Saving Fievel Mousekewitz

I was out taking some pictures of some of the pretty spiders (Orb Weavers) that have delightfully made themselves at home around our house! I love seeing them...it means fall is here. As I was out side taking a picture of the Golden Orb (the big black and yellow with the zig zag in the middle of its web) I saw a furry thing in my little tree/bush in the front of my window. It was a field mouse. I looked carefully and realized it was very still but breathing and awkwardly positioned. Hmmmmm...there was a reason that this little furry friend was up on this bush.

Tigger... I knew it.

My cat, Tigger, was purring around my legs with his tail wagging. He is our hunter. He loves to bring us presents and leave them at our front door. They range from birds to lizards. we have been really lucky when he decides to bring moles to us. That is such a fun treat. I looked carefully at Mr. Mousekewitz and couldn't help but sing...

"And there are no CATS in America and the streets are full of cheese!!"
(I love that movie.)

Anyway, so Sophia and I grabbed a mason jar and so gently put it up to him and with out thinking twice he jumped right in. I think he figured this was his only chance to get away from the lion that was prowling around him waiting for him to come down. So we walked down the street and let him out in the woods. I swear he said in the Russian Mousekewitz language "Thank you for saving my life."... I said "your welcome" in my Alabama -George language and then Sophia and I proudly walked back to the house.

I like saving nature....but the fact that I threw that moth in the spider web still kinda haunts me. (If you haven't read about that it is in an earlier post)

Okay...since October is here...remember to find a local beekeeper and see if they have some late honey available. I am finding out that not too many beekeepers in our neck of the woods have a lot to spare but grab some if you can. The darker the richer. The best tasting oatmeal raisin cookies are made with darker honey (in my opinion) and here is a recipe for some.

Oh! AND....leave in the comment section if you have a favorite recipe using honey. Tell us how to make it, where you got it and why you like it. Tell your friends because...

I will make all of them in the next 2 weeks and the one that is my favorite I will send you something sweet...

www.queeniescookies.com

2 count of your choice

My mouth is watering thinking about their flavor:

"Queen for the Day"
lemon Cookie, loaded with Raspberries, White Chocolate chips and Macadamia nuts!
SOOOOOO GOOOOOD!

They are FANTASTIC and they are a local business and I love supporting my local peeps!

But here is my all time favorite cookie and a recipe for them:

Chewy Honey Oatmeal Raisin Cookies


Ingredients

* 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 1/2 cup honey
* 1 large egg
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1-1/2 cups quick cooking rolled oats
* 1 cup whole wheat flour
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 cup raisins, chocolate or butterscotch chips

Directions

In medium bowl, beat butter with sugar until thoroughly blended. Blend in honey. Blend in egg and vanilla, mixing until smooth. In separate bowl, mix together oats, flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda; blend into honey mixture. Blend in raisins or chips. Drop dough by rounded Tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 12 to 14 minutes until cookies are golden brown. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool 2 to 3 minutes before removing from baking sheet. Cool completely then store in an airtight container.

Tips
High altitude adjustment: Increase oats to 2 cups and decrease whole wheat flour to 3/4 cup.

"Take a deep breath, Angela....SHE CUT HER HAIR!!"

When I was a little girl, I used to complain about my mom brushing my hair to the point that she decided to cut my hair off. In my pictures from about age 4 through 7 I have VERY short boyish looking hair!!! I still get mad at my mom when we look through photos on holidays and say " why did you do that to me!" But I guess the "rats nest" in my hair everyday just got overwhelming for her so she decided to chop it!

Sophia' hair is gorgeous! She didn't have any until she was about 2 1/2 years old and since then I have let it grow out. Her hair has been down to the end of her back now for about 1 year. I have been SO Proud of the hair that I describe as the "mermaid hair". I love brushing it, seeing the wind blow in it, braiding it, and she does too. But something happened that I wasn't prepared for....

SHE CHOPPED IT! (and she kinda looks like Bon Jovi did in 1989)

My very close friend, Jamie the "Prayer Warrior", watched my girls for me yesterday afternoon and Sophia and her precious daughter Sara Joy played "Beauty Shop". So you know the story from there....."Angela, take a deep breath" she said over the phone. "Sophia and Sara Joy cut thier hair!" I didn't realize how angry, sad and scared those words would have ever made me. I have become so protective and almost Vain over Sophia's hair. I have always wanted the little girl with the long beautiful hair b/c I didn't have that! Well it became an "Idol" in my life and hadn't even realized it.

"You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of ANYTHING in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below." Ex 20:3-4

This hit me very hard. After my prayer warrior friend asked me where my heart was in this circumstance, I was reminded that I was the one who needed to learn something from this..."Why did I react out of anger when I heard she cut her hair". Truth is, I had let Sophia's hair become and idol (as weird as that sounds) and a deep heart issue was brought to surface...Rethink all the things in life that may have become in front of your LOVING GOD! My foundation once again was rocked and shifted and my frames are joyfully being rebuilt!

Thank you, sweet Jesus.

"You're just a bee charmer, Idgie Threadgoode. That's what you are, a bee charmer. "

Fried Green Tomatoes is one of my top ten movies ever! Remember when she went into that bee hive in the tree and got that honey!!!! I have always wondered if people really did that! And I am proud to say I finally did yesterday!

This is another beekeeper friend, Michael. He is raising his bees in the most organic fashion! He doesn't wear any protection wear! I thought he was crazy at first, and then he convinced me that his bees didn't sting him and they wouldn't sting me either. I didn't believe him at first but then realized I have always wanted to try not to wear protective gear to see if was easier working bees that way. So....I did! No one stung me! How neat it was to just be able to see the bees with my eyes with no veil over them, touch the frames with no gloves on, and have bees flying around me with no fear of getting stung. His bees are alot more calm then mine are. My girls are not as tolerant ...they take after their keeper I guess :)

So................ TOWANDA!!!!!!! ......... I am a bee charmer!!!!

And so isn't Joyce Bearden for winning the Bee Charming note cards!!!!

Thanks for all that are so encouraging about my blog! I love sharing some of my life with you all :) And I love hearing the comments about yours! Check in soon for another giveaway!

Here is a Idgie Threadgoode-ness Honey Recipe:

Apple Honey Crisp

2 lbs. apples, quartered and sliced (1-1/2 quarts) 1/2 cup plus 1/4 cup honey, (separated) 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1 cup flour 1/4 cup butter, softened Warm Nutmeg Cream, (recipe follows) or ice cream

Directions

Toss apples with 1/2 cup honey, cinnamon and nutmeg in bowl. Turn into 2-quart baking dish. For topping, beat flour with butter and 1/4 cup honey until crumbly; sprinkle over apples. Bake at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is golden. Serve with Warm Nutmeg Cream or ice cream.

Time, Talents and Treasures... Oh, and a givaway

I sometimes do not know where the time goes. I remember meeting my husband 11 years ago at a restaurant in Auburn AL. I was 18 he was 23, and he was a very cute and very obnoxious waiter! Actually, he wasn't even my waiter, but he kept coming to my table asking " Can I get you anything? Do you want some dessert? I can get you some chocolate cake." I didn't get the chocolate cake, but that waiter did "stick" in my mind for a while and it wasn't until 3 years later that we would we go on our first date! He was so nervous he couldn't eat his meal :) I can't believe that date was 9 years ago this December. I also can't believe that we have been married 7 years and have 2 kids. Where does the time go....

I also have been homeschooling my 2 girls I had with that waiter. It is going well, except the swine flu, stomach viruses, and strep throat have interrupted my already nervous teaching skills! But all is well. Homeschooling my children has actually done something for me that I didn't expect. I am seeing my children's love languages and talents. Sophia my tenderhearted, sweet, sensitive daughter....the one who made me love as a mother for the first time, is a "words of Affirmation" and an "Affection" lover! If she reads something right...make sure you praise her with words of encouragement and give her a huge hug!!!!! She lives for "Great Job", "Super", and "you are wonderful". Now, Stella....complete opposite!! I am learning she is a "Act of Service" and "Gifts" girl. If you buy her a "Barbie Nutcracker Dance" DVD and then make her a tea party and dress up with her (in a horrible mock ballerina outfit that you put together out of an old maternity bathing suit!!) She knows she is loved! Its truly amazing how 2 creatures made by the same people can be so different in how they are going to be in relationships with the people in the world! But then again they have 2 parents that God put together who have totally different ways of expressing their love and how they need love expressed.


We have different gifts, according to the grace given" Romans 12:6


This waiter and these 2 kids are my treasures. I honestly can't remember what life was like without my family with me. Its weird b/c I can't really remember just being with Christopher alone, then I can't remember what is was really like just having one child either! We are such a unit now...and life is so sweet with them. I praise my God everyday for giving these treasures to me!

So that makes me want to give gifts and treasures to you!

Question of the day...

What is your Love Language?

I will be giving away these PRECIOUS note cards handmade by my very sweet friend Wendy! (set of 5)

Wendy makes these note cards!! If you love them and have to have them her email is

wendy@ishoy.com

she makes all kinds of custom note cards....just a note...I know it looks like it is black and yellow but the note card is actually yellow and purple colors :) I could not get the photo to come out right! Anyone take good pictures??

I'll announce the winner on Saturday!

Oh, and I am checking on my Queen today so I will have an update on her, too :)

Bad Spider

My children love spiders. They love them so much that I have to remind them that they cannot touch and pick them up (eek!) It makes my skin crawl! But they love "Charlotte"...and really who doesn't. Well we have some "Charlotte's" around the corners of the house because due to economic times we had to cancel out the bug guy. So when my children noticed they were in the corners of the rooms in the house we looked them up online. They are called "house spiders" (go figure).

So tonight, the children and I notice a lady bug walking around my white popcorn sprayed ceiling. She was just prancing her little red body with 4 polka dots across the way...we were so happy looking at her when out of know where...

"Charlotte" came out and SNATCHED HER UP!!!!!!!!!!

I stood frozen!!!! I looked at my kids and their eyes were as big as Roger Rabbit's! Sophia screamed...Stella screamed and I panicked!! I was so heartbroken not only for this sweet ladybug, but the look of fear on my children's face was out of one of a horror movie! They screamed for me to stop the spider and save the lady bug!! I didn't know what to do!! I know that nature says this happens...but not in front the George kids! It couldn't! They would never forgive the spider species! So I jumped on a chair in the kitchen and got a napkin...brushed through her little web and scooped the lady bug out (let me tell you... but I didn't tell them, I know what happens when the spider catches the bug...it injects some poisonous stuff into it, which I think already happened to this ladybug...my kids do not ever need to know that!) and then my kids were screaming like we were in an Emergency OR "let me have her...let me have her!!!" I knew this bug had no chance so I throw her outside (for something else to eat her). My kids acted like I just took away their favorite toy. Well, then after about 10 seconds they went along there business, which is watching barbie princess castle and pulling each others hair.

I stood there by myself in the kitchen and then with a heavy heart I looked at "Charlotte"....I just realized I took away her meal probably for the day. For the sake of my children not to be traumatized I went against nature and stopped what should have happened. I felt terrible. So I waited for my children to go to bed.......................................

AND I WENT OUTSIDE AND GOT A MOTH AND THROUGH IT INTO HER WEB!!!!!!!!!

What the heck is wrong with me...not only do I not like spiders, not only do I not want spiders in my house, not only do I not want to feed the spider....am I becoming like the character from little shop of horrors where the spider is going to be like

"FEED ME SEYMOUR...FEED ME!!"

oh yeah! I'm so putting an end to this and getting rid of cable and getting the bug guy back!

Ben the Beekeeper

Some of you want to know this Ben guy. He is the Beekeeper. Master...Sensei...Whisperer...whatever you wanna call him. I feel comfortable enough now to call him my friend. I just popped over his house yesterday and he was mowing his 4 acres of grass. I wanted to take a pic of him b/c I realized that this guy that has taught me so much is only in my head and I wanted to share him with everyone. So here he is. Ben McGhee. Here are some pictures of him at his house with the "mother hives". These hives are the ones I learned everything on. I am so blessed to have Ben in my life. :)

Oh, and Mrs. Heather Heaton is the winner of the Upcycled mug!!!
Thanks Heather for leaving a comment!

If you want please go to her store on Etsy.com and leave her a message that you saw her stuff from my blog :)

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6621314

also, the link to the note cards by Amanda Mason that was given away is:

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6028235

I saw them and they are precious!


Did I tell you guys that Christopher drove me to Natchitoches, LA for Valentines Day so I could stand in the kitchen where Shelby told M'lynn she was pregnant! And stood on the grass in the downtown area where they had the Easter egg hunt at the end of the movie!! I'd like to go back there and for a girls weekend and stay at the Steel Magnolias House Bed and Breakfast! Any takers!?!?!? I am being very serious!
And remember:

"Like I say, if you don't have anything nice to say about someone...come sit by me." (claire to truvy at the Christmas party :)

Do you like Honey in your Tea?

Or even better...how about a mug with your tea. I think she is a beauty!

Since I was a little girl I have always loved the movie Steel Magnolias. I remember living in RI thinking that one day I would live in a little town in the south and have a historical old house and sit on my front porch and sip on tea, watch the sun go down rocking on a weathered rocking chair while my kids played in the grass....

I love old cottage looking things so when ever I am at a thrift store, antique store or yard sales things pop out that look like that. I found this girl who makes old/used things look really pretty. I love that idea...she calls it Upcycled! A mug that maybe no one wanted and now look at it. Everyone needs something pretty, and Upcycled :)

So here is how to play to win...

Tell me your favorite quote/line in the movie Steel Magnolias!

I will announce the winner Thursday morning!

Have fun with your answers! This will probably make you want to watch it again!

Drill Baby, Drill

So it happened again. I went to the dentist and I have more cavities. It is no longer a shock when I go in and they tell me "You have cavities". Not cavity...CAVITIES! Six, to be exact. You are reading this about a girl who brushes and flosses 2x a day if not more! And this news of cavities has become my routine every 6 months at Dr. King's office. My husband who doesn't do near the care on his mouth has ZERO CAVITIES! He's never had to have the needle the size of Alabama in his mouth or the "break the iceberg" drill in his teeth. But I have...too many times to count.

So, I figure that since I am doomed for cavities in my mouth...here is a fantastic recipe filled with sweetness in rebellion to my "gonna happen anyway" cavities!!!

Bee Nutty Choco-Chip Cookies:

• 1/2 cup honey (local please :)
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 oz. chocolate morsels
• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Combine honey, peanut butter, butter and brown sugar in a large bowl; beat until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; mix thoroughly. Combine flour, soda and salt; mix well. Stir into peanut butter mixture. Stir in chocolate morsels and peanuts. Using a 1/4 cup measure for each cookie, drop onto ungreased cookie sheet; flatten slightly. Bake at 350°F 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to rack and cool.

If you make it...let me know what you think! :)

Now for my face to wake up and not be numb so I can eat this honey/brown sugar filled cookie....





:)