we aren't listed either way, ha!

Blueberries Rock!

Today's excursions began with a trip to the blueberry farm. Thank goodness that it was only about 10-15 min. away and not hours! Last year sometime Natalie M. had told me that she had gone to the Canton area and picked so many blueberries that they had eaten on them all winter! I decided I must go! Blueberries Rock!

So, naturally mom and I did some research and found out that there is a farm not far from her, north of Bonham called Walker's Blueberries. We were thinking we would go tomorrow, but when we called to check she was going to be closed to go to a funeral (always smart to call ahead at PYO, pick your own, farms) therefore we were only left with the option of dragging ourselves and Jake (always good to build some character in him when we can) out of bed at the crack of dawn to go pick blueberries (we got there a little before 7 a.m., which during summer is to dang early if you ask me).

It was perfect. We were the only ones there...it was cool...the sun was just rising...the cows were mooing in the nearby pasture...birds were chirping...and blueberries were everywhere!

Blueberries grow on small, bushy trees/shrubs that are not too much over 6 foot. They make for really easy picking, you want "cloudy" berries that fall into your hand when you jiggle them (we were instructed by Ms. Walkers daughter who came out around 7:30, see mom's blog for more 'rules').

Because we were on a tight time schedule, with appointments in Sherman at 9 am, 10:30 am, and then back in Bonham at 2:30 pm, we picked like crazy for about an hour and got almost 2 gallons. Not bad. She charged us for a gallon and a half at $18. Even better!

We were smart and took our own gallon-sized plastic baggies so that what we picked is ready to go straight to the freezer, although she does have half gallon and gallon sized buckets for your use. (Although, if you don't bring bags to take them home in then what do you do I wonder?).

'Driving' me crazy!

I've been at Mom's for almost a week! I swear we have crammed in as much visitin' and runnin' around as we most possibly can in the past 6 days.

I drove up last Thursday a day early because good friend's of ours, Donnas and DeWayne, her mother passed away and the funeral was set for Friday.

So Friday we drove up to Wilburton for the funeral at 2 pm, but before we got there we had to stop at the pajama store in McAlester to buy p.j.'s of course and had to eat the wonderful yummie italian food at Roseanna's. After the funeral we went on to the graveside services. On the way back from the funeral we stopped at Holli and Leslie's where Leslie has a carney wagon full of fireworks!! (see photo for evidence, he even accepts all major credit cards!). We spent the night @ d&d's and stayed up visiting with them. I know they are ready for a breather as they have been taking care of parents (both his and her side) for the past 8 years.

Saturday we drove home to mom's but stopped at an antique store in Atoka where I got a really cool mermaid (she's cast iron...heavy!) and a pulpit. Needless to say Warren thinks I am crazy. But someday when I have a kitchen to my liking I will have a cookbook stand/holder! Brilliant! Then we stopped at the local winery in Caney where mom and them all grew up and I got *almost* a case to help fill up our new wine fridge. Then we stopped at Vickie's will all intentions of seeing her daddy cause he isn't doing so well and I'd like to see him before he passes on. We finally made it to Mom's to change and get ready and then gathered up the rest of the family (everyone except Ashley, who was working, and Warren who is in Galveston studying) and drove back to Durant to see my friend Natalie perform A Night with Natalie Weaver. It was very sizzling with hott red shoes! Loved it! *Muah*

Sunday night we crashed and didn't move out of bed until early afternoon. TIRED! But then we drove down to Aunt Lisa's house to spend the night because we had a workshop just down the road @ SMU the next day...and her house is literally 15 min. down Mockingbird from SMU...so proximity was a must for getting ready and sleeping in! Our workshop was actually in the Methodist church and across from the parking lot was this sculpture...(this is my first video upload and you'll see why a still picture just wouldn't do it justice!)

Monday's workshop was so so...it was on primary source documents but really ended up focusing more on social studies and teaching stratagies not on finding primary sources. Oh well. 6 hrs of prof. dev. knocked out of the way. After the workshop we drove home, of course.

Tuesday we drove back up to Atoka to pick up the pulpit but before doing that we dropped off some stuff at mom's new job at Sam Rayburn (yay! so close!) and then went back by Vickie's to see Earl and had lunch with him. Then on up to Atoka and got the pulpit then stopped at D.C. & Delita's house and visited with them on our way home and then stopped at Vickie's fire work stand because she just had to see the pulpit I got! We finally make it home at some point.

Today, we drove to Greenville for our other workshop and it was all about different technology programs and websites, some we were familiar with and some we weren't. It was worth the 6 hrs...so nice! 12 hrs of PD out of the way! Waahoo! One less thing I have to do during the school year. Then on our way back home we stopped so I could make a pedicure appt. for tomorrow and then went to see Lindsey at her new job at the AT&T store. I added unlimited texting to our family plan (which right now is me, my mother, and my mother-in-law) and to ask questions about adding Warren to the plan.

As you can see...we are TRYING TO SAVE GAS by cramming in as much as possible!! Gad!

I love pie...

I love making pie, even though I don't make them terribly often. I don't shortcut either...I always make my crusts, it's easy for one thing, and it just seems to taste better, in my opinion. I always make the crust from the Better Home's and Gardens cookbook that Gram gave me when I either went to college in Stillwater or got married (the first time)...hmmm...I can't remember, tho I think it was for college. She wrote Bon Appetit! in it and indeed it is my kitchen reference book.

I like the crust found on page 382...

1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1/3 c. shortening

4 to 5 T. cold water (I always put 5)

and that's it...oh yeah, in the fine print of the first step (if you like to read the directions) add a little bit of salt. Mix. Cut shortening and flour together. Add water. Knead.

This was for a single pie crust.

For a double pie crust make it 2 c. of flour, 2/3 c. shortening, and 7 T. of water. So not quite double the recipe.

Today I made a rhubarb pie. I had never had rhubarb (in anything much less pie) until I went to Esther's house (one of the most relaxing places I've been). Then every time after I went, I would secretly hope that she would make another one it was so good!

Last spring when we had a recipe shower, she sent the pie recipe! Alas, there is never rhubarb in the grocery store! (Maybe people secretly line up and wait for the coveted rhubarb to be shipped in and placed on the store shelves so that they can snatch it away before I get there!)

Last week, there was rhubarb! 8 stalks...I bought 4, hoping desperately that it was enough to fill up a pie crust. I had no idea how much was needed and debated buying it all...but figured that 4 stalks about a foot long each (think of a really large red celery shape) would surely be enough to fill a pie crust.

I made it home with the 'barb and got out the recipe:

3 c. of rhubarb, cut in 1 in. pieces

1 egg

1/2 c. sugar

1 T. flour

1/2 c. milk & cream (half &half or a combo of whatever is available, even yogurt).

Hmm...do I cook the rhubarb?! pre-pie? I emailed Esther and she said, "no, just cut into one inch to half inch pieces and bake."

This sounds too easy.

So I made it...beat egg, add sugar, flour, milk/cream and mix until smooth. I had none of the alternatives listed and so used sour cream...it was the closest I had in the fridge and I thought if I used all milk it would be too runny. Add rhubarb and toss to coat. Make crust. Dump in pie shell. Bake at 400 until custard is set. Hmmm...that turned out to be 30-40 min. Warren saw it below before it went into the oven and said...
"What the hell is that?!"
"Rhubarb," I said.
"Is it good?" he asks...like I would make something bad...

"When have I ever made you something that tastes bad?" I asked.
He retreated back to his studies.

I rest my case.

Top with crumbs and bake about 10 min. more or until brown (crumb topping is...1/2 c. of sugar and 1/4 c. each of flour and butter, cut until crumbly w/ a pastry cutter). DO NOT use spreadable butter in place of the stick kind!! I learned my lesson...I thought about shortening instead but wanted a more buttery flavor...oh well, live and learn. Tho the pie looks edible, no? Also, Esther uses about a third of that topping and freezes the rest for other pies later. I however used it all b/c I like to have the top covered and was unsure how the spreadable butter would bake and wanted enough left on top to cover it. (I thought it might melt down into it...)

Well, about an hour ago he comes out of hiding and asks, "Can I have some pie now?" Lol.
Curiosity got the better of him...and I warned him that it is kind of tart and tangy...sort of sweet and sour. Just so he would know...

So we have some w/ vanilla ice cream and he eats the whole piece (and only made a face once, lol)and declares that he thinks he'll eat the rest of the pie and that I can't have anymore!

Ha! Like I would make bad food! :)

It did turn out really good despite the wrong butter in the crumbly top, which didn't turn out looking very crumbly. Oh well. Taste is all that matters.

Garden Pictures!

I've decided I am a photo blogger. I like lots of pic's to show what I'm talking about...or maybe I just like taking pictures! ha Possibly because I am a visual person...

Anyway, Mom requested some pic's of our gardening adventures here is some before and after herb garden pics...

Going clockwise from the top there is mint, rosemary, mexican heather, dill (not yet up), cilantro, sweet basil, oregano, and lavender in the middle with tyme beside it (not yet up either).

And now in this hot weather we are having (with NO RAIN) it looks like this....

I should have watered so it would look all pretty in the picture. The oregano and cilantro are thriving! The cilantro gets bigger the hotter and dryer it is! It is starting to bloom and from that I will get corriander (I think the flower seeds are called that). It is overshadowing the dill, which I hope will just flower and come back up next year...it is sparse.

I also did some container items...like 4 tomato plants! and two jalapenos and I have a red pepper that needs to go in a pot!

Here they are just planted...with the kitty and a bit of door frame thrown in for some perspective.

I think maybe it had just rained!

This is sooo much dryer than last summer. Last June we had afternoon showers and rain at least once a week. It's rained maybe twice so far since early May...?!

Here they are now...with some door frame for perspective. They are at least chin height (the viney ones on the left). They make the sweet 100's...small cherry type. Mmmm...we've had 4 so far! And there are lot's more on there that I hope will start turning red at the same time! Instead of one at a time! Lol...the other two are patio tomatoes and are a little bit bigger..about the size of roma's. They have lots of green ones too. Must be the tomato miracle grow!

Downward dog...

Grace and I went to yoga last night. Well more like she stretched out in the car and slept while I went and contorted myself into a pretzel!

I've been going to the Methodist church where a guy is doing yoga 3 days a week at 6pm...since...January I think and I love it. His prices are way low compared to a studio only $6 per session or $45 for 8 sessions...WAY cheaper than the yoga studio link I have on the side, but he is also a teacher there so I leave there link on. During school I've only gone 1/week sometimes twice, but I think I'll step it up this summer and go whenever he is there or I am home. It is very casual and relaxed and it doesn't matter if you've ever done yoga or not.

One of my teacher friends from school goes with me, Angi...we also walked after school during the year, but now we are adding it to walking after yoga! OMG! So last night was our first and it felt nice to stretch and get some exercise. We walked about 30-45 min. after an hour of yoga. I took Grace so she could walk afterwards with us and her tongue was draggin by the time we were done! But the nice part was there is a hose and dog bowl on our route around the block...someone obviously walks their dog that way too! How thoughtful :)

Per Mom's request I will take some more pic's of our garden and tomato plants and you can see before and after pic's tomorrow...later!

Summer updates...

I'm as bad as the kids...school's out for the summer and what have I done?! Play WoW of course! ha I'm a video game addict. Hey, at least I'll admit it.

My first week off started with a run up home to see Lindsey graduate high school. Go Linds! Her graduation was much shorter and less tearful than Ashley's for some reason. Maybe cause Ashley was first we were all a little misty eyed, but for Linds we were more just excited. Woohoo!

ALSO...yesterday as I was cleaning through the mail (cause we tend to let it stack at times...I'm bad about not going through it and Warren can't throw any of it away!) I got TICKETS to ANTIQUES ROADSHOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! June 28th in Dallas, and you can only take TWO things. Gad. That's a major dilemma.

Around the house, we planted an herb garden this spring along with potting several tomato plants and peppers...all the stuff to make salsa! ha Yesterday, I picked our first tomato, the only sad thing is it's one of the small sweet 100s (like a little cherry tomato) and we may have to slice it in half in order for us to both have a taste of the first tomato. I also planted some patio ones and they are surprisingly bigger than expected. Could be the miracle grow. :-) The jalapeno's are flinging peppers all over the place and the cilantro is growing like a weed.

Warren is studying studying studying and has moved his testing date for the first step of the boards back twice. His date is now July 3rd...his reasoning is b/c the next day is July 4th and he wants to be off. ha Lynn & Steve & the gang are expected down around that time to leave on a cruise. I swear it will be their first time to leave Texas. lol...ok so they do go to CO from time to time. But Mexico?! Maybe they're running low on amoxicillen. They'll have a fun trip. It will be the first cruise for them all...wish I was going too!

That's all for now...I have some knitting to blog about but pic's must accompany it so stay tuned.