Just One More Week, One More Week, One More Week

This week is my last week of working at my summer job! Knowing this makes the week almost tolerable. I really don't want to be stuck inside all week when the weather outside is as nice as it is. We're actually getting sunshine! I'll just have to spend my evenings sitting outdoors.

Next week we're off to Maine to sit on the beach and do nothing. It's going to be just what we need. It's been so hectic lately. I hope I will have access to a computer while I'm there, but I can't be sure. Mine just died Saturday night. =(
I'm using Tia's for now, and mine won't be fixed for a while.

I feel kind of dumb because not having my computer around makes me realize just how much I depend on it. I am always checking my email. Sending off a tweet. Reading blogs. Talking on facebook. And doing a million other things, on the computer. I think I depend on it too much.

Remember that herb garden I started a while back? Well, I killed the thyme and basil. The sage is doing well, though! The problem is that I have know clue how to use sage. I've never cooked with it. I'll have to do some research. I'll post my findings when I'm done, but if anyone has some knowledge about it and wouldn't mind sharing... that would rock.

Tia wants her computer soon and I still need to check some stuff.

I'm Back and I DID IT!!

Yes I am back from the fair, finally! I smell like a cow because everyone wanted to shower before me. I had to drag all the dirty clothes downstairs to start washing them. I'm covered in mud because of the massive thunder storm we got last night. My feet hurt, and I lost my cute toe ring. But, I am happier than I have been in a while.

Since I started working at my summer job in that factory I come home feeling like I've accomplished nothing. That's because I sit at a machine all day, so I really am accomplishing nothing. I've loved the last two days. I was running around doing this or that, I was always busy with something. That is real work. No matter how much I complain about it, I really do love doing farm stuff.

Reason number two I am so happy is because I finally got my license!! My dad drove up to the fair on Wednesday morning so I could use his car for the test. My aunt took me. I practiced backing into a space before the test and I kept messing it up. I didn't park well at all on the test either... but I still passed! This is a huge weight off my shoulders. I feel more relieved than I did when I graduated.

Now that I can drive myself around I don't need to ask my parents for rides to the store. I can go visit my friends. I can go places by myself. And I can go find a new toe ring to replace that one I lost in the mud at the fair! I almost don't want today to end. Tomorrow I have to go back to work. Saturday I am going back to the fair to help in the 4-H ice cream booth. And I might be working on Sunday to make up for lost time... if not then who knows what I'll be doing. Maybe I'll actually drive somewhere.

Thank you to everyone who has been wishing me a happy Lammas! I wish you all a happy Lammas, too. I would really like to bake some bread this weekend. I have no clue what the weather will be like, though. I'll definitely spend some time outside. We'll probably get fresh corn on the cob (we know the best place in town to buy it!) and cook food on the grill.

Be Back In a Few Days!

Tomorrow afternoon (after we go to the doctor to get shots) Tia and I will be heading over to the county fair! We have to spend two nights there for 4H. We show cows. Did I ever mention that before? I must have. To be more specific Tia shows cows. I used to, but I stopped showing so I could focus on helping all the other kids. My Uncle Jay's family owns the farm, my Aunt Jen is the 4H leader, and my family makes up a large part of the 4H group. I felt bad seeing my aunt so stressed over trying to get all the kids ready for the shows. I'm still an active 4H member, though. I love being a part of it. It's been such an important aspect of my life. My summers have been filled with days of helping at the farm, walking my cow, and being at fairs in the show ring. I miss showing a little bit. Especially when I look up and see all the ribbons I've won.

Anyway- tomorrow night and Wednesday night we will be at the fair. I will have no Internet access since there is no way I'd bring my computer there! It'll be a ton of fun, even with the humid and hot weather. That's better than rain, though. Especially since we have to sleep in stalls on hay, or cots if we have them. Being there also means volunteering to help in the 4H kitchen for a few hours. Needless to say I love doing that as well!

This post is jumping around a lot, isn't it? Oh well. I want to share with you one more of my favorite things, as it ties in with the post so perfectly. Do you like pudding? How about all natural, kosher, gluten free pudding made with milk from certified humane cows? If so you should really, really, really check out this website. That is where I get my pudding. Well, I get it from the farm itself. Echo Farm is the farm my uncle's family owns. I practically grew up there! It's probably my favorite place in the whole world.

Sharing Some Favorites

As a I'mtotallyboredoutofmymind post I figured I could share some stuff. First up- music!

I heard this song a few weeks ago and loved it right away. It took me hours to find out the name of it so I could find the lyrics and a You Tube video.



I had this song stuck in my head for three days straight! It's a really cheesy video- but I love the song.



Books-

I know I just wrote two posts about books, but I read a lot. I found another author that I like. Her name is Melissa Marr. She wrote a book called Wicked Lovely, which is wicked awesome! It's about a girl named Ash who can see faeries. Though the ending seems rushed to me, I still really like how it turns out. Especially because there is a sequel! It's called Fragile Eternity. I am currently reading it in fact. I'm hoping to make it last me more than two days, which is why I'm not reading it right now. She also wrote another book called Ink Exchange. It's a companion novel to Wicked Lovely. She takes some of the secondary characters in Wicked Lovely and tells their stories. I haven't read it yet, but I can't wait to!

That's all for now. We're ordering pizza and I've got a friend coming over to hang out. Facebook is a great way to find something to do!

Life IS Good

Honestly I didn't mean to not blog for a week. That's just how it happened. I got caught up in life and either didn't have the time or the energy to come and write a post. I do have a couple of things I want to share with you at a later date, one of them being a cool online store.

A little update on my life- I went to take my driving test for the 3rd time today. Those who have been reading my blog for a while know how difficult it has been for me. I scheduled the appointment last weekend and didn't tell anyone except a few people who needed to know. This is mostly because I feel that the more people who know the more nervous I'll be about letting them down, the more people I would have to tell I failed again. My Aunt Jen took me since my dad really makes me nervous when I drive. I got there on time and waited in line for 20-30 minutes. I finally got to the front of the line and what does the lady tell me? "You're late, you'll have to reschedule your appointment." So I rescheduled it and she tells me "Make sure you're here 15 minutes early next time! And don't wait in line." WTF?! Don't wait in line? Sure, NOW you tell me that.

Yeah, I cried. Out of complete frustration. I felt so ready. I've been preparing myself mentally for three days. I perfected my parking. I drove all around Keene. Just to make sure I was completely ready. I'm sure that if I had been allowed to take the test today I would have passed it. I guess the DMV has the reputation they have for a reason. I won't say when my next appointment is, for the same reason as before. My Aunt will be taking me again, though.

After the whole DMV incident Aunt Jen and I went shopping. I bought the rest of the clothes I'll need for college, and about a million other things I'll need for my dorm life. I'm lucky I've saved so much money- this stuff isn't cheap!

I also treated myself to this cute bag (Like I needed another...) because I needed the reminder.

My List

I meant to write this yesterday. Then again I planned on doing a lot of stuff yesterday that didn't get done! Just like the stuff I wanted to do today probably won't get done. xD

I was both surprised and unsurprised by the fact that most people hadn't read or even heard of most of the books on that list. I know I don't plan on going out and buying them! I have only read one book on it. The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper. It's actually a whole series- and a good one! My aunt gave me the box set years ago. They are all really short, very easily read, but still entertaining books. I think they have a good point to them, but I'm scratching my head as to why they are on an adult book list.

Anyway, here's my book list.

Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley - a lot of you said this one as well, for good reason- it's great!

1984 by George Orwell- I first read this book in 9th grade, and oh my gods do I love it! I've read it over and over since then. I had to read and keep a journal of it last summer as a part of my AP English class.

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley- this is the other book I had to read and keep a journal of last summer for my AP English class. It was my first time reading it, but it has also become a favorite. It is a lot like 1984.

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis- we were first introduced to these books in elementary school through the most popular of the books The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. I think they are all worth reading, though. In order is best since you learn so much more about the characters that way! Even though we read it in 3rd grade I think they are totally appropriate for adults. Children are entertained by the story, adults can be entertained by that and understand the underlying allusions.

The Last of the Really Great Wangdoodles by Julie Andrews Edwards- Okay, it's another one I read in elementary school. My 5th grade teacher read it to the whole class, complete with voices for each character! We then proceeded to draw out the amazing world and characters we were hearing described. It was a lot of fun. Any adult should be able to appreciate the wonders of Wangdoodleland, though, and maybe connect with their inner child a bit while they're at it!

Authors:
Diane Mott Davidson- She writes a murder mystery series where the main character is a caterer. So not only does this series satisfy my love for murder mysteries, I get recipes out of it! Some of my favorite treats have come from her. I first picked up one of her books at the Salvation Army. I'm glad I did!

Kim Harrison- I love this author! Her Hollows series was introduced to me by my Aunt Jen. It's wicked awesome. Three words- witches, vampires, and werewolves. And it all takes place in Cincinnati. Kim Harrison also just wrote her first book for teens. Once Dead, Twice Shy. I'm glad she decided to continue writing these stories about Madison, because I'm hooked!


I'm going to stop here before I name every book in my book case. That's enough!

Okay time to edit- I knew I would end up adding more! I really have a soft spot for the classics. These are my two favorites that are must reads for me. (Some day at least!) =0)

I have been wanting to read The Complete Works of Shakespeare for a couple years now. I haven't even come close! I've only read a few of his better known plays. My copy of his works just sits there on my shelf taunting me saying "You'll never read me!" It may be slow going, but I know I want to read them all some day.

The Canterbury Tales. Chaucer is right up there with Shakespeare in awesomeness. It's also the same deal with the taunting book just sitting on my shelf. Wanting to read this was sparked in part by my English teacher giving me the Geoffry Chaucer award and practically making me cry as he stood on the stage and talked about my love for English and my future plans for owning a restaurant. I went out and bought the book because I remember reading excerpts of it in the British Literature class and liking it.

I guess what partly draws me to these two is the flow of their words. They really did basically just write long poems.

50 Books

I love reading the news on the MSN homepage. There are always interesting articles about random things. Like this one I read a week or so ago called 50 Books for Our Times. In case you don't feel like checking it out (or can't), here's the intro.

What to Read Now. And Why.
We know it's insane. We know people will ask why on earth we think that an 1875 British satirical novel is the book you need to read right now—or, for that matter, why it even made the cut. The fact is, no one needs another best-of list telling you how great The Great Gatsby is. What we do need, in a world with precious little time to read (and think), is to know which books—new or old, fiction or nonfiction—open a window on the times we live in, whether they deal directly with the issues of today or simply help us see ourselves in new and surprising ways. Which is why we'd like you to sit down with Anthony Trollope, and these 49 other remarkably trenchant voices.

I honestly have to wonder how they picked these books! I've only ever heard of a handful of them. And I've only read one of them. If you do decide to check out the list please tell me how many you've heard of and read. I'd like to know.

Despite being the books I 'should' be reading, most of them don't sound interesting to me and I don't plan on spending my time reading them when I have so many other books I'd rather read. I think I should make my own list of books. Actually, I think everyone should make their own list of books!

So- what books do you want to read, have read and think are wicked awesome, or even just think you should probably read at some point.

I've Been Busy

Since my last post I've just been wicked busy. I made peanut butter cheesecake brownie babies, I made no bake cookies, and I made strawberry jam. All three are great!

The brownie babies you definitely need to use paper liners for like the recipe says. I didn't have any so I just sprayed the pan, but the bottoms stuck because the peanut butter and cream cheese 'filling' is so heavy. Instead of cool whip I used some heavy cream to make my own whipped cream.

Yesterday I wanted cookies, but we're actually experiencing warm weather so there was no way I was turning the oven on. Solution- no bakes! I added coconut and cut up almonds to them. And I think next time I'll cut back on the sugar because they are just way too sweet.

The jam turned out great. I used the recipe off the pectin box. My sister has already had a peanut butter and jam sandwich with it. She said it tastes just like it smells -awesome! I tried some on a sandwich but I've never been a huge fan of jam and jelly. When I want a sandwich I don't want a sweet one. My dad thinks I'm nuts because I spent hours making it and I bought all the stuff to make it, but I probably won't eat it. I wanted to make it because I wanted to make it. I'm giving half of it away. The batch made nine jars! I couldn't have been happier than when I found out that it had sealed correctly. I was so worried that I had done something wrong at first.

Last night my sister and I house sat for our Aunt Taunya. Basically we were just there to make sure the house didn't spontaneously combust or anything. They've lost two houses to fires. They have password protected wifi, so even though I brought my laptop with the intent of blogging, I couldn't. Have you ever been in a house where everything is so open that every noise sounds louder than it really is? Their house is like that so I didn't sleep well last night. I think I'm taking a nap this afternoon.

I'm going to go and enjoy this warm weather while we've got it!

Failed Strawberry Creations

So far the most successful thing I have done with those strawberries is put them in a big gallon size freezer bag and make a smoothie with some of them. Sunday I made the virgin strawberry bellinis. No one really liked them. I didn't think it tasted too bad, but the carbonation in the sparkling cider made me feel sick. (I don't drink carbonated drinks very often.) Even though I won't make it again maybe someone else will try it and like it. They were actually really easy to make!

Virgin Strawberry Bellinis
14 ounces fresh strawberries
6 ounces water
1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 ounces fresh lemon juice
3 ounces chilled sparkling apple cider

Directions
In a medium saucepan, bring to a boil 14 ounces of hulled fresh strawberries, 6 ounces of water and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar. Remove from the heat and let cool. Stir in 1 1/2 ounces of fresh lemon juice. Transfer the strawberry mixture to a food processor and blend until smooth; strain through a fine sieve. Pour 1 ounce of the strawberry puree into each of 5 flutes and top with 3 ounces of chilled sparkling apple cider.

We didn't use all the strawberry puree from the bellinis, so I decided to use it to try and make cookies. Instead of following the recipe for strawberry cookies that I had. Bad idea! I won't elaborate on that one.... I may try to make strawberry cookies some other day, following the recipe, if I do I'll post about it.

The next thing I have to do with the strawberries is try making jam with them! I need to borrow the canning equipment from my grandma.

Right now I'm just tired and hungry. One thing I know is I don't want strawberry anything. My mom is cooking Hamburger Helper- yum!

Our Findings

I consider yesterday a very successful shopping trip! I found four shirts. The three in the first picture and the one I'm wearing in the second picture. I also found a black sweater that I didn't take a picture of. I found an awesome pair of cargo pants (I'm wearing them in the second picture) and six pairs of jeans. I bought all the jeans at the Salvation Army because I could not find any jeans at the mall. It was the most frustrating thing! I was not going to pay for jeans with giant rips in them just because they are "in style". I'm not very gentle with my jeans, so I need them to hold up. Then, some stores had weird sizes. One store would only have even numbers and another would only have odd numbers. I would always fall in between two numbers! I won't pay for pants that don't fit me right. Oh well. I saved money by going to the Salvation Army, and they already have that comfy feel to them.



I also found two books at the Salvation Army.


Then when we woke up this morning my mom and dad seemed to both be in bad moods so my mom and I went to a flea market to get out of the house. We found this! It holds our potatoes and onions. We were worried about finding a place for it, but it fits right next to the stove.


I also found this cool penny in a bottle.



Belated Happy 4th! Last night I made the non alcoholic version of Mrs. B's Sangria. It's good!