Otter's Album

Otter's album is growing... finally! I seem to have my old love back for scrapbooking. I haven't had any interest in it since Boyd died. All of a sudden it returned and I could 'scrap' 24/7. However, my yard is loaded with newly planted perennials and they require a lot of watering to get those roots to head downward and get established. And my 3 huge maple trees have been dropping their seedlings all over the ground. I'm raking and sweeping constantly but I can't keep up with them. I'll be pulling tiny maple trees out of the flower beds all summer.

The credits for any of the materials used on the layouts can be located by clicking 'Designer Digitals' on the right side bar.

Make your day a great one!

Joni

Otter's Journal

What a day I had today! My mom took me to this place called "See Spot Run"... and I almost ran the other way... to get a bath. I knew I was going to hate every minute of it and I was right. And to make things really bad, my mom left me and went some place in OUR car! And there I was, left to endure all those horrid things like soap suds and eeeeeek... the dreaded blow dryer! Hot, noisy and yuck, yuck, yuck!! They cut my toe nails and didn't even put polish on them like my mom has on hers. An here's the humiliating part... they put a scarf around my neck. I'm a boy, you nit-wits!

Then my mom came back to get me... had a little scare there for a moment... being a shelter-dog and all. Hey mom... I'm over here! Get me out of this place!! Whoa... what's this I spy. A little girl dog and she's a cutie! Wanna share a biscuit?

Home sweet home! Just in time to walk around in all that dirt for the garden.

Wags to you,

Otter

The Best Egg Salad Ever!!

I have recently been trying to make great egg salad and have made batch after batch. This morning I finally got it right and it was YUMMERS!! That's my lunch in the photo below. And here is my recipe... for you sweet people out there!

Joni's Egg Salad

4 hard boiled eggs chopped
2 stalks of celery chopped fine

2 green onions sliced thin

4 small sweet pickles chopped fine

(pickle relish isn't as good)

4 T Hellman's Light Mayo

1 T yellow mustard

Heaping T of Dill

Ground sea salt

Ground pepper

Mash together with a fork and stir well.

Refrigerate so flavors blend.

Serve in pita bread or bread of choice

on a bed of alfalfa sprouts.

Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

Joni

Someday...

This is a photo of my gardener's backyard. It's a small yard but carefully planted to have flowers in bloom all summer. I think it's a fairyland! This is his hobby! But through a mutual friend he has agreed to take me on as a client. He has already dug up 3 feet of my lawn all around the inside of the fence and along the garage. Planting will begin sometime this week. This weekend he's visiting nurseries all over Wisconsin looking for healthy and larger perennials. He's already bought all of my herbs and the lavender. Tomatoes will go in along the garage with green peppers. But, most planting will be flowers that will come up each year. Although annuals will be planted too! I'm excited to see what he is going to do with the window box under the 2 kitchen windows. My yard will still have some grass (for Otter) and a bigger central area than he has in his photo. I have brick patio which will have to do this year.

I'm anxious to post pictures as he uses his wealth of knowledge and works his creativity!!

Make this a great day!!
Hugs to you all!
Joni

Mother's Day 2010

Rarely do I have my picture taken, however the photo on my blog was two years old. So I braved the lens on Mother's Day! Also got a quick picture of Wendy and Kristin... and Wendy took a pic of Otter and I together in our favorite evening chair. This is my whole entire family! No Aunts, Uncles, or cousins. Small lot that we are, I wouldn't change it for the world.

Me

Wendy

Kristin

Otter and his Mom

Otter doesn't mind having the flash go off in his face... good boy that he is! Actually I have so many photos of him that I started working on his album this morning. I made a quick trip to Achievers yesterday and found the perfect album, paper, and embellishments. Boyd's desk is now my work table. Nice to have it!

It was a GREAT Mother's Day weekend!! Thanks for traveling here girls!

I am so proud to be your Mom!!

Happy May Day!

Otter and I came back from a looooooong early morning walk and found my friend Lyn quickly leaving our backyard. Whoops... caught her on a secret mission! A May Day basket was hanging on the gate! It is just lovely and soooooo nostalgic! Otter the-curious-pup had to take a sniff through the pickets. Thank you Lyn for making this a special day!

When I was a child we always made May baskets for all of the neighbors. Usually made from paper and doilies and ribbons. We'd fill them with lilacs, violets, lily-of-the-valley, and buttercups. So much fun having a project to work on and to surprise the neighbors with. I loved my childhood!!

Happy May Day to all of you lovely friends!

Hugs to you all!

Joni

Nostalgia

I loved TV as a child! Here are some of the shows that I remember. You may be too young to have had the opportunity to watch these weekly shows, but they bridge the gap of time for me. See how many you can name and if you're too young... ask your parents!

1. The 64,000 Question

2. The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis

3. Lassie

4. Our Miss Brooks

5. Father Knows Best

6. The Ozzie and Harriet Show

7. The Lone Ranger
8. The Perry Mason Show

9. Leave it to Beaver

10. Alfred Hitchcock Presents
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My favorite show was "The Mickey Mouse Club"!! When my dad was out of town I would eat my dinner on a TV tray in front of the show. I sang all of the songs with them and did a few of the dances. I loved the 'Spin and Marty' movies and was a fan of Annette Funnicello.

How about you?? What was your favorite TV show when you were young??

Can't wait to hear!

Make this a great day!
Joni

Von Trapped in Vienna!

Boyd's sister and brother-in-law are "Von Trapped in Vienna". The European air traffic is in such a mess due to the clouds of debris from the Icelandic volcano. Mary and John were due home today... they live in Madison... but they finally have a confirmation for a flight on Thursday. They've been there for a much-needed vacation after Boyd's death and Mary's caring for her brother Dana who has cancer.

Sounds like an adventure to have an extended stay in Austria but "the Euros are running out", said Mary. They've been there for 1o days.

I miss you two and hope you get home 'sooner than later'. Mary stays with me about once a week and I miss our conversations. Otter loves her! Now, here's a thought for you... If you had to get stranded someplace in the world, where would you choose?

I'd choose the Provence area of France! So relaxing, smells like lavender, and I'd shop for their wonderful fabrics and eat their fantastic fresh veggies, bread & cheese with lots of olive oil.

How about you??

Make this a great day!

Joni

Dreams

I have always wanted a white picket fence... always! When I was little and I drew pictures of houses with my crayons, they always had a white picket fence around them. Boyd's unexpected death taught me that there might not be a tomorrow... do it today! So yesterday I sat down with a contractor, Bob Christiansen (his company is called DREAM WORKS... isn't that appropriate!) and he measured and we sketched. An my dream picket fence will be built... picket by picket... in a week or too! Otter will have his own little yard to prance and play in. The photo below is random off the Internet but it's how I envision my "cottage look"... with my cottage house.
This is my new Springtime bedding (Pottery Barn). The sheets have lovely lace edging and the comforter is made of voile... soooo soft. Otter loves it but I haven't been able to get a picture of him in it yet... but I will!!

Also from Pottery Barn... I bought a mixture of spring floral pillows to scatter on my red couch in the den and the blue couches in the living room. They've added a fun Spring cottage look and feeling in here.

Our tulips are almost ready to bloom... yea! How about yours!

Off to have my taxes done. Yes, I know it's almost the 15th... what can I say?

Make this a great day!

Hugs to you all...

Joni

YUMMERS!

This is a great cookbook brimming over with vegetarian yummy recipes. I bought it years ago because it has such a gosh darn cute cover! I love all of Mollie Katzen's cookbooks (the Moosewood series)! This is the Spanish Rice recipe from The Enchanted Broccoli Forest. I made it yesterday and it was REALLY yummy! It's a one pot dish and is fairly quick to make despite that the brown Rice takes longer to cook.

1 1/2 Cups chopped onion

2 large cloves crushed garlic

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

1/2 tsp salt (I use Sea Salt)

1 3/4 cups raw brown rice

2 chopped green bell peppers

1/2 tsp each: oregano and basil
freshly ground black pepper

&

Tabasco sauce to taste

2 1/4 cups tomato juice

2 small fresh tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green olives

freshly chopped parsley

1 packed cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Saute onions and garlic in olive oil with salt.

2. Add raw rice, green peppers, and spices. Saute over medium hat another 5-8 minutes.

3. Add tomato juice. Bring to boil. Turn heat way down, cover, and let simmer 15 minutes.

4. Add tomatoes and olives. Stir, cover and continue simmering until rice has absorbed all liquid. Remove from heat.

5. Fluff the cooked rice with a fork and transfer to a serving bowl. Stir in most of the cheese. Garnish with the chopped parsley and remaining cheese.

Great leftovers!!

Otter sat on the kitchen rug and watched me cook. Poor guy... he didn't even get a taste! I haven't ever given him any 'people food' and I don't want to start.

I'll probably eat those words one day!

Make this a great day!

Hugs to you all!

Joni


PS...

This is what we woke to this morning!

I am so blessed!

My friend Nicolette, who lives in The Hague in the Netherlands, sent me a SURPRISE package the other day. She made me this LOVELY quilted table runner... Thank you Nicolette!!! I love it! I put it on the table for Easter week and it's just sooooo perfect and Springy! I can't wait for Kristin to see it when she arrives Friday for the weekend.

The little candles are in glass rabbit candle holders. They didn't show up in the photo but, oh so cute and perfect with the runner.Nicolette also sent a copy of Marie Claire Idees. I love, love, love this magazine as it is so overflowing with inspiration. I used to have a subscription to it thru Amazon.com. But it ran out and I failed to renew it. I need to order it again now that I am reminded how much I enjoy it. Thanks again, Nicolette!!

And what would my blog be without a current photo of the man in my life... Otter!! Such a loving guy!! He gets his first grooming on Thursday so he'll smell sweet when he meets Kristin for the first time.

I love my new vegetarian lifestyle and the exercise I'm getting with the frequent dog-walking. Otter could walk for ever! And listen to this... 14... yes, fourteen pounds have disappeared with these life changes. And it's been effortless with the yummy good food I'm eating. More about that another day.

Make this a great day regardless of the obstacles you face! Treasure each moment!!

Hugs to you all!

Joni

Otter and Ginger

Guess who loves to get under the covers and put his head on a pillow?? Yup... that's my Otter!! He is soooo snuggly!! I think that's a trait of most beagles. He has certainly added a lot of life and love to this house. Meet our little friend Ginger who belongs to my friends Myles and Lyn. Ginger has a sister Gracie who is equally charming... she prays... HONEST! The humor in this photo is that Ginger is resting with her paws on a Scrabble dictionary. M & L are marathon Scrabble players! Ginger wants you to know that her favorite word is "MEOW" and that few Scrabble players know that it is an official Scrabble word. Soooooo... Meow to you! Ginger and Gracie love to have their teeth brushed every night. Wonder if my guy Otter would let me do that? I know there is meat flavored doggie toothpaste.

Coming this week:

1. A Great Trip to Barnes and Noble.

2. The Joys of Becoming a Vegetarian.

3. A New Cookbook Idea!

4. Kristin's 40th Birthday in Phoenix.

MAKE THIS A GREAT DAY!

~Joni

Ever see a green river?

This is what my daughter Kristin will see as she leaves her downtown condo tomorrow to go to work... the Chicago River turns GREEN! Honest!! Tomorrow!!Called the eighth wonder of the world: Dyeing the Chicago River green on the morning of every St. Patrick's Day Parade. In the 1960's, plumbers set out to determine exactly how the river was being polluted... a job that heralded the introduction of the first batch of green dye to the river. The plumbers were testing plumbing systems to see if anything was being illegally dumped into the river. They were putting a green dye into the systems of each building. If the dye ended up in the river, they'd know whose system needed an overhaul. The idea of adding massive amounts of green dye to the Chicago River on St. Patrick's Day, however, came from a plumber working on the project. What better tribute to the Emerald Isle than a bit of Irish green in the river? The first time the plumbers tried it, the people of Chicago observed the bright green water flowing by their buildings for three days. Today it's more like three hours before the green stuff dissipates naturally. The process begins at 10:45 a.m. on Columbus Drive on the morning of the Chicago parade. Men in giant white suits and masks throw an orange powder -- one of three colors, along with white and green, on the Irish flag into the river. Boats churn the water to turn it a perfect emerald green, and the current carries the color along the parade route just in time for step off at noon. The river-dyeing festivities alone attract anywhere from 30,000 to 50,000 people -- two-thirds of whom traditionally stick around and join the even bigger crowd at the parade. The dye is a secret formula but it's 100 percent safe.

MAKE THIS A GREAT DAY!!
Joni O'Possin

What a Sweet Boy!

Otter is just the SWEETEST dog! He is sooooo loving! And so good!! He's not interested in toys or rawhide chews... but checking out this teddy.

Favorite spot... the couch in the den. He loves to cuddle in the afghan that my Mom knit. Otter sheds a lot and of course the couch, being solid red, really gets 'hairy' by the end of the day.

Last week it rained everyday and created a great deal of mud along the sidewalks. YUCK!

This week is supposed to be sunny and in the 50's... great dog-walking weather!!

My pumpkins are gross and my neighbor offered to remove them for me. Guess he couldn't stand looking at them any longer. Actually... they've been buried in snow for months and not visible!! At least that's how I justify the fact that they didn't make the garbage in the Fall.

With all the walking that Otter and I are doing, I decided to change my eating habits and be kinder to the earth. I'm now eating 'green'... day #5. No more meat, fish, eggs, etc. However, I haven't given up cheese yet. That will come!! I've done this before and it's amazing how good I felt.

Make this a GREAT day!

Joni

I'm in Looooooooove!!!

Meet Otter!!
He's a 2.5 year old Beagle that I saw at the animal shelter yesterday. It was love at first sight!! There is usually a 4 day wait but my timing was right and I was able to take him home yesterday. Otter came to the shelter because his owners were moving and couldn't take him with them. He craves attention and has a big heart! He is gentle and loving and is already mending my broken heart. He was up-to-date with routine shots, house trained and spayed/neutered... perfect!

Yes... he slept in my bed last night (well it's a king size). I slept with one eye open keeping an eye on him and we ended up going for a walk at 5:00 AM. The walking is just what I needed to burn some calories and Otter loves to be outside. With all the warm weather we've been having, there is a lot of MUD out there! So we'll have to wait a bit before we go to the dog park.

I need a nap!!

Hugs to all!

Joni

PS He doesn't mind the flash on the camera... Yea!!

Books and a Movie!

Have you read anything by Adriana Trigiani? Big Stone Gap? (about to become a movie). A friend suggested Adriana's new Trilogy about a family of old world Italian shoemakers in Greenwich Village. They've been making exquisite wedding shoes since 1903 and now Valentine must bring the old-world craftsmanship into the 21st century. She returns to Italy to find some answers. Throw in a romance with a dashing chef! Adrianna is such a good storyteller... I don't want to put the book down and I just started it last night.
The second book in the trilogy is Brava, Valentine. The third book has not been published as of today.

I stumbled across this movie, Easy Virtue the other night on Netflix, and watched it right on my laptop... FREE! I adored it!! Great casting!! I may watch it again! Love Colin Firth... always! And Kristin Scott Thomas is one of my favorite female actresses. And what fun when the setting is an English Country House.

Jessica Biel, Colin Firth, Kristin Scott Thomas and Ben Barnes bring Noël Coward's witty comedy of manners magnificently to life in this "deliciously cheeky" adaptation. When British playboy John brings his new wife Larita - a race car-driving feminist from Detroit - home to meet the family at their country estate, pretty much everyone's expectations are disappointed. His snooty mother is offended by Larita's carefree American ways, while Larita does everything she can to get her mother-in-law to loosen up, which only annoys her even more. John's sisters have diametrically opposed feelings about their new sister-in-law, but his father is intrigued to have finally found another who sees through the family's façade - and takes great perverse pleasure in watching his wife meet her match.

The Newlyweds

Mother and 'the sisters'.

Mother finds her dog dead in a throw pillow.

Whoops!

New DIL sat on her!!

That's it for today... Make this a great day!!

Hugs to you my friends!

Joni