Ruffled Curtains and my Pickles Recipe

Ok, I just couldn't wait for another couple weeks to go by, some of my students have tasted my pickles and wanted the recipe.  Here are some photos of the curtains...

Wish you could tell the the walls are a perfect green for these!

Here is a close up of the fabrics that I used.  I have been hoarding favorite fabrics (for I what?  dunno!) for years.  These were some from the juvenile stockpile.  Jacks and Balls, checkerboard, baby jungle animals, plaid, kids playing, and a small dot. 

And, if you have read my old posts...yes, the playroom actually moved to a different room.  I am happy with the room and the curtains.  I have a serger sewing machine, so that speeds things up a bit.  Oh, I do sell just ruffles if anyone is interested....  here is the link to my page of items for sale.   https://www.facebook.com/OneStrokeWithPam

Now...on to the pickles that are so easy and taste!  I am gonna just type in my recipe and then post the pictures.  IF I leave something out, please do not hesitate to ask!

LAZY CUKE PICKLES

6 c. sliced cucumbers (takes four or five cucumbers, pending the size of them and your slices)

1 bell pepper, sliced

1 Tbsp. salt

1 c. sliced onion, I just put in the entire onion sliced

Cut up and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Then, whip up (just give it a really good stirring) 

1 c. vinegar

2 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. celery seed

Pour over the cukes mixture and refrigerate. Put in tupperware with top on and turn over after a day to let juice come out of cukes to cover.  Then, put in jars and refrigerate.

Here are the photos with my adjustments...

I grabbed the cucumbers out of my garden.  Using a slicer just makes the process speed up.  Oh, my garden... I will post a picture at the end of this blog.

Toss it all in a large zip style bag and put in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

Yes, we have used the bowl in the microwave, but it is clean!  Anywho.... the main thing ya wanna do is make sure that the sugar is stirred around really well.  The seeds are more or less just gonna float on the top, don't worry bout it.

Pour the liquid into the bag and back into the refrigerator it goes.  Na, didn't mess with a container yet.  Just left it set in there for a couple days, and then put it into some tupperware.

I don't bother to jar them, they just don't last that long.  We had them the other night with some ribs as a side dish.  I do not care for onions, and I eat these!  So... enjoy!!!  

I have started canning this year.  A sweet lady in one of my classes is teaching me.  I am really surprised at how easy it is.  I had never core and peeled a tomato before, I think you call it blanching?  How easy was that!!!  Anyway, I got a flat of "ripe" tomatoes from market for cheap and used the Mrs. Wages Salsa packet and made up a batch.  So very easy, and yummy.  I am not a spicy person and my hubby is, we both like this one!  Next on my list is the Mrs. Wages Sweet Pick Relish.  I am getting these packets at the local WalMart.  I have heard that Kroger carries some of these too.  Just have not checked.

This is the picture that I put on my phone.  Why?? This way when I am out shopping the produce, IF I stumble on a good deal ... I just pull this up and know how many cucumbers I need.  

I was startled when the lids started popping after the hot water bath, and so excited that every one of them popped!!!

These are the peaches that are now all ready to go on toast, pancakes or ice cream.  Sarah (my daughter) and I got up early and cleaned and sliced fruit that morning.  Then, Mary came over and helped me to do the canning.  It is more involved to do these than to do the salsa, so I was very glad to get the help that first time.  

I am hooked!  I love canning!  How many of you can?  What should I do next??  I got a pressure canner from a garage sale for like $20.  Best deal ever!!!

Almost forgot...this is my first year to garden, who says you can't teach an old dog a new trick?   

As you can tell by the way I have laid screens around, I didn't plan on this taking off like it is.  The cantaloupe on the top right and everywhere, and we have half a dozen that are softball sized.  The cucumbers, on the left are now up on a trellis and I will go out later today and pick a couple more.  The strawberries are in the front right corner, under the screens, but the squirrels are still enjoying more of them than we are.  There are two post that got cut off in the top of the picture, those are our tomatoes, and are just enough for "Taco Tuesdays".

One of the many baby cucumber.

And...it just keeps going and going.  We love cantaloupe, so this will be great!!!  Next year, it is getting moved over to the side of the yard where it will have the room it seems to want.  lol

Ok.  Be back in a week or so!

-Pam 

Mini Three Day Get Away...Galveston

Well, hubby and I took three days and made a quick dash to Galveston.  I booked a room ahead of time Crystal Suites in Texas City. http://www.crystalsuitestx.com/photogallery.html  It was right at $150 for total of two nights. The furniture was all made of beautifully carved wood.  The furniture was dresser, flip top chest, night stand, headboard and a secretary drop front desk.

 There was a chair and sofa in the room also.  Then, there was a coffee pot and all the fixin's, blow dryer, iron and board, mini fridge, stove top and mini sink, microwave, ... The room wasn't all that large, but a very well arranged.  Oh, did I mention an indoor pool and hot tub.  AND, breakfast...make your own waffles in the coolest machine I have ever seen, coffee, milk, juice, cereal, muffins, toast and jellies, ...   I am telling ya, I felt spoiled!  I encourage you to go take a look at the website and if you are headed close to one of these, grab it!

Now, for the rest of the trip...lol.  We went to the Strand and walked that for a bit, had a bite to eat and then got back into the car and headed out.

Always a good idea to take a picture on your phone of where you leave your car and the nearest street sign when you are out shopping in an area that you are not familiar with.  Sure don't wanna lose your car!

Been there and done that, the whole cruise scene.  Would like to go again sometime in the next five years or so.  Maybe for our 35th Anniversary.

Next stop...the Moody Gardens.  First, we know, some of you went there years ago and you know all about it...  Gosh has it changed!!!  We could get a one day pass for all attractions for $50 or pay $64 for two days.  We stayed for two days!  It included all the IMAX of different wildlife things (seems like there were five or six), the Wizard of Oz in 4-D (that was lively!), all three pyramids (musical instruments, aquarium, and tropics), the sand and water area (not to be confused with Schlitterbahn), a large boat, and the new dino exhibit that was brand new that day.  Let's let the pictures speak for themselves....

They were advertising that the next show to come would be the Polar Express.  The movie lasted all of 18 minutes and IF you had never seen it, you still would have been able to follow along.

They wanted $20 for the photos...so we took our own!

That is my sweetie!!!  He spoils me, a lot!!!

This is the look of it from the water.

The wingspan on this bird was pretty big, and I was surprised to get any of this picture.

Everything in the pyramids are built in levels.  The top picture is looking over the edge at the birds, then below is down at their level.

The color of the birds was just breathtaking!!!

He had his back to me, turned around and as soon as I shot the picture, he turned back around.  What timing. 

Always amazes me that something with such short arms could manage to get so big.

Taking his own picture...what dinosaur?  More like...what a goofball!!!

This was the brand new exhibit, it was outside under a tent and everything was animated and made noise.

Brightly colored frogs.  They were so cute, and poisonous!

Every now and then, one of the penguins would come right up to the glass and just stay there for a photo op and then swim away.

They were flying in and out of the water like salmon swimming upstream.  Very interesting to just stand and watch.

There was nothing small about the aquarium!

Again, these are huge turtles!  And, they would just slow at the window and then go flying by.

The rays were so graceful!

These guys were fast and they spin as they fly past you!  Didn't see very many out of the water either.

We don't have any pictures of the water park area yet.  Those are on my water camera and it wasn't finished yet, so it still needs to be developed.  There is a man made sandy area, umbrellas, snack area, lockers, and a large water area with slides and inter-tubes for riding around on.

I guess that is it for the Moody Gardens.  Worth the trip and the money...YES!

We then drove even further down to the coast and I got a few pictures to use for painting.  We really didn't stay here long, it was just so hot.  There is plenty in the area to do though.

This is a picture of hubby on the drive down....wait for it...

This is him on the drive home!  Actually, same shirt, same drive.  We just really do goof off a LOT!!!  Life is too short to be so serious all the time.  I think that God intended us to have fun in the midst of all that goes on around us.

Here are just some snap shots from a little shop that we stepped into at Conroe, on our return trip.  Yes, I told you that he is great, goes out of his way to find these things for me!

Hubby took some of these pictures, said it had to do with an inside joke with his sister and roosters.

Loved these birds, couldn't see paying what the vendor wanted for them.  IF you know me personally, you know how frugal I am!

Almost got this piece with the birds on it, just doesn't quite go with my decor.  Was very interesting though.

Well, that is it for now, I will be back soon.  Next posting, I will show you the ruffled curtain that I made for the playroom.  Post a recipe for refrigerator pickles and show you what I have been up to with my garden and canning.

Don't be a stranger or lurker...leave me a comment.

-Pam