ODDS AND BODS AND HELLO SUNSHINE, ARE YOU ENJOYING YOUR COFFEE THIS FINE MORNING?

Good Morning and how are you today?

We are currently discussing if my coffee and I want to participate in this day.

Let’s go!

It’s safe to say, I am not the cat,  I am, however, the slow starter but here we are at the…

Dog stick library - He once was a wolf. Now he is a golden boy with a stick library.

…meeting up with a friend and that’s okay, he is still a wolf at heart. Just try and take that stick away from him later. You will have a wrestling match on your hands. 

Cute art of kids going off to school above and one below reminding me of the rainy days we have been having lately. In this picture a sweet kitty gets wrapped up in a warm scarf and taken to a loving home. Kitty will have a warm bed to sleep in that night.

Interesting words.

Kindred Word #30 - Brumous - English - adjective - Foggy, misty or wintry. 

Kindred word #20 - Psithurism - English - noun - The sound of

the wind whispering through the leaves.

Fun with Food!

And here is my imaginary house. 

Just kidding, here it is…

Sorry, I can’t help myself. Here it is… 

 Isn’t it a beauty? Beautiful at night too.

Back to a couple of recipes as I had not quite finished with food. A slow cooker Turkey Breast recipe…and once again I haven’t tried any of these recipes I share. It will be an adventure to me as well as to you. I will have a practice run before Thanksgiving.

Slow Cooker Turkey Breast 

Ingredients: 1 (4 to 6 pound) turkey breast - 3 tablespoons olive oil

or melted butter - 1 tablespoon garlic powder - 1 tablespoon onion powder

1 teaspoon paprika - 1 teaspoon dried thyme - salt and pepper to taste

1 cup chicken broth.  Instructions:  1. Pat turkey breast dry and rub with

olive oil or butter.  2. Mix garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, thyme,

salt and pepper. Rub all over the turkey.  3. Place the turkey breast in

slow cooker, pour chicken broth around (NOT ON) the meat.  4. Cover

and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours, or until internal temperature reaches 

165 degrees F.  5. Optional: broil for 3 to 5 minutes to crisp up the skin

before serving.  6. Slice and serve with juices from the slow cooker.

For dessert.

Knott’s Berry Farm Cookies - “Thumbprint Cookies”, Buena Park, California.

Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter, softened - 1/3 cup sugar - 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup bread flour OR all-purpose flour works just as well. Bread flour will just make

your cookies more chewy 1/4 cup raspberry jam or other jam to your liking.

Instructions:  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  2. Combine butter, sugar, almond 

extract and flour in mixer bowl.  3. Mix until well blended and forms a ball. (Mine

was kind of dry and crumbly, so I added about 2 tablespoons of milk.)   4. Roll into

3/4 inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet.  5. Make an indentation on top of

each cookie and fill with 1/2 teaspoon of jam.  6. Bake 9 minutes.  7. Let cool and enjoy.

A few wise words.

Let your smile change the world but don’t let the world 

change your smile. 

Be who you are and say how you feel, because those who mind don’t 

matter, and those who matter don’t mind - Theodore Seuss Geisel

For those who need one and for those who don’t think they do.

Here’s a hug for the day. Carry it with you wherever you go.

Sometimes we forget to thank the people who make our lives better just by

being in it, so…thank you!

and always remember

You are worthy and you are loved!

Thanks for visiting and have 

a wonderful day! 

Peace and...

(With thanks to Pinterest for today's inspiration.)

BUMPING DOWN, BUMPING DOWN THE ROAD….

 

To give you an idea of how long ago I took this photo, that little girl would be about 17 years old now. 

I was standing on the opposite side of the street, not a very wide one, when mother, little girl and toy kitty came bouncing down the road. It gave me a big smile and a chuckle as I quickly caught the moment. 

We were visiting my home and had gone to a nearby town.This was a place I visited often to see friends before I met my dear other half.  

I came across the photo again and there it was, the same smile, the same chuckle. I wonder if she still has that little kitty like I still have my old teddy bear? 

Thanks for visiting and 

I hope your day is a great one.

HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYONE - ODDS AND BODS FOR SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6TH, 2026

Good Morning! Denise’s Morning Brew.

Well, I have never appeared in my PJ’s, but today, in that imagination I am so fond of talking about, here I am. I also seem more wide awake than usual. Truthfully, I am not a morning person, but my other sleepy kitten personality below tells all, little blabber mouth! No worries, I am deep in the forest miles from anywhere, with no fear of any looky-loos walking by or unexpected drop-ins. Just me, the squirrels and birds and maybe a friendly rabbit, fox, raccoon and must not forget the family of deer. I could have Bigfoot stop by for a cup of tea. He would be welcome too, everyone is welcome. Hey, it’s my imagination, and here's me, moving on! 

My mind says “Get up!” My body says “Nope!” 

This week’s imaginary home in the middle of the forest.

I truly believe that...

The whole forest is my garden, how lucky am I?

Cute photo and…

pretty art.

I love this and in my world the cub's mama is okay with the little girl babysitting her little one. Mama Bear is happily foraging for berries and will be home soon. 

The cat had a good night casting shadows but...

 later returned home to its human.

Do you feel like a coffee smoothie? I would like to try this. My dear husband would rather have a coffee milkshake. I can see his point. Do you have a favorite smoothie you would like to share, and what is your favorite ice cream? Being nosy and curious seems to be going hand-in-hand with this one today.

Coffee Smoothie: 1 banana - 3/4 cup brewed coffee - 1/4 cup milk

2 tablespoons honey

Fun with Food

For the little kiddos and the big Kiddos.

Teddy Bear Toast

It is still too hot to put the oven on. I have another slow cooker pork dish for us to try. I don’t make these recipes before I publish them on here. It is always a culinary adventure.

Slow-cooker Pork Tenderloin: 2 pounds pork tenderloin - 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

 1 tablespoon yellow mustard - 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup - 2 tablespoons olive oil - 2 tablespoons diced dried onions - 1-1/ 2 teaspoons garlic salt or powder. Place pork tenderloin in the slow cooker. Mix all ingredients together and pour over tenderloin. Cook on low for 6 hours. 

Dump-and-Bake Meatball Casserole: you will need - 1 bag (32 ounces) frozen meatballs 

1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce - 3 cups water - 1 box (16 ounces) uncooked rotini pasta

2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese - 1 teaspoon dried oregano - 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions: 1. preheat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). Grease a 9 x 13

inch baking dish. 2. Add the frozen meatballs to the baking dish. 3. Pour the marinara sauce

and water evenly over the meatballs. 4. Sprinkle the uncooked pasta evenly over the top.

Do not stir. 5. Sprinkle with oregano and garlic powder. 6. Cover the dish tightly with

aluminum foil. 7. Bake for 45 minutes. 8. Remove foil, stir gently to ensure pasta is

tender. Sprinkle with shredded Mozzarella cheese. 9. Bake uncovered for an additional 

10 to 15 minutes, or until pasta is tender. 10. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. 

Bake time - covered: 45 minutes - uncovered: 10 to 15 minutes - total time: 55 to 60

minutes. Serves: 6 to 8 servings. Tips: for extra flavor, stir in a handful of chopped

parsley. Nutritional information (approximately per serving) - Calories: 520 

Protein: 25g - Carbohydrates: 56g - Fat: 20g - Saturated Fat: 9g - Fiber: 3g 

Sugar: 7g - Sodium: 950g

No dessert today. I’ll be good and eat some of this fruit. 

 

Wise Words for anyone who needs them.

Well, keep moving….you’re doing a great job….just keep going….No matter what

One day at a time….You’ve got this….Keep going

May you always dance to your own song and let the world see you as we do.

Life is busy for everyone. There will always be work, long

days, unexpected plans and a hundred things competing for

someone’s time. But the people who truly care never make

you feel like you’re another task on their list. They don’t always 

have hours to give, but they always find a moment to remind

you that you matter. Because real care isn’t about having more

free time, it’s about making sure the people you love never

have to wonder if they’ve been forgotten. 

It is time for me to get going and start my day. The cottontails let me know they will be visiting, and they are already on their way. 

Time to put the kettle on for a cuppa.

Let us have a cup of tea and talk about happy things. 

Thanks for stopping by.

I hope your day is full of blessings, and...

always remember you are loved 

because you deserve to be.

(My thanks to Pinterest for today’s inspiration.)

HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYONE - ODDS AND BODS FOR 7/5/26

Good Morning - may today greet you gently and give you plenty of 

reasons to smile.

I am sending a bit of sunshine your way, hoping it will add a smile to your day.

How are you? You matter to me.

It’s another hot day.

 It's another hot day here too, 100 degrees F. - about 38 degrees C (wrote this on Saturday the evening of the 4th). What's it like in your part of the world?  Here is our weather for today and the coming week. Looks like it's cooling down a tad.

I hope you have a nice cool drink handy. It's important to stay well-hydrated. Yes, I know, preaching to the choir here.

For those of you who were celebrating America's 4th of July Independence Day yesterday, I hope you all had a great time, everyone else also however you spent the day. We had several fireworks going off in our neighborhood the night of the 3rd. In the early evening of the 4th, our neighbor was setting off a few in their front yard. There were about 12 little kids watching him, at a safe distance and none over the age of seven (our neighborhood is cycling through a younger age - the older kids have all grown and moved on - such is the way). All the girls (more girls in the group than boys) were shouting over what he was doing wrong, giving him advice on how to do it properly, lol! You gotta smile! He was a loving patient man, and all those kids were having a great time. At first, I thought I was hearing thunder in the distance, and then realized more fireworks were being set off throughout the neighborhood. We spent our 4th quietly otherwise and thoroughly enjoyed our day. 

Here is some pretty art for you, which includes my dream cottage and pet sheep. My whimsical personality is telling me there is a dog and a cat around somewhere, a family of hedgehogs too. 

I am having a bad hair day, but that’s okay. It’s too hot to go out anyway. 

You might guess I am going through my sheep phase but…

there is always room for rabbits…

isn’t there my dear?

Wouldn’t this be a pretty gate to walk through to the vegetable patch? Rabbit is already on the other side waiting for you, nibbling on your carrots.

How about pretty photo art?

Which one is your favorite?

Another word…

Ubuntu (oo-boon-too) noun - a profound African philosophy that

Embodies the spirit of togetherness; the belief that our humanity is 

intertwined, and through compassion and community, we rise.

And another!

Whist / Verb / Meaning: (rare) to hush or silence; to still; to become silent.

And one more...

Feathe - otherkinwords@tumbler - Noun/Meaning: (in a person) the state of being calm; 

peacefulness; absence of worry, anger, fear or other strong negative emotion; (in a place or 

situation). The state of being calm; absence of noise and disturbance.

Fun with food.

How about a recipe or two? I hope by this time I have actually made them. 

Nope, not yet! 

Pork Chop Supreme - 4 boneless pork chops - 4 thinly sliced medium

Potatoes - 1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix - 1 can cream of mushroom 

Soup - 1/4 cup milk - Salt and Pepper to taste. 

Brown the pork in 1/4 cup of oil, then drain. Slice potatoes into a medium

into a medium casserole dish in even layer. Place pork chops over potatoes. 

Combine onion soup mix and cream of mushroom soup and milk, pour

over top of pork chops. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. 

Cookies?

Lemon Cookies - Ingredients: 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour - 1/2 teaspoon

baking powder - 1/4 teaspoon salt - 1/2 cup butter, softened - 3/4 cup sugar

1 egg - 2 teaspoons lemon juice - 1 tablespoon lemon zest - 1/2 teaspoon 

vanilla extract - 1/4 cup powdered sugar for coating - Directions: 1. In a

large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the lemon juice, zest

and vanilla extract.  2. Mix in the flour, baking powder and salt until 

combined.  3. Chill the dough for 30 minutes.  4. Roll the dough into balls 

and coat in powdered sugar.  5. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 12

minutes, until lightly golden.  Cool on a wire rack. 

Maybe you can get ice-cream to go with your cookies but be sure to get a cone first. Dinner is still a few hours away and it is a hot day. Me? I will take the Famous Hot Fudge Sundae…

The Scoop Ice Cream Parlor - Try our famous hot fudge Sundae - Sweet 

Summer Memories - Special - Banana Split 35 cents - Malted Milk 25 cents

Sundaes 25 cents - Cones 15 cents

…especially if it is only 25 cents! Which one would you get? Maybe other flavors not seen here?

I completed a couple of jigsaw puzzles. Two new favorites, plus info below on ladybirds/ladybugs depending on which part of the world you live in. I am sure there are some other interesting names for them.

https://www.timesonline.com/story/lifestyle/home-garden/2019/04/29/myths-legends-ladybugs/5314067007/

You killed her babies. They don’t look like her. They eat more than she does. The adult:

Red. Round. Beloved. Eats 50 aphids a day. The Larva: Black. Spiky. Alien. Eats 400

aphids before growing up. The feast: She doesn’t wear the red coat yet. She’s earning it.

The second one is very cute. I wonder what our little fox is thinking?

This was a very interesting analogy. 

The Train Station - Life Station. You are the train and your life is the 

track. Everyone you meet is getting on for one stop, for a few stations 

or will ride with you until the end. Most people don’t stay for the 

whole ride. They will hop on, teach you something, love you for a 

moment, and then get off. Some help you through the hardest parts 

of the ride before getting off at their stop. Others stay through several 

stations. Only a few become your forever passengers.

Wise words.

“Being there for someone doesn’t mean you have to fix their storm;

It just means you have to stand in the rain with them until the sun

comes out. I’ve got a big umbrella and plenty of snacks. We’re going

to be just fine.” - Aurelia Leafsong - Better days are coming.

Now for a little pep talk…

One day you’ll look back and realize that you worried too much about

things that don’t really matter - so breathe, let go and trust the journey.

Everything you need is already within you. Be kind to yourself.

Easier said than done I know, life can be complicated, but something to think about. These important words are ones to remind ourselves to “be kind to ourselves!” Let's look in the mirror and tell our reflection, “I am amazing! There is no other person like me.” Okay, you may be laughing by now, because your reflection has quite an expression but say it enough, and maybe you will eventually believe it. I have said it before but it’s worth repeating, “Know you are worthy!”

And with all that being said...

It is always a good idea to leave room in your life for a little magic, a little whimsy and the

possibility of woodland fairies and frogs in waistcoats.

Wishing you all a very happy Sunday, 

with the hope that your week ahead 

will be a great one.

With my thanks to Pinterest for today's inspiration. You can click on any picture to enlarge if necessary.