tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28435063301863452012024-03-05T15:50:47.773-05:00Our Boozy Life Our Boozy Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613606501861688188noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843506330186345201.post-79081563656096700742021-12-11T18:21:00.000-05:002021-12-11T18:21:34.054-05:00MAX<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5h7yREafBTI" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div> Max was abandoned by his family in early December 2019 at a
high kill shelter in West Virginia. The
family that abandoned him was said to have had a 9-year old boy. The little boy asked his father, “When we get
back from vacation, will we come back and get Max?” And the father said, “No, he’s going to be
taken care of by these folks now.” Max
would have more than likely been euthanized.
But, our dear friends at Mountaineer Boxer Rescue saved him. And in doing so, they gave us the opportunity
to rescue and save Max as well. <p class="MsoNormal">We lost our Boxer, Riley, in July 2019.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were still processing the grief of losing
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our hearts were still broken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, by November 2019, my heart was yearning
for another Boxer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having only had Boxer
puppies in the past, I started looking online for Boxer puppies available near
us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t an active search, just a
heart yearning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By happenstance, I
followed a Boxer rescue group, Mountaineer Boxer Rescue, close to us, on
Facebook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On December 14, the picture of
Max in the animal shelter and the plea to find him a home was posted by
Mountaineer Boxer Rescue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took me a
milli-second to look at Max and decide that we needed to help him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Up until that point, Ronnie was only half
bought into the idea of another dog but I showed him the picture of Max and
shared his story of being abandoned and he immediately felt the same way I
did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We needed to try and help Max if we
could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I immediately sent in an application and request to foster
and adopt Max.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I began messaging with
the owner of MBR and sharing the story of our love for Boxers and the story of
the lives of our Shelby and Riley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And,
how I felt we were adept at becoming a good home for Max.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We messaged back and forth for days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually, we were able to meet Max, who was
over two hours away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, we were chosen
to give Max a second chance at life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
am forever grateful to Mountaineer Boxer Rescue, specifically Kristine, for
choosing us to be Max’s parents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
love at first sight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, it was,
wholeheartedly, meant to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We brought Max home on Christmas Eve, 2019.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will forever be one of my favorite
Christmas Eve memories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Max was, from
the very beginning, so trusting and loving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was immediately apparent; he was well trained, and eager to please.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something neither Shelby nor Riley had ever
grasped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had read much about dogs
needing time and space to adjust to a new home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And, we gave him that space, but also focused on establishing perimeters
here on the farm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We wanted him to run
wild and free but also know boundaries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
was quick to learn the boundaries and whenever, he was called, he
responded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our next few weeks together
became a blur of constant snuggles, lots of exercise on the farm and good
things to eat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Max was only 59 pounds
when we got him, very underweight for a Boxer his size.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was said that he didn’t eat while he
was in the animal shelter and had lost a significant amount of weight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We relished in fattening him up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lots of good meals, snacks and lazy naps
solidified our first months together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually,
we fattened him up to a healthy 75 pounds.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Within the first few weeks of having Max and trying to
understand him, it became apparent to us that Max had been trained through
fear, not by positive reinforcement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
we attempted to correct something he did, he cowered in shame.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My heart broke for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And with every interaction we had with him, we
encouraged him and praised him and gave him positive reinforcement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t change things immediately, but gradually,
he let go of the fear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He was a lap dog and a snuggle bug from the very
beginning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He seemingly, had never been
allowed on furniture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, we let him
snuggle up any place his heart desired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Adopting a Senior Boxer, means that you adopt one with training and
instinct and intuitiveness already instilled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We learned something new from him every day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was so well potty trained; when he did his
business, he went to the edge of the woods or in the woods, dug a hole and
pooped in the hole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, nearly pooped
in the hole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The effort he made digging
the hole was so impressive and so when he pooped, 6 inches to the right of it,
well, it didn’t bother us a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> We were tickled by it. </span>Shelby
and Riley had consistently shit three inches off the front porch, and be damned
they’d ever bother with digging a hole for it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">While we showered him with endless toys, his favorite toy
was always a ball.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had endless tennis
balls and he always loved opening up a new set of balls to add to his collection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were tennis balls in every room of the
house and on every acre of this farm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
loved to chase a ball.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You could ask him
to sit and fetch a ball.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would exuberantly
fetch more times than you ever dreamed but he never gave the ball back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We learned pretty quickly to always have two
balls when playing catch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Max had an immense prey drive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wanted to kill everything that moved on
the farm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Much to my chagrin, he
succeeded in killing moles and our resident Groundhog, Murray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was fast, but the deer and squirrels always
evaded him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would have caught and
killed a goat, if not for the electric fence and Great Pyrenees that protected
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was his goat hunting and the
electric and barbed wire fence that made us invest in goggles for our boy,
because he fought so incessantly at that barbed wire fence, he scratched his
eyes several times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He attempted and
failed to kill a skunk three different times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Damn
those skunks!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We never completely got
that awful smell out of him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anytime he
got wet, we could always smell a faint scent of his loathed arch nemesis. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Max loved spending time outdoors with us, in everything that
we did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mowing, gardening, farm projects
– he was always right beside me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
loved all of his extended family but he almost immediately imprinted on me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Imprinting is an act of nature in a small
animal, where they recognize someone as its parent or a trustworthy
figure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In novels and movies, it’s
described as when one finds their soul mate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Regardless of how you see it, Max unequivocally imprinted on me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was my constant shadow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No matter what he was doing, if he looked up
and couldn’t see me, he came in search of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was his comfort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was his
person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We recognized it, acknowledged
it and I never took it for granted a single day that he was with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">During 2020, we were in the process of
digging a pond on our farm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was, in
essence, a project that had been going on since we brought Max home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a project that he oversaw from the
beginning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite the digging and heavy
equipment involved, he loved supervising over the work involved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was there – step by step, inch by inch,
mud-hole after mud-hole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From a mud-pit
to a pond, it was a project that he was a part of completely and one that we were all very proud of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He loved being near the pond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We eventually stocked it with fish, a family
of ducks shortly called it home and flew elsewhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, in between, it became one of Max’s
favorite places to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Max joined our family when he was 10 years old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had no silver on his face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had no physical ailments, no
arthritis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We questioned him really
being a 10-year old Boxer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe he was
much younger, we thought?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had the
energy of a 2-year old when he came home with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He ran like a Greyhound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had a pup-like personality. But, within a
year, his muzzle had turned silver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
started to slow down gradually but the one impediment that altered his physical
stamina was the diagnosis of Degenerative Myelopathy in April 2021.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>DM is a degenerative disorder of the spine,
very common in Boxers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had never
experienced it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And unfortunately, we became all too familiar with its progressive, cruel intentions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We first noticed something was wrong when Max began dragging
his back feet, toenails scraping the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His back legs started to weaken and his gait was a bit wobbly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He started to lose bladder control and began
wearing diapers at night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Degenerative
Myelopathy causes eventual paralysis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
starts with weakness in the hind legs, gradually becoming worse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It leads to total paralysis in the back and
will eventually impact the entire body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There is no cure for DM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
researched everything we could do to at least make him more comfortable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We placed rugs on every hardwood surface in
the house as he lost traction on slick floors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We tried every imaginable kind of booty to protect his feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We began using CBD oil, Cranberry supplements
(preventative for bladder infections), Vitamins with glucosamine, omegas and
probiotics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At night, we had to keep a
fan near him as he began to struggle with temperature control and eventually,
medicine to help him rest at night when nights became restless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">His symptoms were gradual but as they progressed, the worst
of it came on so quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He walked like
a drunken sailor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surprisingly, he could
run better than he could walk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t
a greyhound-esque gait anymore but a bunny hop kind of run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He started to fall more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually, he fell with every step he tried to
make.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, we used a sling to help him
walk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Physically, his body was failing
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I believe it took its toll on
him mentally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He began to growl at us
when we tried to help him up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think he
felt vulnerable and was in pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>DM is
supposed to be pain-less but as any DM parent will tell you, there are signs to
the contrary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he could no longer
walk on his own and when the vulnerability and inability to do what he wanted
took his dignity, we made the difficult decision to let him go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Max died on October 18, 2021.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We buried him in a special place by the pond
. . . Max’s pond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I don’t know what kind of life Max had before us and for
obvious reasons, at times, it has bothered me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now, I only focus on the life that I know Max had when he was with
us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A life so well lived and loved; a life
full of nothing but love, freedom and exuberant joy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so very grateful that he came into our
lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, I am forever grateful that
for his short two years with us, he felt nothing but an undying, unapologetic,
all encompassing kind of love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know that
because we felt the same kind of love from our Max.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p></div>Our Boozy Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613606501861688188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843506330186345201.post-24072689719803032942020-12-20T13:59:00.001-05:002020-12-20T13:59:47.071-05:00Our first Garden - the Highlight of 2020<p> We started this year with the goal to grow our first garden. Primarily, we simply wanted the experience of growing a garden. Secondly, the nearest grocery store is at least a 20 minute drive and we wanted the ability to be somewhat sustainable on our own. And admittedly, I had the ambitious and enthusiastic goal of having "<i>the most beautiful garden in all of West Virginia</i>." (Imagine me saying that in my giddy, girly, high-pitched voice and then imagine the way Ronnie looked at me when I said it.) Turns out, just keeping the damn garden alive was enough to keep us busy all summer. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPVK5n3MsrcSY-eOdwjlNHDHOCywO_hQ-GdbjVGUrpFN5rN4RctejmpyreAZJu_lZ6xpGv_PMH_ZL8HibKO9S8fOEYwAhrh6S1HnxYyEOhrcjg8HUxQM0vmVdxglSe4FGUi961MrSDQk99/s2048/November+import+-+all+photos+8766+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPVK5n3MsrcSY-eOdwjlNHDHOCywO_hQ-GdbjVGUrpFN5rN4RctejmpyreAZJu_lZ6xpGv_PMH_ZL8HibKO9S8fOEYwAhrh6S1HnxYyEOhrcjg8HUxQM0vmVdxglSe4FGUi961MrSDQk99/w480-h640/November+import+-+all+photos+8766+%25282%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_JRNG6CNwL3N5G4lFjw9OfYT8yx6UJUtKQwcTxu-pFGwGOiL3VWfP56h0B49KETxyVW1TyO9qWrx5HNNDI4ogMd8UFAqnZYQCrhME9rISNym4e1Y2SbA3VLeZGbUtkTS9Q3n0OQ0XKOqz/s2048/November+import+-+all+photos+8764+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_JRNG6CNwL3N5G4lFjw9OfYT8yx6UJUtKQwcTxu-pFGwGOiL3VWfP56h0B49KETxyVW1TyO9qWrx5HNNDI4ogMd8UFAqnZYQCrhME9rISNym4e1Y2SbA3VLeZGbUtkTS9Q3n0OQ0XKOqz/w480-h640/November+import+-+all+photos+8764+%25282%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, we started our garden in March by planting seeds and growing starts indoors until Spring when we could plant them in the garden. Initially, we kept them in three tubs and Ronnie fixed a lighting mechanism to mimic sunlight. As they started growing, we got super excited and by Spring, we had what seemed like a jungle in our house as we had added more plants and those plants were lined in every windowsill of our house. First lesson learned, we won't ever do that again. Next year, we'll have a greenhouse. And, we'll more than likely sow more seeds directly in the garden in spring. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja5SxiWqFTxMDYGhVS1AkrfRmHzvk2gAj5RmBnjZEVMN53pqCkZTLW8Rhmhog92dCoGTYvVsSvWHr2a5Rb0_SFsCBC5BNmpOOdraaaKv7ITe2BD5YIXiJQwAOkSRRGnT1uXpsEGjGUbHjn/s1024/November+import+-+all+photos+7604+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja5SxiWqFTxMDYGhVS1AkrfRmHzvk2gAj5RmBnjZEVMN53pqCkZTLW8Rhmhog92dCoGTYvVsSvWHr2a5Rb0_SFsCBC5BNmpOOdraaaKv7ITe2BD5YIXiJQwAOkSRRGnT1uXpsEGjGUbHjn/w480-h640/November+import+-+all+photos+7604+%25282%2529.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS0c9qjQch8ogxRMk-yV71XNvxBlYFIbEqVu-4wgxasvkPMkaYOF2wfZ8LJoQGnT7ULmSl3Eo8cI5MqJnZQKN-hGCiKX3-odeTllynOEEtoq76yLHNgQkb-BoQcNbjJu1R-qK57u8dOZfJ/s1280/November+import+-+all+photos+7607+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS0c9qjQch8ogxRMk-yV71XNvxBlYFIbEqVu-4wgxasvkPMkaYOF2wfZ8LJoQGnT7ULmSl3Eo8cI5MqJnZQKN-hGCiKX3-odeTllynOEEtoq76yLHNgQkb-BoQcNbjJu1R-qK57u8dOZfJ/w480-h640/November+import+-+all+photos+7607+%25282%2529.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlmLx7_CGnSK5xq2_XU469UZ0lcmH6B9OCNRjkgFr9peI4qziSl9My_hBr4doHBU-PJduDxdwcnB5hoG-djAWYk-RelV-Spy7bC6l7c5dFIBvr3wlyVuQ_Nz2tCe3FQUrU7CzveHBZ7q-/s2048/November+import+-+all+photos+7910+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlmLx7_CGnSK5xq2_XU469UZ0lcmH6B9OCNRjkgFr9peI4qziSl9My_hBr4doHBU-PJduDxdwcnB5hoG-djAWYk-RelV-Spy7bC6l7c5dFIBvr3wlyVuQ_Nz2tCe3FQUrU7CzveHBZ7q-/w480-h640/November+import+-+all+photos+7910+%25282%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Before tilling the soil for our garden, we knew we would have to protect it from the deer. So, Ronnie constructed an 8 foot fence to protect our garden and orchard. Said orchard didn't bear a single fruit this year as we had a very late frost in the spring. But, everything worked out and we're happy to report that not a single deer jumped the fence. Can't say the same thing for keeping groundhogs, squirrels, rabbits and other wildlife out of the garden. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbbs0i06-U2FvVRWR8dHZj8LDiJkEG47E18muN8CYAsKLDl6XafujohDdMEcv9nN3m8EsCpmGTeifN44tx1Nxc-4PLUqai2yGrzqxoadplhME2844ObHcXifBQm_p8pBDUW025zT4g-qe2/s2048/November+import+-+all+photos+8084+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbbs0i06-U2FvVRWR8dHZj8LDiJkEG47E18muN8CYAsKLDl6XafujohDdMEcv9nN3m8EsCpmGTeifN44tx1Nxc-4PLUqai2yGrzqxoadplhME2844ObHcXifBQm_p8pBDUW025zT4g-qe2/w480-h640/November+import+-+all+photos+8084+%25282%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_pWVsv-VjYXxM82P91_Wy8Q2nf-FhC-pWshth4EyK0t1TVMFOFBSmggsWMfnsO1PBGr3TZkUC_A3bUYM8Fa_7S_YkTvAmmPdHYhrtnotcnzhSIJLCURgAEck59cKyRlCaOWExwvKvQ36M/s2048/November+import+-+all+photos+8242+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_pWVsv-VjYXxM82P91_Wy8Q2nf-FhC-pWshth4EyK0t1TVMFOFBSmggsWMfnsO1PBGr3TZkUC_A3bUYM8Fa_7S_YkTvAmmPdHYhrtnotcnzhSIJLCURgAEck59cKyRlCaOWExwvKvQ36M/w480-h640/November+import+-+all+photos+8242+%25282%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG6jyOjIs4-4ITs1Y6xUWpyjTQHFmhq6GZXWwyYDZUlFu0vxGLXxjJGG6j99B7fOr1oG-fdR6tJmENrLeS4uyweL1M1dG3X93hxHnL7oUhi41wu_qmzuUaPofVuaw3GbCU5IhoPFD6eU5G/s960/November+import+-+all+photos+8252+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG6jyOjIs4-4ITs1Y6xUWpyjTQHFmhq6GZXWwyYDZUlFu0vxGLXxjJGG6j99B7fOr1oG-fdR6tJmENrLeS4uyweL1M1dG3X93hxHnL7oUhi41wu_qmzuUaPofVuaw3GbCU5IhoPFD6eU5G/w640-h480/November+import+-+all+photos+8252+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our garden harvest included green beans, cucumbers, zucchini squash, yellow squash, bell peppers, tomatoes, cabbage, lettuce, turnips, broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, sweet potatoes, spaghetti squash, and butternut squash. Corn was attempted but didn't survive. We also grew herbs in the garden - sage, dill, lavender, basil and rosemary. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1RFCFk36JGYN6IQSnRaYCQBPLl2BlU5F4Dxncu6fig3UDziUXKa3_tKwf5kdAnWk4hZ20UVn0dctJ0sMda4QVNwjZgKAcsn3hKDXHIcr5593kvR0GsQjE1AoaWf_MOoAxpn4IShr4QaG/s2048/November+import+-+all+photos+8250+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1RFCFk36JGYN6IQSnRaYCQBPLl2BlU5F4Dxncu6fig3UDziUXKa3_tKwf5kdAnWk4hZ20UVn0dctJ0sMda4QVNwjZgKAcsn3hKDXHIcr5593kvR0GsQjE1AoaWf_MOoAxpn4IShr4QaG/w480-h640/November+import+-+all+photos+8250+%25282%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgihlJ0Qg_AHfZGh0DyJMCXtd1t-ReveahyphenhyphenR8Crz27atcEea1cj5171ebwxeCEPIYrn3dlPA_CZaD34d4uPsciLgsUb6T1dm3i34-Z0fot2tQanIDXBGihbuMp1Q3-RXY_nXgsrAdWiPjlF/s1334/November+import+-+all+photos+8782+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgihlJ0Qg_AHfZGh0DyJMCXtd1t-ReveahyphenhyphenR8Crz27atcEea1cj5171ebwxeCEPIYrn3dlPA_CZaD34d4uPsciLgsUb6T1dm3i34-Z0fot2tQanIDXBGihbuMp1Q3-RXY_nXgsrAdWiPjlF/w360-h640/November+import+-+all+photos+8782+%25282%2529.JPG" width="360" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkeMrU6UOdNyWVNdWqb_3Vfchb1UdG6VTT06-r9PBg28mMr42UVOFxpSIyR7I_jRAUtBG3c0xr89qW99UotvCiK1n2_kXDTt7GX33m5odbFVWsqJ08BfHH7vHJgMOnVfs9XrEd1QtShJhn/s1334/November+import+-+all+photos+8783+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkeMrU6UOdNyWVNdWqb_3Vfchb1UdG6VTT06-r9PBg28mMr42UVOFxpSIyR7I_jRAUtBG3c0xr89qW99UotvCiK1n2_kXDTt7GX33m5odbFVWsqJ08BfHH7vHJgMOnVfs9XrEd1QtShJhn/w360-h640/November+import+-+all+photos+8783+%25282%2529.JPG" width="360" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ4e_Ah59_7QrUSyOqiyrNknhAam5JsOyD3r5KgXB7CTLvLS9CuHO55Lgi2q3Z8NqQEJkvj3DtX0jtO5skpaEgymSTaSPboFQcb3ymfUmNuzyUdPqW0f5aD8v7kVAGr_jm2sAUkRdFaQ1K/s1334/November+import+-+all+photos+8787+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ4e_Ah59_7QrUSyOqiyrNknhAam5JsOyD3r5KgXB7CTLvLS9CuHO55Lgi2q3Z8NqQEJkvj3DtX0jtO5skpaEgymSTaSPboFQcb3ymfUmNuzyUdPqW0f5aD8v7kVAGr_jm2sAUkRdFaQ1K/w360-h640/November+import+-+all+photos+8787+%25282%2529.JPG" width="360" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihOgz56jv9IBXipgj0lSz9och4CgUBtamSkSEOup8w-Bg5di3Dkg4hiXhOezgVYaIWlWiWmPe4UlztU88WY75JKOKXV4zOmYo1avQdlaMc7_fONQLBFTMY6NVWEY9kPuiDzPOEMbJWkMCJ/s2048/November+import+-+all+photos+8944+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihOgz56jv9IBXipgj0lSz9och4CgUBtamSkSEOup8w-Bg5di3Dkg4hiXhOezgVYaIWlWiWmPe4UlztU88WY75JKOKXV4zOmYo1avQdlaMc7_fONQLBFTMY6NVWEY9kPuiDzPOEMbJWkMCJ/w480-h640/November+import+-+all+photos+8944+%25282%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0OQotWSK_bs3F89BcZXnK-5M97pXFf_jwf0zmKiiddpoavWxYHabUEZ8Mrjc_0lXBiG1CJcGvZ51Sw3jKEwJwwCuq2p1rqCIUNxReLGl2mbCBT7u_1tdqN-pSeHNPWz3XoKnCP2tNkOm6/s2048/November+import+-+all+photos+9096+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0OQotWSK_bs3F89BcZXnK-5M97pXFf_jwf0zmKiiddpoavWxYHabUEZ8Mrjc_0lXBiG1CJcGvZ51Sw3jKEwJwwCuq2p1rqCIUNxReLGl2mbCBT7u_1tdqN-pSeHNPWz3XoKnCP2tNkOm6/w480-h640/November+import+-+all+photos+9096+%25282%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyqiKkpwBFcBYzkkYpeRuI6UmneZtoCpLCJOpkL3_rOlT9WD2UTRaXpFHU12rkWxBsvHcoZJCj_8rx2toy3uppERSzqnP5tdzsViQx6MtZxGfyDe-WxuVZX9-VI-e2RSmAwMpdrlXv0Ll3/s2048/November+import+-+all+photos+9196+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyqiKkpwBFcBYzkkYpeRuI6UmneZtoCpLCJOpkL3_rOlT9WD2UTRaXpFHU12rkWxBsvHcoZJCj_8rx2toy3uppERSzqnP5tdzsViQx6MtZxGfyDe-WxuVZX9-VI-e2RSmAwMpdrlXv0Ll3/w480-h640/November+import+-+all+photos+9196+%25282%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, what did we learn this year? Lots of things! Our garden was not pristine and perfect. But, it was ours. Lots of things thrived and some things died. But, we took everything that happened with the garden in good stride. "Its our first garden, we'll do this or that differently next year," we'd say. And for our first garden, it really was a good one. For the most part, we ate everything that we planted. We had lots of veggies left over to keep for the winter. And we did a small bit of canning and freezing other vegetables. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgBUEVLA9ORF18HB01m4CCCtSnaUsgSsw0_t4YVze3RavSCXFPDlhQ0lLhBZboglmkajmUoz_jjxDA7Z2mJx9UgqhO2LwZx9HOf0aFqnKQwmAdM3cmCANiiXNs05Mnjb_JZEfX8RNc1JE/s1334/November+import+-+all+photos+8830+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgBUEVLA9ORF18HB01m4CCCtSnaUsgSsw0_t4YVze3RavSCXFPDlhQ0lLhBZboglmkajmUoz_jjxDA7Z2mJx9UgqhO2LwZx9HOf0aFqnKQwmAdM3cmCANiiXNs05Mnjb_JZEfX8RNc1JE/w360-h640/November+import+-+all+photos+8830+%25282%2529.JPG" width="360" /></a></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh52HFAcaSjsf_pOt8nuGno5qb_vf6u1jjze54MT4N0t37I3BflLGdbxGZiZvejWGtSBNPprM_y_zdO_kOjnTsiHZ7UTKK84R3kFyQTVPTD27w7hutKxNGNFI5kpFGtgkW5FlyAcsLyz6aF/s1334/November+import+-+all+photos+8831+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh52HFAcaSjsf_pOt8nuGno5qb_vf6u1jjze54MT4N0t37I3BflLGdbxGZiZvejWGtSBNPprM_y_zdO_kOjnTsiHZ7UTKK84R3kFyQTVPTD27w7hutKxNGNFI5kpFGtgkW5FlyAcsLyz6aF/w360-h640/November+import+-+all+photos+8831+%25282%2529.JPG" width="360" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"> The best part of my summer days were going to the garden to harvest something for dinner. It just doesn't get any better than that. Also, after spending a day in the garden and getting dirty, there's nothing I enjoyed more than having a glass of wine and sitting quietly in the garden to just take it all in. Another joy that I got from the garden this year was simply taking off my shoes and working in the garden barefoot. It was so grounding and calming for me. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEb44xwfHMusTsdVF59yTLZwwpzCs2_j5I1oWGoZSAaxbE3unngSIGakHLzJ-slzcEnd3iZrxcUbATaPKx2kqOzy71e4gfWlBmBMuqgW8ia0b1Ux6kYQSF9HH8YorhaSffHH30rfJqnPv2/s1334/November+import+-+all+photos+8769+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEb44xwfHMusTsdVF59yTLZwwpzCs2_j5I1oWGoZSAaxbE3unngSIGakHLzJ-slzcEnd3iZrxcUbATaPKx2kqOzy71e4gfWlBmBMuqgW8ia0b1Ux6kYQSF9HH8YorhaSffHH30rfJqnPv2/w360-h640/November+import+-+all+photos+8769+%25282%2529.JPG" width="360" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We'll definitely plant more of certain vegetables and less of others. We'll do our spacing between plants a little different next year. We started a compost bin this year but it won't be ready until next Spring. We probably need to supplement the garden with manure. I'll leave Ronnie to that task - our neighbors have plenty. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ronnie's grandfather has passed down heirloom dahlias to us since we've been here on the farm. So, every Spring, it's something we do together, and we plant our dahlia tubers with great anticipation for the beautiful flowers they produce. Having fresh flowers in the house brings me lots of happiness, and it just doesn't get better than dahlias for fresh cut flower arrangements. I was also insistent on growing sunflowers in the garden this year. I planted mammoth sunflowers and they did not disappoint.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSxh_STgyv7oDJ-sq6AsvPxIsq6MV0i_KOAEkbX9pchEJkW4rOMyuecHREWKTGRINsYA6r7mAdE-f81i-F98CzVTbNWQAbt59piFMp-AxTJO4LSUxBq9dFsYvuw2S6TbhDrwmLXSVJDqV_/s2048/November+import+-+all+photos+8987+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSxh_STgyv7oDJ-sq6AsvPxIsq6MV0i_KOAEkbX9pchEJkW4rOMyuecHREWKTGRINsYA6r7mAdE-f81i-F98CzVTbNWQAbt59piFMp-AxTJO4LSUxBq9dFsYvuw2S6TbhDrwmLXSVJDqV_/w480-h640/November+import+-+all+photos+8987+%25282%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKntpwJeI4m9wfEG0EKhY9pVpe3QgmRUkb9DwPf3pwkUQDIxp-jUgloLfTauVUryh7NHBoaM6EpIUKE53XF6Mdbfgf4FTG4CTn_OjdvnIKKRZNdVAhzgarGgq7fke9JSvftCTVQ_fRqVNo/s1334/November+import+-+all+photos+9065+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKntpwJeI4m9wfEG0EKhY9pVpe3QgmRUkb9DwPf3pwkUQDIxp-jUgloLfTauVUryh7NHBoaM6EpIUKE53XF6Mdbfgf4FTG4CTn_OjdvnIKKRZNdVAhzgarGgq7fke9JSvftCTVQ_fRqVNo/w360-h640/November+import+-+all+photos+9065+%25282%2529.JPG" width="360" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiccM0PeHzVF3Pcg-NXF5GPVUHtWzHILViKO_uO-zTcoSBfjHza0BEdcEGAKfOZPdQbQilgZPWv-V8qRCxzvFzdUxxzyU88WMB6ogV8HtlOOka588X3aF396ktco_WQZoH6IaNLIgjv_fA4/s1261/November+import+-+all+photos+9111+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1261" data-original-width="709" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiccM0PeHzVF3Pcg-NXF5GPVUHtWzHILViKO_uO-zTcoSBfjHza0BEdcEGAKfOZPdQbQilgZPWv-V8qRCxzvFzdUxxzyU88WMB6ogV8HtlOOka588X3aF396ktco_WQZoH6IaNLIgjv_fA4/w360-h640/November+import+-+all+photos+9111+%25282%2529.JPG" width="360" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqesrzVD1iRMZN7O0JN_FCnR-_LqotHEA9qSuEhROSvup1sLKEKlVD0lUfB_2Xh4RoVjWdG1eJ2PzrO8KI-9xR9mbacRqfINd_buVRGg1NMvCdDDWbddIJjvspA0bPMA43HOE6As331Wkz/s2048/November+import+-+all+photos+9209+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqesrzVD1iRMZN7O0JN_FCnR-_LqotHEA9qSuEhROSvup1sLKEKlVD0lUfB_2Xh4RoVjWdG1eJ2PzrO8KI-9xR9mbacRqfINd_buVRGg1NMvCdDDWbddIJjvspA0bPMA43HOE6As331Wkz/w480-h640/November+import+-+all+photos+9209+%25282%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw45Tp4SQJVFmZEQhTnkAcfFU60vI1WPC4Ow25N2_qv3tUYlPjXYQucg6Ize-09uyMVnFcLElqx3Tx3mDTt-PP3PNVIg-0Oc8eVt2vZMNlSz3KNkoskDa3VexvL4kAgCOdbbaOpaddWeBc/s2048/November+import+-+all+photos+9294+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw45Tp4SQJVFmZEQhTnkAcfFU60vI1WPC4Ow25N2_qv3tUYlPjXYQucg6Ize-09uyMVnFcLElqx3Tx3mDTt-PP3PNVIg-0Oc8eVt2vZMNlSz3KNkoskDa3VexvL4kAgCOdbbaOpaddWeBc/w480-h640/November+import+-+all+photos+9294+%25282%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgORUSddqdiMLPdIP2iOZbTkGmwdUkgz1Jxt_nQLsZWievYnwBp28sKr01pJnfZtNbRwhtofDAQS2nJszQ_cOE4XYFo0WpZ1qyShKMrRaxq6IF2Wm-DWPoII8Zk3zmYmy5XpHcWXlauxW_P/s2048/November+import+-+all+photos+9323+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgORUSddqdiMLPdIP2iOZbTkGmwdUkgz1Jxt_nQLsZWievYnwBp28sKr01pJnfZtNbRwhtofDAQS2nJszQ_cOE4XYFo0WpZ1qyShKMrRaxq6IF2Wm-DWPoII8Zk3zmYmy5XpHcWXlauxW_P/w480-h640/November+import+-+all+photos+9323+%25282%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> I would encourage anyone that can, grow something. It is a beautiful, humbling experience. It feeds you, it nourishes your soul, and brings an immense amount of joy. All the things we needed, this year in particular. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvU5F-vWQZMimXhSCiVCF8MCIzGH4XSivyvpuISUNabPAMBFLHyGku2qU4tsargKiiznXIp7_G7aoZ25eVTvj7kXMmXtBSt9Rvtox4cwiasCXQORYo0ptBn2iIVyJJZTUNqOU5q2q_jPN/s1334/November+import+-+all+photos+8961+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvU5F-vWQZMimXhSCiVCF8MCIzGH4XSivyvpuISUNabPAMBFLHyGku2qU4tsargKiiznXIp7_G7aoZ25eVTvj7kXMmXtBSt9Rvtox4cwiasCXQORYo0ptBn2iIVyJJZTUNqOU5q2q_jPN/w360-h640/November+import+-+all+photos+8961+%25282%2529.JPG" width="360" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfXOsqs8LDhwglaBzqAKpQ3qxjXoZ1UIDB4yDp3UzxydIxT6j2cM_ZGy6otY_ZStRpyPQbVcpLCS7PhpWkBoJY7Zwt0bh_bLTGcYqJvXF12XktiFjkPuIsZjk5213jmzjpaj6E4sXtNC2/s1334/November+import+-+all+photos+9037+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfXOsqs8LDhwglaBzqAKpQ3qxjXoZ1UIDB4yDp3UzxydIxT6j2cM_ZGy6otY_ZStRpyPQbVcpLCS7PhpWkBoJY7Zwt0bh_bLTGcYqJvXF12XktiFjkPuIsZjk5213jmzjpaj6E4sXtNC2/w360-h640/November+import+-+all+photos+9037+%25282%2529.JPG" width="360" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>Our Boozy Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613606501861688188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843506330186345201.post-1952543376759481572020-11-13T16:28:00.003-05:002020-12-21T11:00:24.249-05:00Momma<p style="text-align: center;">Amidst an already challenging 2020, my sweet Momma was diagnosed with Lung Cancer on August 13 and underwent a lobectomy (removal of upper left lobe of lung) on August 26. Today, she is 11 weeks post surgery and is doing well. So incredibly well! She has much more healing to do but the worst is over and I'm so happy to share that she is cancer free. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaX3N4FAiuqst4tQ8ijgXfCIITaDmbiumtJPqN_DUV8hGy20iaM54EPYX-VPA5wbds9r_yDeYg7Cc89zMpKw2trhHJ-dVa_hyphenhyphenhp8MmXJiBlHFp0LShrNfYb9lNssT8Hvq50C3560-2oDU8/s2048/November+import+-+all+photos+530.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaX3N4FAiuqst4tQ8ijgXfCIITaDmbiumtJPqN_DUV8hGy20iaM54EPYX-VPA5wbds9r_yDeYg7Cc89zMpKw2trhHJ-dVa_hyphenhyphenhp8MmXJiBlHFp0LShrNfYb9lNssT8Hvq50C3560-2oDU8/w480-h640/November+import+-+all+photos+530.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Cancer is a horrible diagnosis, a horrible disease, an infestation of cells that attack the healthy and strong cells, like a bully picks on the smallest, weakest child in the schoolyard. It is not prejudice or racist or discriminating, it kills the young and the old. It attacks and kills healthy individuals and the sick and timid. And when it decided to pick on my Momma, it didn't stand a chance!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj527S72K4co98hGFKvIJA7S31PpEepk2-L7hud96Rp7k32vDSu2yqCBR4Xc0q0SyDO5v_laKJRVt-7r2AZljNGtT7xttmaK_jrC9uFl3GjofyOZ3_RDBnoHQh4E5IcJkMOB1up_T_T9yvE/w640-h480/November+import+-+all+photos+5629.JPG" width="640" /></div></div><p style="text-align: center;">My Momma is the healthiest 72 year old. She has never taken any medicine or had a need to. She has always eaten well. As a nurse, she knows to listen to her body and chooses to address those things holistically, when possible. She's never smoked a day in her life. She makes exercise a daily priority. The on-going joke between us is that she can run circles around me - always has been able to. </p><p style="text-align: center;">She is specifically mindful about preventative care and so, insists on a good Doctor and follows up on all the tests and health related checks that are necessary for her age. For several years, there have been "spots" discovered on her pancreas, and then her lungs. So, with complete discipline, she has been having them checked yearly and without fail, those spots were not growing or changing whatsoever. <br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">On a recent check up on her lung nodules, she was informed that the mass had grown since last check. Nothing significant, but growth nonetheless. Her Doctor gave her the option to do nothing and wait six months for a follow up or to move forward and do a lung biopsy. It was up to her and as the Doctor assured her, nothing to worry about. </p><p style="text-align: center;">The wellness of how she lives her life and the stubborn, unapologetic commitment to not let negative surround or consume her, she made the wise decision to move forward with the lung biopsy. Within less than a week, the results were in and my Mom had been diagnosed with Adenocarcinoma. It was caught early and small. But, it was nonetheless, Cancer. </p><p style="text-align: center;">I had spoken to Momma that particular day she got the call and received the news. We spoke and she kept to herself the overwhelming news she had just received. Instead, she nonchalantly brought up in the conversation, "What's Ronnie doing today?" And after we got off the phone, she texted Ronnie to call her. She shared with him that she had gotten her lung biopsy results. She told him before she told me because she wanted to make sure that I was not by myself when she shared the news. What a selfless act. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Il-TWmIsTjPU5OmiphkDx9PK0yNECUe-HaCXGkRKP7T33Ja41kwJ0vw6940tLgTknbQCo8abUumSju_RhP1XZab6yuVDc4Sy39hPwY9y_MLaajTnfTZ1T5MwaqhtdNHsYf13kqKCMjgt/s2048/November+import+-+all+photos+8915.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Il-TWmIsTjPU5OmiphkDx9PK0yNECUe-HaCXGkRKP7T33Ja41kwJ0vw6940tLgTknbQCo8abUumSju_RhP1XZab6yuVDc4Sy39hPwY9y_MLaajTnfTZ1T5MwaqhtdNHsYf13kqKCMjgt/w640-h480/November+import+-+all+photos+8915.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Momma's lung cancer diagnosis and consequent lobectomy was overseen at Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, OH. The same hospital who had turned my Dad's Cardiomyopathy diagnosis, 20 years prior, from a death sentence to a manageable chronic heart condition. He is to this day, one of Cleveland Clinic Heart Hospital's success stories. </p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimfZBzdIAw20SmZVoma9_pT1HU82NL3p5tRf-n42-ZFV8UybStUOij9OhHqBaKDclwLRWivdYILXaIPmK-jUYhZ_Ha3AruQN3OS3nxuRguf2UeH_LjUkJZneDDtKBspBIyy8NUwrFxLc8o/s2048/November+import+-+all+photos+9014.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimfZBzdIAw20SmZVoma9_pT1HU82NL3p5tRf-n42-ZFV8UybStUOij9OhHqBaKDclwLRWivdYILXaIPmK-jUYhZ_Ha3AruQN3OS3nxuRguf2UeH_LjUkJZneDDtKBspBIyy8NUwrFxLc8o/w640-h480/November+import+-+all+photos+9014.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">The day before her surgery, Ronnie and I and my sister, gathered with Mom and Dad in Cleveland. We ate dinner together and laughed and told stories and we cried. On August 26, she underwent a lobectomy and the surgery was a success. All of the cancer had been identified and removed. Recovery in the hospital was rough but Daddy was there every day in the hospital with her. Ronnie, Maria and I were able to wave to her from outside after she was able to get out of bed. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQty1gMzO0cQZWFwx2pT6ZDsPKFLzLZBCbyco0rX-UPHO8BYDGuAUdTXd3hf9QejxwJUsPKuwoxwkfGyTI0PUQVJzH40xPdsWHXMSCx4073xWEaBof8-tVkQKy5JXLhvdAptJzDhtD72cB/s2048/November+import+-+all+photos+9032.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQty1gMzO0cQZWFwx2pT6ZDsPKFLzLZBCbyco0rX-UPHO8BYDGuAUdTXd3hf9QejxwJUsPKuwoxwkfGyTI0PUQVJzH40xPdsWHXMSCx4073xWEaBof8-tVkQKy5JXLhvdAptJzDhtD72cB/w480-h640/November+import+-+all+photos+9032.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6o7MyN9i3PRadLvJgJlQC81k1vh7-nO5g-3Uc0r_ATVZ-JbJiw8qlwBh4WTl9rnEMLvfFUlB42R5gzJegG7Xgy3tmHofjuHHsN-SLuoSVtORLwp9-NxYUUYHVRGtf70_c74bJyEsZpo8/s2048/November+import+-+all+photos+9034.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6o7MyN9i3PRadLvJgJlQC81k1vh7-nO5g-3Uc0r_ATVZ-JbJiw8qlwBh4WTl9rnEMLvfFUlB42R5gzJegG7Xgy3tmHofjuHHsN-SLuoSVtORLwp9-NxYUUYHVRGtf70_c74bJyEsZpo8/w480-h640/November+import+-+all+photos+9034.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"> The day after my Momma's surgery, I text her to tell her how proud I was of her. She had not known three weeks ago that she had lung cancer, and already she had kicked its ass. She's tough as nails, with a stubborn will and a healthy body and a strong faith. Not to mention, the sweetest soul you will ever have the privilege of knowing and understanding and learning from. Her presence in all of our lives - her family - is nothing short of inspiring and precious to us all. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">*As I write this, I am mindfully aware that what we went through and experienced this year in our family in regards to my Mom's lung cancer, is miniscule compared to the families who have struggled with Covid and families who have lost loved ones due to Covid. Its unimaginable the grief and pain and isolation I know so many have experienced this year. My heart is heavy for them. And as my Momma left the hospital 5 days after her surgery, the cancer removed, we all said a silent prayer for all the individuals left in the hospital without a good prognosis, or still undergoing radiation and chemotherapy. Our hearts and prayers are still with them. </div>Our Boozy Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613606501861688188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843506330186345201.post-57837701427599389112019-12-11T20:29:00.003-05:002019-12-11T20:29:36.683-05:00Las VegasWe finally made it back to Las Vegas after a 10-year hiatus. Two things we learned - Vegas is ever-changing and it's hella different going in your 20's and early 30's vs. your 40's. <br />
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*ARIA Resort & Casino</div>
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Always wanting to experience something new, we stayed at The Nomad Hotel. The Nomad is Park MGM's successful attempt at creating a boutique hotel inside of a monstrous Vegas hotel. The Nomad occupies the top four floors of Park MGM, has a separate entrance and lobby, and an exclusive bar and restaurant. Boasting sophisticated and artsy decor, it very much felt like you were staying somewhere intimate and secluded and special.<br />
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The Nomad Bar offered some tasty appetizers - Fried Artichokes and the VGK Dog - a bacon wrapped, black truffle hot dog with black and gold relish. Yum! An Oregon beer and a Dirty Martini complemented it all well. </div>
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*Note - this is what Ronnie thinks of my food-porn pics</div>
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*Wolfgang Puck (my response to Ronnie's dislike of food-porn pics)</div>
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*Bruxie - the best Chicken and Waffles </div>
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One of the greatest things about Park MGM was Eataly! Eataly stands for "Eating Italian!" It's an open, natural place to eat and shop and learn about Italy. They have Italian stations set up where you can learn and enjoy and experience all things Italy - a Bellini Bar, a Wine Bar, a Cheese and Charcuterie shop, Brick Oven pizza station, and a Pasta station, among other things. </div>
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Anticipating an upcoming grueling travel day, we decided to stay in and rest rather than live it up on our last night in Vegas. The motto of "You'll sleep when you're dead" never resonated with me. I'd rather sleep all I can now. So, on our last day in Las Vegas, we decided to stay in. I took a long, hot bath. We ordered take-out from Eataly - a Margherita Pizza, Pasta with spinach and pine nuts, and Tiramisu. We drank wine and ate in bed and watched <i>Dirty Dancing</i> and <i>Pretty Woman</i>. Pretty Epic night! All the times we've gone to Las Vegas, we've never visited the Grand Canyon (my excuse is that I've seen it in National Lampoons Vegas Vacation) or Red Rock Canyon or the Grand Canyon. Maybe we'll tackle that next. </div>
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<br />Our Boozy Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613606501861688188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843506330186345201.post-17102152649776465002019-11-01T08:00:00.000-04:002019-11-01T08:00:02.256-04:00Alyssa and CalabIntroducing Mr and Mrs Calab Landis . . . . .<br />
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I'm so proud to share that these two married on July 20, 2019 at Brookedale Farm in Fort Ashby, West Virginia. It was such a special day, full of so much love and laughter. A culmination of ten years together - living, loving and learning together. Today is actually the 10-year Anniversary - November 1, when these two first started dating. A very special day that was the start of their lives together.<br />
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These two loves of mine are Middle-School Sweethearts. Calab, and my nephew, Bubby, had been friends throughout Elementary School. As they were coming of age, Alyssa soon began crushing on Calab. It took some convincing on Calabs part, as he was loyal to Bubby and he may or may not have said she was just a chubby cheerleader. But, Calab came to his senses and LOVE prevailed. They began dating and quickly fell in love. Dating each other throughout Middle School and High School - he was the football player, she was the "not so chubby anymore" cheerleader.<br />
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After High School, they continued dating. They fought and made up frequently - all just growing pains as they figured out their relationship and future together. Calab bought his first home in October of 2017 and they got engaged on December 17, 2017. Alyssa Brooke graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education in 2018. They both are settled in successful careers and are reaping the benefits of creating a home together on Landis Lane.<br />
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They challenge each other, they compromise together. He makes her laugh and she makes him laugh. Laughter is at the center of their home. But more importantly, Love. Love exists within the walls of their home and exudes from their pores for each other. They've been tested and they've triumphed. Couldn't be more proud of you both! Alyssa and Calab - I love you both so much. Congratulations! And Cheers to a lifetime together!<br />
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* Alyssa is my oldest niece. To say she's a treasure to me is an understatement. I simply adore her. From the time she was born, there was always a special connection between the two of us. And that's only grown! She is the daughter that I never really had. I was so honored she chose me to be her Matron of Honor in her wedding. And I was ecstatic to be able to help plan her dream wedding.<br />
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<br />Our Boozy Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613606501861688188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843506330186345201.post-52916473658478328802019-08-12T17:09:00.000-04:002019-08-12T17:09:24.957-04:00Keeping the Wolves AwayI just listened to "Keep the Wolves Away" by Uncle Lucius while taking a bath. Submerged floatless, I listened to the guitar solo and the lyrics and the whistling, and I was haunted! Brilliant lyrics, humility in abundance, and a heftiness of vulnerability.<div>
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<a name='more'></a><br />Select lyrics from the song - <br /><br /><br />~<i> "Given little love n soul every day, making over time to keep the wolves away"</i><br /><br />~ <i>"Cold and the grip of death stinging pain, he fought like hell to keep the wolves away"</i><br /><br />~ <i>"So goin’ for broke with every song I’ve made, ‘cos now it’s my turn to keep the wolves away"</i><br /><br /><b> Isn't that a beautiful sentiment to life? You do the best you can, you work hard, take care of family, and you fight like hell to keep the wolves away? </b><br /></div>
Our Boozy Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613606501861688188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843506330186345201.post-74038019160722030432019-08-05T18:57:00.000-04:002019-08-05T19:00:59.689-04:00Riley<div dir="ltr">
Riley died a month ago today and the pain is just as sharp and gnawing as it was that day. He lived 12 years and 3 months. If he were here right now, he’d be laying on his bed on the front porch, looking out over the farm, and every now and then, looking up to make sure I was still there with him.</div>
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Even when he was tired and hurting, he always chased anything he saw in the yard - squirrels, badgers, birds, Peter and Paul (the rabbits) or Fuzzy and Big Momma (the deer) .... even on his last day with us. He was a fierce protector. Every morning when he got up and last thing before he went to bed at night, he would go outside and bark his “battle cry”. He warned them, and he protected us.<br />
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He was the great protector. He served that role as the man of the house when Ronnie deployed countless times. I can still remember so vividly Ronnie whispering in Riley's ear, seabag in hand as he walked out the door, “Take care of your Momma.”<br />
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We miss him every day and the house is so empty without him. His dog food is still in the pantry, his biscuits are still in the cabinet. The steps Ronnie built for him years ago, are still sitting beside the bed. It’s still too difficult to let those things go. It nearly broke us having to let him go.</div>
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I will never forget as a puppy, how much he tormented my Shelby. And how I blamed him for every accident in the house, even though in my heart I knew Shelby was the one. I loved Shelby at first sight and while it took a little longer with Riley, the love I had for him was unequivocally the same. Shelby was our philosopher and Riley was the clown. He was so goofy in the way he ran and played. His hips and knees and back were full of arthritis, even at a young age, and I think that played a large part in him wanting to comfortably sit in someones lap or in a chair, just as a human would. As much as he was a clown, we called him Sir Riley because of how regal he sat in a chair. </div>
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We moved to the farm with Riley almost 2 years ago. And it is, and always will be, one of my favorite things to remember seeing him free on the farm. No more cars or people passing by to watch through the window, no more leashes. No constraints, just freedom. I relished our walks on the farm. We’d start the walk off together and then, he’d wander wherever he wished, joining me again at the end of the walk. Panting and sometimes limping, the look on his face saying, “Wasn’t that fun, Momma?”</div>
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As he aged and before the seizures began, he became my shadow. Very clingy, he barely let me out of his sight. When I walked out of the room, he barked incessantly until I came back. In my heart, I knew his time with us was coming to an end. But when he started having seizures in April, we knew it wasn't good. But, just as with every illness or injury in the past, he’d seemingly bounce back. A tumor on his brain became the one thing he just could not bounce back from. We doted and watched over him for months. Canceling plans or trading off when one of us needed to go somewhere because we didn’t want to leave him alone. Countless nights spent up with him because he was restless and needy, confused about what was happening to his body. Medicine round the clock, ice biscuits to help with the panting, spoon feeding him every meal. At first, because we felt sorry for him in his state but towards the end, just because he liked it so damn much.</div>
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On his last day, we went for a walk, we had a picnic, we smothered him in kisses and love and we had the best day together with him. This was his last day on the farm with us and I like to think that he was smiling just as much as we were. He died here on the farm, as it was meant to be. And his beautiful spirit lives on here.</div>
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Riley - I miss you in the morning, I miss you in the evening. I miss you in the afternoon, and I miss you under the moon.</div>
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Our Boozy Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613606501861688188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843506330186345201.post-35512575687225340342018-12-14T06:00:00.000-05:002018-12-14T09:17:36.434-05:00Love at First SightWe fell madly in love in High School. We were inseparable. It was love at first sight. The kind of immature, crazy, head over heels, passionate love you have at 15 and 16 years old. But deep and binding. Today, we celebrate 25 years of the cataclysmic day that we first met.<br />
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We've celebrated the day - the anniversary of the day we met - with a lot of nostalgia over the last 25 years. It was our first celebration of the importance and significance of our life together. As incredible and special of a day that it was - it's also very scandalous and so over the years, we've made a point to re-live the tiny details of that day so that we never forget. As we've shared the story over the years, friends and family have laughed with us, some have even blushed. It's our perfectly imperfect story.<br />
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*One Year Anniversary</div>
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So, on this particular day back in 1993, my future husband was skipping school with his best friend. Halfway through the day, they were bored so they wanted to pick up some "chicks". Ronnie's best friend knew a couple of girls who may be willing to skip school with them. So outside of my 6th period Algebra class, there HE stood. And my Best Friend, Hil (and Best Friend to this very day) was also there waiting with bated breath begging me to skip 7th period with these two formative, adolescent boys. I couldn't, shouldn't, no way. I was a preacher's daughter. No, uh-huh. But then I did! </div>
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Blame peer pressure or two souls uniting. He was cute! And, I was interested. So, the four of us drove together to a hometown place called, "The Crosses." It's 3 Stone Crosses perched on a hill above a cemetery. So, we drove there and we talked (and drank a "Forty"). He was cute and so easy to flirt with and his presence was so comfortable. He drove me home in his Dad's 1979 Z-28 Camaro and asked me if I wanted to go out that night. Of course I wanted to - except that I wasn't allowed to date at 15. So, I made up a story that my Sister was taking me to a Basketball Game at the High School that night and instead, my Sister took me to meet him in the parking lot of a grocery store. </div>
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When we pulled up to the meeting spot, there wasn't a Camaro to be found but a random big black car - a 1976 Oldsmobile 442, which I had no appreciation for at the time. (With the utmost appreciation and adoration - that very car sits in our garage today). My vain self at the time nearly drove off - where was the Bad-Ass Camaro? But, I moved beyond my young vain self, and got in that big black car. I was drawn to his smile, his rebellious side, his love of life, scandalous as it was. </div>
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*3 Years Together (Ronnie's Senior Prom)</div>
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I don't remember much after that, except we went to a local parking spot, Athens Lake. We talked for hours, and made out like crazy. We talked about everything and nothing. He was the easiest person I'd ever talked to, like I had known him since birth. It was like the world ceased to exist, and it was just the two of us. Chemistry doesn't seem like the word to explain it - connection, love, soulmates, all of the above. I trusted him blindly back then and I trust him even more today as my husband of 20 years.<br />
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*15 Years Together</div>
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*20 years together</div>
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I love who we were together as kids, the growing up we've done together, the careers we've supported each other through, the family we've created and the adults we've become. I love that we happened to meet by chance that day. Soulmates destined to meet and create this imperfect, perfect life together.<br />
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*25 Years Together</div>
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Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous. Love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in righteousness, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails . . . . . (1 Corinthians 13:4-7,13). *This was read on our wedding day - May 23, 1998. </div>
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<br />Our Boozy Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613606501861688188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843506330186345201.post-83794529566289617432018-11-05T08:55:00.001-05:002018-11-07T16:51:46.142-05:00An Inflamed SoulFor anyone who has struggled with illness - whether the physical kind or the hidden, often (unknown to others) mental kind, then I think you can relate to the feelings in this poem below. I wrote it at a time that I was struggling, particularly with my Celiac Disease. But, I had felt similar feelings throughout several health obstacles in my life. When I was 23, I was diagnosed with Familial Dilated Cardiomyopathy. At the time, I was in Congestive Heart Failure and struggling with fast, abnormal heart rhythms. The diagnosis was transcendent - I was shattered, sick and scared. <br />
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And then the exploratory phase begins after such a diagnosis - tests, doctor after doctor, multiple opinions, this explanation, that explanation. And all the while, you just want to feel better, to feel normal again. So, you push ahead and walk the line and dig in to fight before it gets the best of you. But, in all the doctors offices or hospitals, no one ever said, "How are you feeling, mentally?" I wish they had. Because I believe if someone had done so, it would have helped prepare me for the anxiety and depression I would feel over the course of the rest of my life. <br />
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So, for anyone struggling, maybe you can relate to how I felt the day I wrote this. For me, I just had to release what was in my head at the time. Hope others will do the same - put it down on paper, share your feelings with someone, or ask for help. There are so many of us struggling and my advice is just this - surround yourself with LOVE, pray for GRACE and be KIND to yourself and others. <br />
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<i><b>An Inflamed Soul</b></i><br />
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<i>I'm pushing all my pain, my fears, my insecurities deep into the center of my being.</i><br />
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<i>My soul is swollen and inflamed and ugly.</i><br />
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<i>My infrastructure, my boisterous imagery, my demons and friends, and my magnified heart are crushing me.</i><br />
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<i>Straighten yourself out, I cried.</i><br />
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<i>Fall into me, I moaned.</i><br />
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<i>I am a monster. I am unsightly. I am repulsive.</i><br />
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<i>You're simply you. With a little mileage and heaviness. Your stance is poor. Your mind is fragile.</i><br />
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<br />Our Boozy Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613606501861688188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843506330186345201.post-32280345176100384952018-07-23T11:50:00.000-04:002018-11-06T09:29:48.559-05:00Escaping to the woods On a random Tuesday, Ronald said, "Let's get out of here. Let's go play!" Since we moved to the farm last year, we've purchased two 4-wheelers. Both have been pivotal for various things around the farm. But, we had never had the chance to use them for fun. Spontaneity and childish merriment are two qualities I'm enjoying these days. I'm left with more time for working on these qualities since I gave up working on my athleticism. (Just kidding - I never worked on athleticism. It evaded me.)<br />
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Thank you, Ronald, for this escape to the woods. It was a blissful mix of getting muddy and enjoying some luxury. Added bonus that Riley was able to be with us!</div>
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Sweet Riley enjoyed the accommodations immensely!</div>
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Huge thanks to <a href="http://kairosresort.com/" target="_blank"><b>Kairo's Resort</b></a> for the hospitality. </div>
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<br />Our Boozy Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613606501861688188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843506330186345201.post-89518991015401370742018-06-27T08:00:00.000-04:002018-06-27T08:30:40.781-04:00Memaw It's been 12 years since you passed and I've missed you every day. I feel your presence around me often. And, I know your prayers are still protecting me. I picture you smiling your sweet smile down on me. On all of us. You are special and so beloved.<br />
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The majority of my memories of you are from my childhood in Texas. I've experienced so much of my adulthood without you. If you could see me now, on this farm, you'd be so happy. And while the meaning of "farm" means two different things from where you lived and where I live now, they still hold the same sentiment. There's a lot of age and maturity and experience for me between the two farms now. As a child, going to the farm meant going to see Memaw and Pa and hours upon hours of making mud pies and chasing lightning bugs with cousins. Homemade biscuits and gravy every morning and the most amazing pallet to sleep on at night. (In Texas, ya'll know a pallet is a makeshift bed stacked high with your grandmother's old quilts, right?)<br />
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You had the smallest one bedroom home and yet, it was constantly full of family and love and laughter. The kitchen was the centerpiece. (Picture 9 kids lined up at an old farm table with benches - eating breakfast and passing Memaw's fresh, hot biscuits from a pan. That was Round 1. Within 30 minutes, there'd be 6 grown men lined up the table devouring a fresh, hot plate of biscuits and Memaw's gravy while they chatted with Pa at the head of the table. For all I know, Memaw may have made breakfast 6 times over every morning. There was always company and there were always hot biscuits, gravy and eggs.) You made it look so easy.<br />
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It was magical as a kid. As an adult now with my own home and farm, it sounds like WORK! I wonder now when did you ever sleep? When did you have time for all that cooking and my god, the grocery bill!?! The house was always spotless, but when did you ever have time to clean? Shamefully, I know us grand-kids weren't doing it. "In or Out," the adults always yelled. Of course they did! We were driving you all bat shit crazy whilst you were making breakfast, lunch and dinner for whoever decided to stop by.<br />
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I get it now. And, I wish I would've understood it while you were still alive. I wish I would've cleaned your house and washed your dishes. I wish I could've sat you down and made you your favorite meal. I wish I would have thanked you for all your sacrifices. All the sacrifices that only you know and carried to heaven with you.<br />
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I'm not sure a grandchild ever had your undivided attention - there were too damn many of us. But, you loved us equally and never showed favoritism. But, I had you all to myself once. Just once. Pa passed and your world was turned upside down. I can remember you fussing at him and grabbing a handful of his strawberry blonde hair. It wasn't violent. It was aggravation mixed with love. I know he drove you crazy but he was your world. I understand that now. So, when he passed, I know you never got over it. And, the farm was sold. How sad that must have been for you, Memaw.<br />
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But, you handled it with a smile on your face and said you were going to do all the things you never could do when Pa was alive. You traveled and you spent quality time with family. And, I was blessed to have spent a very special time with you before you died. Ronnie was deployed and you came to Virginia Beach to spend a week with me. I will forever treasure that special time with you. Every morning when I came downstairs dressed and ready for work, you fussed over me and told me how beautiful I was. I would walk out of the house feeling like a million bucks. And, we cooked together in my kitchen. You were always happiest in the kitchen.<br />
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And, to this day when I'm in the kitchen cooking, I feel you there with me. Like - you're standing right next to me. Smiling. And directing me. And telling me how to make everything taste good because Lord knows - you loved you some Ronnie and he deserves a good, home-cooked meal. And in those times, instead of missing you, I feel calm and at peace.<br />
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Our farm holds special meaning to us - it means family and love. It symbolizes hard work and sacrifice. It is a sanctuary for us - beautiful and peaceful. I imagine those were the same things you felt on the farm. How we all felt on that farm in Texas with you.<br />
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<br />Our Boozy Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613606501861688188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843506330186345201.post-80942795497937484662018-06-19T22:58:00.000-04:002018-06-20T11:15:17.988-04:00Caromont Farm<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On our twentieth wedding anniversary, we found ourselves in Charlottesville en route to a family celebration in Maryland, and wanted to do something unique. Since we've moved to our farm, we have been enthusiastically and cautiously considering what kind of animals we'd like to have. Our neighbors consist of cows and goats and we've enjoyed watching them in their glorious being, all the while protected from the reality of raising them.<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">So, it was completely normal for us to decide that the way we wanted to spend our day was to visit a goat farm - Caromont Farm, to be exact. They have been a swoon-worthy part of my Instagram Feed for over a year and having admired them from a far, we wanted to explore more. While they host several Farm to Dinner events throughout the year, they also do private tours of the farm. After reaching out to them and realizing we could tour the farm on that special day for us, we were ecstatic to visit! </span></div>
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The snuggles with the goats on the farm was inevitable but the hard work of the team on the farm was the real treat. Countless hours with the goats, doing the not so fun and snuggly work was inspiring. We met the team and saw the pride first hand they took in their work. Can't explain the whole process myself but learning about making the different types of cheese was fascinating. Attention to detail and cleanliness . . . a focus on the goats well being . . . and the pride in making a beautiful product. Total appreciation for the tedious and productive work they do. </div>
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After the tour, the goat snuggles were abundant. And, we relished in getting to know and learn more about the goats and their way of life. We met weeks old babies and more mature goats - all special in their own way. But very loving. And gentle. And happy - you could tell how happy they were!</div>
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The team couldn't have been more generous with their time and our host, Izzy, was a breath of fresh air. She took her time with us and answered our unending questions. After all the goat snuggles we could stand, she shared a substantial and beautiful tray of different types of goat cheeses made on the farm. We brought a bottle of wine and made our way into devouring every bit of the cheese that we could. We couldn't pick a favorite - it was all so good! Such a definite treat to taste the fresh cheese and all the love poured into it. </div>
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On our way out, we were treated to a beautiful display by one of the resident farm-hands. Keen to show off his brilliance any chance he got. If you get the chance to experience this farm, you won't be disappointed. The love and energy put into the farm is abundant. Not to mention, the goat cheese they produce is next to heaven. </div>
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<br />Our Boozy Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613606501861688188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843506330186345201.post-24158781890705394342018-06-16T20:11:00.001-04:002018-06-16T20:12:05.737-04:00Involved May'Twas an involved May. Full of celebrations and family gatherings. Here's the beautiful sum of it all . . . Nothing but Genuine Love from here . . .<br />
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We are celebrating a huge occasion in the Lovell family - our first baby! Our Brother and Sister-in-Law are due late July and the entire family is over the moon excited for them. We celebrated Baby Henry with a Baby Shower at Glenwood Park. It was precious and intimate - with close friends and family. #LovedAlready</div>
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After the baby shower, Ronald and I set off to celebrate our 20th Wedding Anniversary. Charlottesville is one of our special places, so we settled for a little R&R there. We stayed at The Townsman Hotel on the Downtown Mall, and it was perfect for an overnight stay. Good food, good wine and good friends (my best friend, to be exact). Dinner at The Downtown Grille, obligatory Ken Wright Pinot Noir and a late night movie - <i>Deadpool 2</i>. #DrunkinLove</div>
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Since we've moved to the "Farm", we have become infatuated with our neighbors - a few cheeky bulls, some voluptuous heifers and cows and calves and goats galore! We are seriously/not so seriously thinking of having goats on our farm but we know the huge commitment so we wanted to learn more. On our way out of Charlottesville, we ventured south to a Goat Farm. The getting there to <a href="http://www.caromontcheese.com/" target="_blank">Caromont Farm</a> in Esmont, VA was half the fun. Beautiful scenery and miles and miles of dirt road and forest. My kind of road trip! I don't want to share too much because I'll do a separate post specifically about Caromont Farm but our visit there was educational and awe-inspiring. We're so grateful to the team there that made our visit a very special one. #BillytheKid</div>
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Switching gears from Goats to Graduation! We traveled to Maryland to celebrate "our baby girls" college graduation at Frostburg State University. Alyssa Brooke, after 5 years of studying for her lifetime dream, became a graduate and is setting off to be an Elementary Education Teacher. Not to mention, she's engaged and creating a home with her fiance and just casually growing into this super fun, bold, confident woman. I've watched her from a gentle baby to sweet child - a caring and thoughtful teenager to now a truly beautiful human. She is rare - half country/half sassy/100% kind. It was such a special experience to have the whole family together combined with her new family. #Proud</div>
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As soon as we were home and settling in on a Sunday afternoon, a storm blew threw that shocked both of us. We had never experienced a storm to blow out of nowhere and then proceed to blow massive rain, and winds and hail. Within 15 minutes, we noticed that our driveway had become what seemed like a small river with Cat 2 rapids. The flash flooding was devastating to our little community. And, clean up is still on-going. But, it could have been so much worse. #Blessed</div>
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We rounded out the month with a much anticipated heart procedure and hospitalization at Cleveland Clinic for my Dad. Though his heart has been functioning relatively well over the last year, he has recently been having heart arrhythmias and a decline in pacemaker function so needed a cardiac ablation. The procedure was successful and he did really well. Just saw him this week - and you can already see the difference in how his heart is functioning - in the color of his skin, his demeanor and energy levels. #Hallelujah</div>
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Being a family means you are a part of something very wonderful. It means you will love and be loved for the rest of your life. Cheers!</div>
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Our Boozy Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613606501861688188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843506330186345201.post-4609459104866980782018-03-20T19:38:00.000-04:002018-03-20T19:39:46.638-04:00Cville <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On a recent medical excursion to UVA in Charlottesville, we opted for a less traditional hotel experience and chose to stay in a Flat in the hip Belmont neighborhood. We chose the Belmont Flat from <a href="http://www.staycharlottesville.com/" target="_blank">StayCharlottesville.com</a>. They curate special homes in and around Cville - from apartments to 10 bedroom estates. The homes available on the website are hand-selected by Stay Charlottesville's team. And most seem to emanate an air of Virginia - classic but modern and cool. High five to the interior designers who "blessed" these homes. </div>
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Our little flat boasted everything you'd need for a few days stay. Front porch sitting, cozy bed, washer/dryer, fully stocked mini-kitchen and two friendly neighborhood dogs who greeted us outside each morning. We filled the fridge with basics - coffee, creamer, water and snacks - from Belmont Market (just a couple of blocks away). We brought wine to celebrate a special Anniversary and had dinner at <a href="https://www.thelocal-cville.com/food/" target="_blank">The Local</a> - great food and wine! Awesome Stay!</div>
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<br />Our Boozy Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613606501861688188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843506330186345201.post-73917735163491063902018-03-14T20:05:00.000-04:002018-03-14T20:05:29.509-04:00Winter Wonderland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
One of the things I missed the most about West by God Virginia was enjoying all four seasons. And, I have loved every single minute of this Winter!!!! I believe there's nothing more stunning than a snowscape. Cover something ugly in a bit of the white stuff, and its stunning. But take something already stunning and then add a good 6 inches of the heavy white stuff and its awe inspiring! Happily snowed in on the farm for the last 4 days and not even an itch of cabin fever. This is definitely my happy place. Riley likes the white stuff too - it's like having a fresh snow-cone every step you take. </div>
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For those summer lovers out there, take your day on the beach and enjoy it. For me, I will happily sit outside with a glass of wine and enjoy the snow all day. It's fresh and crisp and clean - everything that your beach is not. Haha!<br />
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This was a particularly heavy snow so everything it touched looked like it had been drowned in it. I may or may not have taken a picture of every single tree on the farm this past week. But underneath it all, a touch of Spring was peeking through. Soon, Spring, wait your turn. I will enjoy every little bulb and flower that comes up and be mesmerized by all of you. But for now, I'm mesmerized by each and every flake of snow that falls from the sky. </div>
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<br />Our Boozy Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613606501861688188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843506330186345201.post-48493323491644068692018-02-17T11:18:00.001-05:002018-02-17T11:18:59.963-05:00Homemade Tomato Sauce<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've always been a recipe kind of cook. Basically, I can't cook SHIT without a recipe. I envy the people who can just whip up a dinner from scratch. How do they do that? Recipes that I've made for 10+ years still require me to make note of the ingredients and the measurements. Is that my OCD? Or, remnants of the concussion I suffered years ago? I don't know - but I'm proud to share an amazing tomato sauce that I whipped up all by myself - no recipe! It's a "Farm to Table" recipe - and in that I mean, somebody else's Farm to my Table. And, you basically, just throw stuff in the pot.<br />
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For starters, make sure you have an abundance of tomatoes. Roma tomatoes are the best, in my opinion. But, try what you've got - can't go wrong! Heat a Dutch Oven with Olive Oil, add a bit of minced garlic and some diced onions. And start chopping those tomatoes! Chop and chop until you feel like you have enough for whatever dinner you're making. Let it simmer on Low for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add some fresh Basil or Italian Seasonings. And, Salt. Can't go wrong with Salt.<br />
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And, in less than 2 hours, you have an amazing homemade tomato sauce that you can add to spaghetti, lasagna, eggplant parmesan, chicken parmesan or your favorite soup! My best advice though, regardless of what you're making, is that it pairs well with wine. Cheers!<br />
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<br />Our Boozy Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613606501861688188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843506330186345201.post-64362738117056086172018-01-29T19:43:00.000-05:002018-01-29T19:48:50.594-05:00Mom and Dad <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Let me tell you a story about my Mom and Dad. I’m sitting around one day drinking some wine
– the day that my Dad came home from a 5 day hospitalization for
bronchitis. And all of a sudden, I
realize that I haven’t been crazy worried about my Dad this week. Not that I didn’t care. I did.
I called and talked to him every day.
I got a blow by blow from him on what medicine he had taken, the bowel
movements he’d had, and the Doctors prognosis and how they came to that
conclusion based on these tests that they performed and an update on his latest
roommate and what condition he was in and that he had overheard the nurse
asking this interesting fella about where he was from . . . (and on and on and
on . . . ) </div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
and I chit-chatted with Mom as she
ran errands in her cute little car and her cute little outfit and “Wouldn’t it
be nice to get a coke on ice?”, and “I have to get my hearing aid checked when
I leave here”, and “Did you know Madison is still running a fever”, and “How’s
Riley doing since his vet appt yesterday?” . . . . (and I got regular updates
from Mom on how they were both doing.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
And then he came home, and you’re
all like YAY – Dad can get in his recliner and take a long nap, and Mom will
bring him soup and remind him to take his medicine, even though he had already
set his alarm for when he needed to take his medicine and that alarm had
already gone off and he had already taken that medicine.</div>
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AND then I remember back when Mom was hospitalized last year
for like 5 days i.e. an - eternity . . .
. . and the world’s axis tilted a little bit.
What was the Doctor saying? Had
they gotten a second prognosis? What’s
her pulse? How long will they be keeping
her? I can’t live without her. Mom –
come home, Mom. Mom – I NEED YOU! Mom – I’ll never be able to recover from
losing you. Mom – Have you talked to
Dad?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, while
Dad’s mourning and trying to maintain the household while Mom is hospitalized,
“Hang on – I just got groceries, Hang on – I’m just picking up Wendy’s to take
home, Shhhhhhh – I got a <i>Frosty</i>, Hang
on – I need to fill this new Prescription that I’m taking, and Mom said she’d
call me at 8:30, Oh, Shoot! – I forgot to lock the car. Gotta Go, hmm-mmm, Bye bye.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
And, THIS is why I worry about my Mom when she’s hospitalized
and I have legit panic attacks when I call and she doesn’t answer, and I wonder
what kind of life saving technique they’re having to perform to keep her alive
at that precise moment. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
And, THIS is why when Dad’s
hospitalized, you worry about <i>him</i>, but
you don’t worry that the world is crumbling around you. Because, she’s that ROCK keeping it all
together! You know that she’s got this,
you know that she can handle this PLUS anything else that comes her way. She’s gonna take care of herself and make
sure Daddy is comfortable and that the Doctors are keeping up to her standards
and you know she’s still getting in those 10,000 steps, and Mom – Have you
talked to Dad?</div>
Our Boozy Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613606501861688188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843506330186345201.post-81615362509020783282017-11-27T19:16:00.001-05:002017-11-27T19:16:50.977-05:00We Were on a BreakI just logged into my Blogger account . . . . having felt this yearning to write that I haven't done in some time. I looked at the posts from this past year - I posted 4 times. When we started the blog, the goal was to post once a week. But, shit happens. Life happens. The point of this blog for me, from the beginning, was an outlet for me to express myself. Its never been about the amount of followers or likes or comments that I get, though in all honesty and with deep humility, every acknowledgement that someone read something that I wrote is gratifying.<br />
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So, shit happens, life happens. Well, shit and life have been happening. And, I'm sitting here grateful and happy and feeling blessed beyond measure. So, I haven't had shit to write or time to write but that's all good. The thing is "Life" has very much been happening around us for about a year now. The "Sometimes life gets in the way" kind of shit, the "Tough times don't last, tough people do" kind of shit. This is only for the ones that appreciate <i>Friends</i> and can appreciate the fact that "We Were on a Break" is the epitome of the life of this blog - <i>Our Boozy Life - </i>over the past year.<br />
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It was around the same time last year that I posted a picture of a field on Instagram and said, "We're going to make this place our Home." At that time, it was a dream. But a dream that we were intent on living. Long story short, we've had the opportunity to purchase land that had been in the family since the late 1800's. So, that dream of owning land that had such a significant meaning to us, meant Ronnie deciding to put in papers to retire from the Navy after 20 years. We literally had no other plans other than going to 30 years in the Navy. But, it meant another ship, more deployments. And, we both felt that we had done our share of those.<br />
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For two people to have spent the last 20 years solely on our own, the decision to come back home was a difficult one. Ronnie and I literally grew up together - he in the Navy and me in my career with The Virginian-Pilot - but we literally grew up solely together. We felt proud and strong of our independence, all the while torn about being so close and reliant and secure in the relationships with our families.<br />
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When you face those tough decisions, all I can say is that you must follow your heart. And, your mind will fuck with that - because it will remind you of all your fears and hidden insecurities. But, you must have faith in love and family. Have faith that your heart will lead you to the right place. I learned what I thought to be an impossible lesson and relinquished my fears to what my heart and soul felt was right.<br />
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And, here we are. Living on a "Farm" in the smallest, coziest home I could ever dream of. With family so close by, I never worry about feeling alone. I look out my windows and I see nothing but woods and forest and land, and I feel like I'm in my own little world. And this, this is peace and comfort and security - that I never thought I would appreciate until now.<br />
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So, "We've been on a Break" from the normal adventures, but we have much to share. We've remodeled a home over the last year that now is our own. We wake up every morning and see deer and we expect snow very soon. And we truly believe Riley has reversed "Benjamin Button" aged - because life is so good here for him. Our old arthritic Boxer has become a young adventurous Boxer with energy to spare. Someone said - the mountain air does us all good. Well, we're breathing in the fresh air and we're not on a break anymore. Stay tuned for more boozy adventures!<br />
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<br />Our Boozy Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613606501861688188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843506330186345201.post-78981085670084893042017-08-09T19:19:00.000-04:002017-08-09T19:20:47.864-04:00HomeWe've lived in our current home for over 10 years in Chesapeake. It has been our haven - the place we've shared with family and friends. We have celebrated success and grieved over losses here. We have eaten our best meals and drank the best wines here. The backyard has been our oasis. The kitchen has been our dance floor. We've put blood, sweat and tears into making this our home and maintaining this home. <br />
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I believe that your home should be your sanctuary. The one place you feel the most safe and protected. The place that you feel utter contentment and joy. Your home becomes an extension of yourself, of the places you've traveled and the things that make you feel at peace and bring you happiness. This is our home . . . .<br />
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<i>*View from the Master Bedroom every Spring</i></div>
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<i>*The seat cushions up are to protect the couch from Riley</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh17m3AQE2DjHbGrU842FuoyhyphenhyphenjUX_KDHvRzhIVswvhU5wOzrObJ82ybQfu5AcITAFwtXgfmBseths8F6v_g2TFwZR4t9KJaud4wQVl-StGa5kx0uizjDtNeV8R8g2MCxybh8hI8ghZykw9/s1600/IMG_8982.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh17m3AQE2DjHbGrU842FuoyhyphenhyphenjUX_KDHvRzhIVswvhU5wOzrObJ82ybQfu5AcITAFwtXgfmBseths8F6v_g2TFwZR4t9KJaud4wQVl-StGa5kx0uizjDtNeV8R8g2MCxybh8hI8ghZykw9/s400/IMG_8982.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<i>*His and Hers *Fat Bastard and Bitch</i></div>
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<i>*Where else would you put the wine corks?</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN4ZGLIa7i15Dv0krovKXRBJLNlHa2udPMcfupJ5Y-K8FOFb3jt9pzChZf8Aw2ioqfavFN8s8jx6j6JJQDfkCxrBVoSPJV645R5mUmlGeN49twko6E9BKdKT1ySMcPy8p98YID_0g_KfIp/s1600/Guest+Bedroom+Humor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="320" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN4ZGLIa7i15Dv0krovKXRBJLNlHa2udPMcfupJ5Y-K8FOFb3jt9pzChZf8Aw2ioqfavFN8s8jx6j6JJQDfkCxrBVoSPJV645R5mUmlGeN49twko6E9BKdKT1ySMcPy8p98YID_0g_KfIp/s400/Guest+Bedroom+Humor.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>*Guest Bedroom Humor</i></div>
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<i>*my favorite Jonathan Adler pottery</i></div>
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<i>*This is overage from two other closets</i></div>
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<i>*Back Porch Sittin'</i></div>
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<i>*One is real, one is not</i></div>
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<br />Our Boozy Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613606501861688188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843506330186345201.post-52586302439175135522017-07-14T10:55:00.001-04:002017-07-14T10:55:24.517-04:00Fuck GlutenI follow a "Work Hard, Play Hard" mentality. I believe life should be enjoyed - it's too fucking short! So, eat what you want! Drink what you want! Love who you want! Go where you want! It would be great if it were all that simple but in general, I try to follow the principles as rebelliously as I can. <br />
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So, it was devastating when I awoke in the hospital being told that I had Celiac Disease. My very sedated, partly conscious self asked them defensively to repeat what they just said and then declared, "I can never have bread again!?!" They shushed me and recommended I shake off the sedation before discussing more. And, as I was wheeled into recovery, the nurse offered water and crackers. She said to eat the crackers quickly because they'd be the last I'd ever eat. Boo! Hiss! WTF! Major buzz kill for a food lover like myself.<br />
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Well, after sleeping it off and doing some research, I realized that this was not the worst news I could ever get. In all honesty, I've been dealt more serious blows from my Cardiologist and Neurologist. So really, I just needed to "Keep Calm and Carry On". So, that's how I've approached it. And, on the up side, I feel way better and am putting so much good stuff in my body.<br />
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So, understanding Celiac Disease and evil Gluten, you realize what you can't have very quickly. And, then there's all the other stuff you can have - fresh fruits and vegetables, beans, chicken, seafood, red meat. Potatoes, even! I'm talking fried potatoes, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, french fries and potato chips. Beer is a definite no-no but I never liked the shit anyway. And wine is just fine. <br />
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Now, I've read all about the cross-contamination conspiracy and the advice on how to respectfully ask someone at a restaurant what their "Gluten Free" options are. Forget it! Can't do it, won't do it. Being that strict on myself and others is just against my way of living. We went out to eat this week and my husband ordered the Fried Green Tomato sandwich. After giving him the "Go to Hell" look, I rather quickly declared that I would also have the Fried Green Tomatoes. Just the appetizer, not the sandwich. And those who are very strict about this Gluten Free way of life will say, the tomatoes were fried in a gluten based batter. Well, a wildflower garden has weeds but it's still pretty. I'm not perfect and I'm not going to try to be with this new diagnosis. I'll just do my best and overall, I'll be happier and so will everyone else around me. Our Boozy Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613606501861688188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843506330186345201.post-32853018853068180292017-02-10T10:23:00.000-05:002017-04-12T18:32:24.927-04:00Power of Conscious Thought<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Amidst stress, chaos and the uncertainty of late, I've watched and listened to those around me react to life, politics, family, future. Often times I'll tell someone that they are in my thoughts and prayers. It's a powerful statement, I believe. Telling someone that you <i><b>intentionally</b></i> pray for them, as I learned from my father, holds special meaning. <br />
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My Dad, a retired Methodist Minister, has a strict ritual of intentionally praying each day for a list of people/persons he keeps written in the back of his journal. It is a list of family, extended family, colleagues, politicians, our Armed Services, etc. I have heard him on many occasion, look someone in the eye and say, I prayed intentionally for you this morning. How powerful is that? Not all of us have that discipline. Not all of us have that spirituality. But, I encourage you - whether you are religious, agnostic, pagan or otherwise - to think about prayer as not a religious act but as an action of conscious thought. <br />
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I remember reading something a long time ago that stayed with me. The concept of the article was that prayer is a type of thought, a lot like meditation. It explained it as a type of very concentrated mental focus with passionate emotion directed towards a concept, person or situation. The author of the story was explaining prayer as he shared a story about someone who did not pray or particularly believe in the power of prayer. This particular friend's brother was in the hospital dying and his grandmother asked him to pray for his brother. He felt guilty that he could not do that for his brother and so the author encouraged him with these words -<br />
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"I want you to pray for your brother right now. As a gesture to your grandmother - who, if she didn't exist, neither would you. I want you to pray right now, just for the sake of challenging yourself. I want you to find a place alone, and kneel down - against all your stubborn tendencies telling you not to - and close your eyes and think of one concentrated thought: your brother. <br />
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I want you to think of your love for him. Your fear of him dying. Your feelings of anger and frustration. Your feelings of confusion. You don't need to ask to get anything. You don't need to try and fix anything. You don't need to get any answers. Just focus on every moment you've ever had with your brother. Reflect on every memory, from years ago, and even from just earlier today. Let the feelings wash over you. Let the feelings take you away from yourself. Let them bring you closer to him. Let yourself be overwhelmed by the unyielding and uncompromising emotion of him until you lose yourself in it. <br />
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Think about him more than you've ever thought about anyone before. Think about him more deeply and with more detail than you've ever thought about anything. Think about how incredible it is that you have a brother - that he exists at all. Focus on him until you feel like your soul is going to burst. Tell him in your heart and soul that you love him. Feel that love pouring out of you from all sides. Then get up and go be with your family. And you can tell your grandmother that you prayed for your brother." <i>- author unknown</i><br />
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I have to challenge myself every day with my own conscious thoughts. I don't have the discipline that my father holds. But, I can choose my thoughts and my words. I can encourage rather than criticize. And, I can love rather than hate. In the end, isn't that what it's all about? Love, Sara<br />
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<br />Our Boozy Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613606501861688188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843506330186345201.post-30916794409853748202017-01-22T16:11:00.001-05:002017-04-11T19:16:56.274-04:00Post Hiatus - Happy New Year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Have been on a serious hiatus through the holidays and into the new year. It's taken me until Jan 20 to write this New Years post because I hate conforming. I refuse to make a damn resolution. New Year, New Me . . . My Ass! Simply put, we have the opportunity to re-invent ourselves or resolve to make changes at any point during the 12 months of every year. So, I refuse to conform to the idea that come January 1, I'm going to be a new, healthier me. I ate McDonald's on New Year's Day and I've also drank my weight in alcohol these past few weeks. The Christmas decorations only just came down this past week so we were still celebrating! My mother calls me a rebel, and I own that. I simply hate abiding by rules and am detracted by the conformity and conventionality of things. (I am, however, quite entertained by Snapchat filters - how conventional is that?!)<br />
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Phew! Now that I got that off my chest, I can continue with sharing what we did during our respite. We celebrated Thanksgiving with every dear person in our family, bopping from this house to the next. Traditional and unconventional meals were had and so many good memories were made. For Christmas, we celebrated the holiday home alone! Four days of lounging in pj's, watching Christmas movies, napping, eating, and drinking. Basically being in a complete state of holiday glutinous. We have no shame!<br />
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We got to romp in the snow twice - once in West Virginia and then again here in Chesapeake. While I rather enjoyed a few days to unwind amidst Snow-mageddon here at home, Ronnie ended up working all the way through it and fell on ice and fractured his wrist. Meanwhile back at home, the furnace broke and we lost heat for 2 weeks. Shit happens! However, the New Year was met in the most nontraditional, unexpected way as we solidified a decision years in the making. More on that to come in the future but I'm excited for the months ahead and changes in our life and surroundings. And excited to share it with you! Cheers and Happy New Year!<br />
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<br />Our Boozy Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613606501861688188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843506330186345201.post-80360384562359427062016-11-18T19:54:00.001-05:002017-04-12T09:24:09.332-04:00Comfort FoodI'm more of a seasonal cook. Spring and Summer are "eh" - I'm not that inspired. But, when it comes to Fall and Winter, oh, the inspiration flows. I can come up with a dozen reasons to make a new dish or craft a new cocktail. If you've followed the blog, you know that I hate (wait - that's too mild a word), I despise Summer. But, when Fall arrives, my soul comes alive. Right now, I'm really into comfort foods. The cooler weather insists that a meal be warm and comforting, savory and rich and always served with a glass of wine.<br />
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When it comes to me as a cook and loving the cooking thing, the funny thing is that it almost didn't happen. My Mom tells stories of me as a little girl in the kitchen, loving to cook and play in the kitchen. The thing is, I don't ever remember any of those stories my mother loves to tell of me and the kitchen. <br />
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Fast forward to being in my 20's and married, I would do anything to avoid having to be in the kitchen. As an independent woman and a professional, I resisted the idea that anyone, much less my husband, assume that I <i>should</i> be in the kitchen. And also, I didn't think I was very good at it. If I'm not good at something or if I'm not interested in being good at something, you can forget it. Luckily, I married a man who was a natural in the kitchen. So, we didn't starve or live totally off take-out. <br />
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I like to think that as I aged, my interests changed. Ronnie believes that Pinterest and an iPad changed our lives (and our waist lines). Nonetheless, I did in fact discover a love for cooking and being in the kitchen. I learned to love the act of feeding my family. I learned to appreciate the art of cooking and trying new things. I'm not the greatest cook, and sometimes I fail miserably in the kitchen. Ronnie has heard "Just fucking eat it" a few times. But, I'm open to trying again or moving on. And at the end of the day, I love a good meal and I love to see my family enjoying a good meal. <br />
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Right now, I'm totally obsessed with two recipes (Chili and a Butternut Squash / Spinach Lasagna) and they're on repeat in our home this Fall. Hope you'll enjoy too!<br />
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<b>Chili Recipe </b>(I studied lots of chili recipes and used the best parts to create my own)</div>
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30 oz can Stewed Tomatoes</div>
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30 oz Tomato Sauce</div>
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2 cans of Kidney Beans (drained and rinsed)</div>
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1 can of Rotel</div>
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1 large can of Diced Chiles</div>
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2 lbs Hamburger</div>
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1 Onion</div>
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1 Green Pepper</div>
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4 tsp Minced Garlic</div>
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1 tsp Parsley</div>
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1 tsp Oregano</div>
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1 tbsp Chili Powder</div>
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1 tsp Cumin</div>
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1 tsp Salt</div>
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¼ tsp Pepper</div>
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Combine Stewed Tomatoes, Tomato Sauce, Kidney Beans, Rotel
and Diced Chiles in a Slow Cooker. Dice
Onion and add to pan with Hamburger.
Drain grease and add to Slow Cooker.
Dice Green Pepper and add to same pan used to cook Hamburger.
Saute with olive oil and Minced Garlic.
Add to Slow Cooker. Add the rest
of the seasonings. Cook on slow for 8
hours. Garnish with cheese and sour
cream. </div>
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<b>Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna </b>(Recipe from <a href="http://juliasalbum.com/">JuliasAlbum.com</a>)</div>
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<b>Butternut Squash Filling:</b><br />
2 cups Butternut Squash Puree (I used the can stuff but you're welcome to make from scratch)<br />
1 cup ricotta cheese<br />
1/2 cup milk <br />
1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon salt<br />
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg<br />
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<b>Spinach Filling:</b><br />
1 cup cooked spinach (8 oz uncooked)<br />
1 cup ricotta cheese<br />
1 cup mozzarella cheese<br />
2 garlic cloves, minced<br />
1/4 teaspoon salt<br />
pepper, to taste</div>
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<b>Other Ingredients:</b><br />
10 oz lasagna noodles, cooked <br />
1 and 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese (or more)<br />
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (on top)<br />
Italian seasoning<br />
Basil<br />
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<b>Instructions</b><br />
Preheat oven to 375 F.<br />
<b>Butternut Squash Filling:</b><br />
For this filling, you will need to have pre-cooked <a href="http://juliasalbum.com/2013/10/how-to-make-butternut-squash-puree/">butternut squash puree</a> or just use canned Butternut Squash. Using a mixer, combine 2 cups of butternut squash puree with Ricotta cheese, milk, salt and nutmeg. Add more milk if needed (to make the butternut squash filling very creamy). Mix very well, taste and add more salt, if needed.</div>
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<b>Spinach Filling:</b><br />
Combine spinach, Ricotta cheese, mozzarella, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix, taste, and add more salt and pepper, if needed.</div>
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<b>Cooking lasagna noodles:</b><br />
Bring a very large pot of water to boil, and cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions. Rinse in cold water, drain. </div>
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<b>Lasagna assembly:</b><br />
Prepare a baking dish. Grease the lasagna dish lightly with olive oil spray. Spread 1/3 of butternut squash filling on the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle lightly with mozzarella cheese. Top with cooked lasagna noodles.</div>
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Spread half of spinach filling over the noodles. Top lightly with Mozzarella cheese. Top with cooked noodles.</div>
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Spread another layer (1/3) of butternut squash mixture, then sprinkle lightly with Mozzarella cheese. Top with cooked noodles.</div>
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Spread the remaining half of spinach filling over the noodles. Top lightly with Mozzarella cheese. Top with the final layer of cooked noodles.</div>
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Spread a generous amount of butternut squash filling (the remaining 1/3) over this final layer of noodles, sprinkle with grated Parmesan and remaining mozzarella cheese (about 1/2 cup of mozzarella). Generously sprinkle the cheese with Italian seasoning and Basil.</div>
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Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 min. Remove foil and bake additional 10 minutes.<br />
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*Side Note - The Hubby is a "meat and potatoes" kind of guy so for this recipe, we added Italian Sausage. If you opt for this, cook sausage according to package directions, slice thinly and add into your layers. Highly recommend it - the sausage really added to the already tremendous flavor of the lasagna!</div>
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Our Boozy Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613606501861688188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843506330186345201.post-23567490617250812242016-11-01T18:53:00.002-04:002017-04-11T19:16:56.267-04:00Falling in Love with Fall Metaphorically speaking, I believe you go through seasons in your life, in your marriage, in your emotions. Without these seasons, wouldn't life be so dull? I catch myself falling madly in love with Fall each year. She is one of my greatest loves! And these are a few of my favorite things to indulge in at this special time of year. Happy Fall Y'all!<br />
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<b>Caramel Apple Cider Mimosa at <a href="http://www.beebiscuit.com/" target="_blank">The Bee & The Biscuit</a></b></div>
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<b> Fall Tablescapes</b></div>
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<b>Hot Coffee in the morning (with Pumpkin Spice creamer) and a good book</b></div>
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<b>Homemade Chili </b></div>
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<b><br /></b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFpdhHdTdrCIZvhg49AVWLUrE41D7dXiV0rJQeGPyu3zEzjVnLqMUr_z-BW3GFAegryjN1zwwDHHm0RcQiWQPecceImto5XLlC47xWZr19CJ0d0edAqwdliIklWw7n6Kvp_FnAtzC4Cj2h/s1600/IMG_7139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFpdhHdTdrCIZvhg49AVWLUrE41D7dXiV0rJQeGPyu3zEzjVnLqMUr_z-BW3GFAegryjN1zwwDHHm0RcQiWQPecceImto5XLlC47xWZr19CJ0d0edAqwdliIklWw7n6Kvp_FnAtzC4Cj2h/s400/IMG_7139.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<b>A crisp walk in the woods</b></div>
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<b>A Glass (or two) of Bulleit Bourbon and Ginger Ale</b></div>
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<b>The Changing and Falling Leaves</b></div>
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A glass of Chardonnay at <a href="http://www.catch31.com/" target="_blank">Catch 31</a> by the firepits</div>
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<b>A visit to <a href="http://www.bergeysbreadbasket.com/" target="_blank">Bergey's Breadbasket</a> - Pumpkin patch, Corn Maze, and Pumpkin ice cream</b></div>
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<b>Sweater (and Hat) Weather</b></div>
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Our Boozy Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02613606501861688188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2843506330186345201.post-17315743077178262982016-10-10T20:18:00.000-04:002017-04-12T09:27:14.807-04:00The perfect ski coat . . . . now what to do with it?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My husband finally bought me the ski coat I've been coveting for years. It was a birthday present. I picked it out, I tried it on, he paid for it. Two extra sizes up because I like them roomy and long enough to cover my bum. Black parka with a faux fur trimmed collar. I will finally ski gracefully down the slopes as the diva in the perfect outfit as I've always imagined. Well, at least in theory. First and foremost, I am nothing if not ungraceful and clumsy. But, I live off the fact that despite skiing down the slopes disgracefully, By God, I will look good doing it. I can't wait to rock that ski outfit albeit if I never ski down a single slope. Because the thing is, I had a minor incident on the slopes last year, tearing my MCL after a very clumsy right hand turn maneuver and am . . . . 1) slightly scared to re-injure my knee B) petrified of anything but the bunny slope and 3) not willing to mess up my beautiful new ski coat.<br />
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Memories from previous ski trips abound . . . . .<br />
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