twohensandtheirchicks

Yield: Serves 6 Ingredients: Stew: 1/4 cup flour 2 lbs. steak, cut into 1" cubes 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 2 tsp. oil 6 medium fresh mushrooms, sliced 1 10oz can beef broth 1/2 cup dry red (or alcohol-free) wine 1/4 tsp dried rosemary, crushed 1/4 tsp dried tarragon 1 tbsp tomato paste 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 3 medium carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces  Measure flour into plastic bag. Add beef cubes, a few at a time.Shake to coat. Place beef on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake in 425 deg F oven for 10 minutes, stirring once, until browned. Prepare beef cubes as above. Saute onion in oil until soft in a skillet. Add mushrooms. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Place beef in the bottom of crock-pot. Add sauteed onions and mushrooms. Add next 8 ingredients. Stir well. Add beef and carrots. Cook on low for 6-8 hours until meat and veggies are tender. Yorkshire Pudding: 2 large eggs 1 cup milk 1 cup flour 1/2 tsp salt 2 tbsp butter Beat eggs in medium bowl until frothy. Sti...

  Hello, My Friends! Although the weather has cleared up and the sun is sort of back, there is a nip in the air and the wind gusts through our valley with a bit of an icy bite, and it has put me in the mood for some homemade chowder. I am a huge fan of clam chowder, and my mom made the BEST! Try as I may, I cannot get my clam chowder to taste like my mom's. On occasion, I will use the following recipe, simply because I can get this one to taste as near to Mom's as I can. I say "on occasion" because I have the pickiest eaters on the planet in my family - they don't like the "white stuff" - they only like the "red stuff".  I do have one son (and a sister) who prefer this to the "red stuff". I have fond memories of coming home from school on a cold winter's day and smelling the wonderful aroma of mom's clam chowder. Clam Chowder (aka: the White Stuff") 1 cup finely diced celery 1 cup finely diced car...

​   I loved my Grandma's button tin! She would bring it out for me to play with whenever I visited her. I learned how to count using the buttons in it.  I never knew where the many buttons came from. Grandma, to my knowledge, was not a seamstress; although, she did do a lot of knitting. There were new sweaters every year, and perhaps the extra buttons found their way into the button tin. Now that I think of it, the tin was fairly old, and I wonder if it had b elonged to her mother before her. I do know that the button tin eventually came to reside at our house. I don't know what became of it and that makes me sad. ​ There were a few other things in the button tin besides buttons. There were buckles, an army lapel, and several scraps of faded fabric - all telling a story of a family's life. Over the years, my mother, my sister, and I all added to the collection. Whenever there was clothing designated for the rag bag, all buttons and buckles were removed and...

We have had such an unusual winter for our neck of the woods and it is getting a tad depressing now. Don't get me wrong - I enjoy a good snowfall and I have lived through worse - I just want to get outside and dig in the dirt now. I was looking through some photos that I have taken over the last few years, and noticed a bit of a theme in some of them. It made me think a bit about things in my life that sometimes I take for granted - like the weather and seasonal adj ustments we go through. For some reason, the transition of summer into autumn came to my mind. Harvest time, the last trip to the beach for swimming, new school clothes and school supplies all crowded into my memory bank. Those things are such a personal mark of the changing of the seasons. My favorite part of this time is the early morning weather. The subtle change from clear blue skies to a mysterious, sometimes ominous feeling brought on by misty mornings, can bring a bit of a shiver o...

  Here I am, starting on a "new" me. Got a bit more bad news from my doctor this week and I am feeling a little down. I am on medication now and hopefully things will be put to rights shortly. I don't as a rule take medications, at least I try not to. Anything stronger than an extra-strength tylenol knocks me out and makes me loopy, so I avoid meds like the plague. So, I joined a ladies only gym. I used to go to this one before My Man's healt h took a drastic turn for the worst, which came as a tremendous shock to everyone and changes needed to happen while physical, emotional and financial adjustments were made. I was doing really well at the gym. I felt great and positive changes were beginning to happen. Four years of a lot of stress seem to have taken their toll and I am back to where I was years ago. I am hoping this adventure of "finding myself" brings about more positive accomplishments. Two years ago, I rediscovered my creative side ...

​​I am a shoe addict. I have been for as long as I have been on my own, making my own money to spend how I please. I only have memories of one pair of shoes, and one pair of boots from my school years. I bought a pair of wedge sandals for my high school grad banquet, and yes, I wore them to my graduation ceremony as well. The boots, given to me by I don't remember who, were white go-go boots. I wore them out during my junior high years. When I finally was in a position to replace my wardrobe from my high school days with more "grown-up" clothes, I refused to shop at department stores and opted for the more fashionable boutiques. Of course, it didn't help that one of my best friends, at the time, was a professional model, seamstress and worked in the cutest little boutique in town - and they had layaway!! I spent hundreds of dollars in one day on a fantastic wardrobe, and a few hundred dollars more on fabric and patterns to round out said wardrobe. Tha...

Birthday parties are such awesome celebrations. I vaguely remember some of my birthday parties mostly because my Mom would make me a wonderful cake. The two that I remember must have been spectacular in my young mind, so much so that I recall what they looked like some fifty years later. I don't remember which birthdays they were for, the guests, nor the gifts, but the cakes are etched in my mind and heart. They are classic designs that probably everyone has had  for one of their birthdays at one time or another and possibly created for a loved one. The first one was the Barbie Doll cake. That is how I got my first (and only) Barbie. Her dress was more than likely a homemade cake and was blue with pink embellishments. The second one was in the shape of a butterfly, iced with yellow frosting, jelly beans and licorice whips. One of our grandaughters is celebrating her birthday this month. They live in an area where having a party outside at this time ...

I have mentioned before that Mama K introduced me to the magic behind a camera. I owe a lot to this amazing woman and I am so grateful that photography is another hobby that we can share, whether we are at home thousands of miles apart, or off on one of our adventures when we do get together. When we are together, it is not unusual for us to be up before the light of day, camera in one hand, and a hot drink of choice in the other, heading out to wherever to cat ch the first rays of a new day. I am an early riser, always have been and hopefully, always will be! I have been known to be found out in my garden at 3:30am, puttering in the moonlight. It is never an issue for me to be up and ready for a photo opportunity at 4:30 or 5 am. There is something so peaceful, yet invigorating, in the quiet stillness of the very early part of the day. When we lived out in the country, I would drive My Man to work in the morning. We would leave the house by 6:30 am at the lat...

I was feeling a little bit down yesterday and everything really irritated me to the point that I could barely stand myself.  I had some blood work done last week and on Saturday, the Dr's office called and said the Dr wanted to see me about a "few things" that came up on the results. Of course, I automatically think the worst and begin speculating on what those "few things" could be and what they would mean for me. (I know - I'm crazy - just ask Mama K, she will tell you!  And of course, our Dr has gone on holiday with his kids and won't be back until the 17th. Anyways, my worrying caused My Man's anxiety levels to skyrocket and then I became overloaded with regret that I had mentioned any of my concerns to him. So, I grabbed my camera and went outside to take a few photos of the snow. This is one of the many things that I have learned from Mama K - taking photos is extremely calming and can help remove yourself from the pressures...

My Man has been having some major anxiety issues the past couple of nights, so it makes for a sleepless time for me. Hence, my sleep pattern is off and I am not starting my day at 4:30 am and it has thrown me off. I apologize for not being on top of my blog posts. Yesterday I was working on the list of things that I want to accomplish in the next little while and I am super excited about them!! I am itching to get outside into the yard and start making it better than last yea r! Some of the things I want to do are: i) build a couple of fairy gardens ii) turn our old four poster, double bed into a garden bench iii) reorganize my back yard so the above mentioned bench fits in iv) do some clothing makeovers which is something that I have never done before, and v) try a new cookie recipe every couple of weeks. I have always made the same ones over and over again and I want to do something different!! There are many more activities on my list, a lot of them will be learning cur...

  ​I am so excited for what we have planned for the blog for the coming year!! It's going to be fun! I love working with Mama K - she inspires me in so many ways!! We started off our 2017 with a touch of the flu (me) and a three year old's nosebleed that didn't want to stop! But we rallied 'round, got the nosebleed stopped and I took it easy for the day and, although I don't feel 100% yet, I am determined to not let it get me down. We went to dinner at our son , Devon's home. His wife's parents are here for a visit from California. They come every summer, but 2017 is their 50th wedding anniversary and the kids are going to California this year for a family celebration. Every year that Mary and John have visited, they do a family dinner and invite us over. Mary knows that I love her enchiladas and she makes me a dish every time she comes. That is what she served up last night! We got so involved in talking and having a great visit...

Mama K and I were brainstorming ideas for the coming year on our blog and the topics of organizing and spring cleaning came up. If you have been following our blog, then you know that I did some organizing last year in the bathrooms and that I switched the hall coat closet from my pantry back to a coat closet and put the pantry under the stairs where we had just shoved every and all things that didn't have a home so it would be out of sight. Sad to say, we still shove things in there and it is getting harder and harder to find my pantry stuff. Another under the stairs purge is on my to do list for 2017. Right now, My Man and I (with help from our son, Damian) are attempting a complete change and purge in our small living room/ dining room area of the townhouse we live in. It has been a long time since we had such small living quarters and we are in need of a drastic downsize, yet again. We don't have a sofa, nor a love seat in our living room area. We do ha...

We are getting closer to the end of 2016! It's like saying good-bye to a life-long friend. We can heave a sigh of relief that we managed to hang on as long as we did, through trials and tribulations. We can look back with regret at missed opportunities and mistakes made, whether small or large. Mixed in with all those things are the memories of fun times, laughter, travels, and accomplishments. As 2017 approaches, it is like waiting for the arrival of a much loved friend who is bringing new adventures, new memories to make, new opportunities for anything you want to accomplish. I am excited to move onto the new year. I have plans to put into operation, goals to achieve, memories to make!  ​I want to take this opportunity to wish all of you the best 2017 you can create! Happy New Year!

Here it is, Monday, Dec 19. Christmas is only 5 days away, 6 if you count today. Last night I spent a few minutes revising, rewriting and in some cases, rethinking, my pages of lists of what I need to get done by Friday. ​ It got me thinking about how much I wish that I had just a smidgen of my sister's OCD. Her home is organized, uncluttered and spotlessly clean. My home is definitely not.  Thank goodness there is a new year starting in less than 2 weeks! I have ideas, and goa ls and more lists-in-the-making that I am wanting to share with you, in high hopes that by doing so, I will be more accountable for my success with those ideas, goals and lists! Any and all suggestions, within reason, will be welcome!! I gave up a long time ago on making New Year's resolutions for the very fact that; a) I never remembered what I had resolved to do because there were so many on the list and b) I had such big and grandiose things to accomplish that I bogged down just thin...

I do a lot of driving in the early morning hours. Well, I say early, but maybe it's not early for some of you. I usually leave before, or just after 8am.  Yesterday morning, as I drove the fifteen miles to pick up my grandson from his mom's, I got to thinking of the route I take every time. I love the drive. There is hardly any traffic, and the speed limit is a good pace. I get to indulge in the beauty of the mountains that surround me as I climb the one I am on. Many people  might think that this would be a boring drive, doing it every day as I do, but I would have to disagree. There is always the possiblity of a surprise or two along the way. In the spring months, the colors change as new leaves burst forth with the unendless shades of greens, and as the spring months continue, flowers blossom and bring splashes of brightness along the way. As time advances into summer, there are the many sightings of deer, and elk, and the occasional cougar and bear, not ...

It's raining here today. I love he rain. I love the sound, the feel and the smell. It's a good thing I do love it since we live in a temperate rainforest. A rainy day is a cozy day, and everyone knows how much I love cozy! Some rainy days I feel like baking the whole day away. I have been known to do just that. These rainy days call for hot chocolate and fresh homemade cookies! It's also a great time for a crockpot of homemade soup! A real downpour calls for a movie marathon, a cozy blanket and another hot chocolate. Anyone up for a Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings or a Criminal Minds marathon? Every once in a while, the dreary day begs to be brightened by a good closet cleanout. Not very often, though! A good rain has never stopped me from getting out with my camera, either. There is a whole new world in the rain! Because I love rain, I love puddles. I am so glad that I have grandchildren so I can go puddle jumping with them. Ok, I do splash in the puddles with...

The past couple of weeks have been kind of stressful here in  Mama B land. There have been great times in there as well, love shared, friendships renewed, lessons learned. One of the lessons learned, well not really learned so much as reinforced, is that life is so much shorter than we want/need it to be. I think we feel this way because we can't see the "big picture". The passing of my sister has brought this home to me in so many ways. She was a vital, vibrant woman so full of sass that I am, at times in awe of what she accomplished, and at other times, I am like...that was just Sylvia. I miss her. From this I have learned that I need to make some changes in our life, in our home, and in the lives of those closest to me. While I was in Ontario, my daughter, who lives there, and I went to church on the Sunday morning. I got to reconnect with old friends and to  my surprise, I had the privilege to be taught by one of our church's top leaders. I have a...

It has been an emotionally draining past three weeks. There was a death in our family that shook many of us to the bone. People ask me if it was sudden and unexpected. My answer is yes - and no. My sister, Sylvia, had cancer, so no, her death should not have been unexpected, but it was. Sylvia did not want people to be sad and hurting while she was fighting her battle. And fight she did. Only her husband and a couple of her closest friends knew the truth of how much pain she was in. My Man and Sylvia became ill, for want of a better word, about the same time. Both had very rare types of their illnesses; Sylvia had a rare and aggressive cancer (she never told anyone that, we found out at her funeral. We were only told that she had lung cancer and that the treatments were working, causing the tumors to shrink) and My Man has a rare form of vasculitis that attacked his kidneys. As Sylvia and I chatted over the course of her treatment, we discovered that their treatments w...

I have so much going through my mind this morning - and it's only 5:30 am! Here is the jumble that is my mind today. I spent the whole weekend glued to my tv watching the first two days of the Olympics. I can't believe I did that! I have never done that before. These Olympic games have taken on a whole new meaning for me because I actually know someone who is participating in the games. The whole experience became personal for me. I found myself scanning the crowds looking for his family, and watching their reaction to their son's team victory had me tearing up. Way to go Canada's mens' volleyball team!!! I need to get up and get started on my day! I am not turning on the tv to watch the Olympics! I have too much to do! The tv will be on soon enough and I will still have lots to do. There are blogs to write, photos to take, photos to scan, my studio needs to be completely reorganized - must remember to document the changes for the blog- it's peac...

I had a great idea for a post this morning and now that I am ready to write it out, my mind has gone as blank as the screen before me. I hate when that happens, don't you? Mama K encourages me to get a notebook and write everything down in it. I have a trip planned to the dollar store this morning and notebooks are on my list of things to get, along with pens. It's not like I don't have any, I just can't find them!!! Apparently, school supplies are showing up on store shelves already and that means that I will be able to find pens galore! It also means that I can indulge in one of my more peculiar addictions - school supplies. I don't know if it's because I have bought a ton of them during my lifetime or if there is something wrong with me. There is just something about new school supplies that tugs me towards those aisles. I love the stacks of packages of notepaper. I get a little frantic when there isn't at least one bin in the middle of ...

I woke up this morning to find my dearest sister-friend had posted, on Facebook, a memory of an adventure she had shared with her son a few years ago. It was a beautiful reminder of the adventures we have shared in the past. When I say past, I mean like almost 36-38 years worth of memories. We met by accident, when she and her husband were visiting his parents and I had stopped by to drop something off. She says she remembers me being dressed all in white. I was probably on my way home from work( nurse) and I was probably paying my rent as her in-laws were the managers of the apartment building I lived in. It amazes me that such a small, chance meeting has turned into a life long friendship. Of course, her brother-in-law helped cement those ties a couple of years later, by asking me to marry him, and we became sisters-in-law. We have shared some fun times and some not so fun times - but all are memory making times. Three times we were at various stages of childbearing ...

I don't usually write posts for the blog on Sundays, but today I feel the need to share my thoughts, and a small recipe. ​ I am sitting outside on my deck, enjoying the quiet. It is early morning and the neighbourhood is still slumbering with the silence broken by the occasional bark from the local dogs. One of the neighbours has a water feature in their yard and I can hear the tumbling water. Off in the far distance, a siren reminds me that I am not the only one awake on this cool July morning. Did I say silence? There is no silence in my backyard! I have never heard so many different bird calls! It is delightful to my ear. There is a continual chatter and whistles and song going on all around. There are the sounds of the fluttering bird wings as they fly from tree to tree, from housetop to housetop. I can hear some birds in the neighbour's rain gutter out behind us. I am not sure just what they are trying to catch, but they are scratching around in it. I didn...

I have had such a blessed life. Saying that doesn't mean that it has been easy by any stretch of the imagination. Nor has it been perfect. But it has been a rich and blessed life. I count these blessings daily, sometimes hourly. I take nothing, or anyone, for granted anymore. It wasn't so that long ago. I have been doing some reflecting on my past and some things I saw are not pleasant. I have alienated friends and left sad impressions on others. It's almost like I  lead a separate, almost secret life. I have lost good friends because of my insecurities, my judgemental attitude, and because I was selfish and lazy. I am working on that now. I won't ever have those friendships again and that is my loss. I want to share some of my blessings with you. First off, I want to acknowledge the women that are working on this blog with me. Each one of them inspire me to be a better person. I love and admire them beyond belief! I want them to know that. ...

Yesterday, I was blessed with the opportunity to help out a neighbor. Afterwards, they thanked me and told me how grateful they were that we could help. Then on Facebook, a friend of mine posted how grateful she was for something that had happened in her life that day. I also overheard a mom tell her daughter that she should be grateful for such and such and that got me thinking about the things I am grateful for. I am grateful for many, many things. I have a roof over my head, clothes on my back, food on my table. I am grateful for our 8 children and their families. I have rediscovered my creative side and I am enjoying the experience of bettering my talents, if you will. I also have many people in my life, both past and present, that have blessed me with so much. My man and I both come from large families and I am grateful for their love and support. I was going through my journal this morning looking for some information on another topic when I came across an ...