Kind of cloudy today. Cold May here in Alaska

Good morning.  Boy it has been a cool May.  Not like other Mays' here.  Here it is the 21st and the leaves are not even starting to come out on the trees.  Usually by this time in the year the trees are all out with their leaves.  Not a good start to our summer here.  Not at all.  
     I am slow getting my seeds planted and started.  I may have well have gone to Africa and just forgot about getting a garden in again this year.  Now I can't go until around September and I don't know if I can wait that long to see my friend.  I have been feeling out of it here at home.  I need to get over to Palmer to get those papers again and get started filling them out.  Get that done before I go  to Africa this fall.  
     I'll start more seeds today.  Maybe some corn and see if it comes up and oh yes....some cucumbers next and some more squash.  Hmmm, what else?  I'll have to look at my seeds.  Maybe start some beans as well to be transplanted in the garden or greenhouse soon.
     Guess I better get busy.  I am feeling very empty inside as I miss my friend.  It's going to be hard to plant seeds and work out side today as the sun went away and it is very chilly out there today. 

Aug. 3, 2012 PEACH CHAI SPICE TEA POPS

Peach Chai Spice Tea Pops

2  chai spice black tea bags
1 1/2   cups boiling water
1  tablespoon honey
1 1/2 cups peach nectar
1 cup diced fresh peaches

     In large heatproof bowl or pitcher; place tea bags. Pour boiling water over tea bags. Cover; let steep 5 minutes. Remove tea bags. Add honey; stir to dissolve. Stir in peach nectar.

     Divide peaches among 8 (5-oz) paper cups. Pour tea mixture into cups. Cover cups with foil; insert craft stick into center of each pop. (Or fill ice pop mold according to manufacturer’s directions.) Freeze about 6 hours or until frozen.

Expert Tips

Like green tea? Look for chai tea bags made with green tea.
Nutrition Information:
1 Serving (1 Pop)  Calories 45  (Calories from Fat 0), Total Fat 0g (Saturated Fat 0g,  Trans Fat 0g),
    Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 5mg;  Total Carbohydrate 11g  (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 10g),
    Protein 0g;

These I got from the Pillsbury site.

Me on horse on Beach in Accra

I leave in 6 days

so as of today I have 6 days left until I leave for Africa.  I can't wait to be there again.  This is my 3rd time going there.  My ex is not happy at all, but what do I care what he thinks anyways?
So I won't have much of a garden here in Alaska this year, but so far it is proving to be a very cold spring so far.  Not a nice spring at all, so maybe I should not waste my time, like last year.
I should have been taking pictures, but I have not felt much like doing anything at all.  I've gotten a different laptop, one that works right and I will take that with me and take pictures and try to add them here.  I don't know how long I will be there as I have some things to do there.

It's getting closer

Its getting closer to heading back to Africa. I'm taking some jump ropes to teach the little girls how to jump rope. I'm also going to take frisbees and a few other games and things. I can not wait. I will not be staying in any hotels this time, but with my friend Abass at his home. Hmmmmm, I think I'll invest in mosquitoes netting as I'll be going this time during the rainy season. Oh which reminds me to get into Anchorage to the Travelers Clinic for a prescription for malaria meds. Last times I was in Africa was during dry season and I did not see nary a mosquito! Lots to do this month.

Rachael Ray's Official Website - Roasted Tomato and Roasted Garlic Puttanesca

Rachael Ray's Official Website - Roasted Tomato and Roasted Garlic Puttanesca

Muffins today

I am wanting to make some muffins today.  What kind?  don't know yet.  I have lots of frozen raspberries in the freezer so maybe it should have raspberries in them.  I ought to make some seedless raspberry jam, jelly and syrup so that I can give some to my mom.  she can't have the seeds in the raspberries.    so I'm going now to look in my many books and recipes for the perfect one.

Went to town to put check in bank, but forgot to send money to Africa. So I'll have to go back in tomorrow.

Finally got this on my iPad

Geesh it took a long time too. I'm ready to settle down for the evening and watch tv and /or finish my book.
It's also time to clean out my sun room soon, but gosh it has been averaging minus 22 degrees for several day, NO weeks now. Enough of that I say. Time to think of gardening. I've gotten a few seed catalogs in the mail.
I'm also thinkining of my trip to Africa which will be in a couple months and I am going alone, for a very good reason.....and I simply can't wait, although I have to wait. LOL

I'm going to start adding recipes and garden/homestead things here and pictures if I can figure that out!

Lots of good tv to watch tonight, good thing it's raining.

Yummy Rhubarb Sauce ruby sauce

1 c. brown sugar, packed

1 c. sugar

1 c. cider vinegar

1 t. ground ginger

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. allspice

1 t. paprika

1/2 t. ground cloves

1/2 t. red pepper flakes

1/2 t. salt

1/8 t. pepper

2 onions, finely chopped

4 c. rhubarb, finely chopped



Combine all ingredients except onions and rhubarb in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer; stir in onions and rhubarb. Cook for 45 minutes to one hour, until thickened and rhubarb is tender. Serves 4 to 6.

Looks like a dreary day today and I'm rather down in the dumps and have to get myself to start climbing out.

I've gotten up, dogs fed & out & in..now it's some reading time before I start my day, that is unless I fall asleep again. Haha

I made some Caribbean Corn Bread after work today

I made the bean soup with noodles yesterday, but did not have time to do the corn bread, so after work today I put the cornbread together and made it.  It was a bit different and very, very good.  I'll type up the recipe soon.  Maybe even make a scrap page with it if I take the time.    I'm still trying to organize all my digi-scrap stuff onto flash drives etc.  Well that part takes some time it does.  Anyone have some good ideas on how to do that?  I could use some organization ideas.

Another book finished: Kissing Christmas Goodbye

Kissing Christmas Goodbye (2007) by M.C. Beaton

     Unlike quite a number of people, Agatha had not given up on Christmas.  To have the perfect Christmas had been a childhood dream whilst surviving a rough upbringing in a Birmingham slum.  Holly berries slistened, snow fell gently outside, and inside, all was Dickensian Jollity.   And in her dreams, James Lacey kissed her under the mistletoe, and, like a middle-aged sleeping beauty, she would awake to passion once more........

      Agatha Raisin is bored.  Her detective agency in the Cotswolds is thriving, but she'll scream if she has to deal with another missing cat or dog.  Only two things seem to offer potential excitement; the upcoming Christmas festivities and her ex, James Lacey.  This year she is sure that if she invites James to a really splendid, old-fashioned Christmas dinner, their love will rekindle like a warm Yule log.

     When a wealthy widow hires Agatha because she's convinced a member of her family is trying to kill her, Agatha is intrigued.... especially when the widow drops dead after high tea at the manor house.  Who in this rather sterile house, complete with fake family portraits, could have hated the old lady enough to poison her? 

     Agatha sets out to find the murderer, all the while managing a pretty, teenage trainee who makes her feel old and planning for a picture-perfect Christmas, with James, all the trimmings, and perhaps even snow.
  Finished reading on January 18, 2011

My goodness it has gotten very windy, the wind has set my car alarm off. It's not so bad at home. I am on mobile & will post on computer after I eat tonite.

Nothing much on this day. The book I'm reading now......

The Book I'm reading right now is "Bound for Murder" by Laura Childs  (2004) ISPN 0425199231 .   It is a scrapbooking mystery.

First book of the new year too.  Here is a description of the book:

Carmela is creating custom place settings for a friend's pre-wedding party at a French Quarter restaurant when she makes a shocking discovery--the intended groom, with a butcher knife protruding from his body.  When the heartbroken bride asks her to look into the case, she can't say no. 

But Carmela soon finds that the victim had a menu of malicious meddlers is making things tougher than day-old gumbo for everyone involved.  Now, Carmela must help her friend pick up the pieces while wrapping up a murder that has more than one lethal loose end......

     At this point I am still reading this book.  So saying I think I'll make some popcorn and settle down to read now.  First I must bring Queen Bee and Pumpkin in as they are still outside in the freezing cold.

This is a test

Sore arm

Went to the travelers clinic yesterday.  Time for vaccinations and all that for our trip to Africa.  Now my arm is very sore, Can't baby it though.  Well, I wish I could, and then maybe someone would feel sorry for me.  Hahahaha Maybe by this weekend I'll share some recipes here.  I want to do some more recipe scrap pages.  I love doing them.  One thing I need to figure out how to do it to make zip files of things.  Maybe on my weekend i will have time to do that.  Now it's popcorn time and some reading.

Happy New Year one day late

 

Only a day late huh?  Already spending way too long on computer tonight.  I made some pork & sauerkraut yesterday for New Years.  German tradition.  I would give you the recipe, but it's just pork chops and sauerkraut.  How simple can that be huh?  I cooked it in the crockpot.

A little over 2 months until I  leave for Africa.  Tomorrow i'm going into Anchorage to for the innoculations that I will need.  Marlaria med are optional, but seeing the mosquitoes are out all year and March is pretty much the end of the dry season, I think I will opt for take the meds to prevent it should I get bit.
I will try to keep up to date on what is happening.