ODDS AND BODS FOR 9-16-26 - STARTING OFF WITH AN OCEAN FEELING

Good Morning! How are you today?

I am starting off with an ocean feeling. I lived next to the sea for half of my married life, and also lived on the other side of the Atlantic a mile from the beaches from the time I was 15 years old, ten years before I met dear husband. I was always rock pool exploring and dipping my toes in the ocean. We moved inland when hubby retired from the navy in 1989 and he started his second career. In some ways it feels like yesterday, in others not so much. 

Here is pretty art for the kitty lovers. 

and one more.

Here is my imaginary home this week, which is still in the forest…

and here we are at the back with a lovely porch. Come on over and we can sit for a spell. Let’s wait for dark while we sip on a beverage and wait for the fireflies. 

I have been enjoying this planter box at the back of the cottage. I bet a very talented person could put this together, no problem, at least someone who knows one end of the screwdriver from another.

On my walk through that lovely forest, I have my very own bench to sit and take shelter when it rains. The trees are always welcoming. 

How about a recipe or two, starting off with something delicious to dip our bread?

Ingredients: 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil - 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard - 2 cloves garlic, minced - 1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes - salt and pepper,

to taste - 1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

(Optional) - 1 loaf of crusty bread, for dipping. 

Got any French Fries?

Much better birdie. It is a great recipe and a nod to our beloved Dolly Parton. I was delighted to come across this. Has anyone ever made it? I also love that it is another slow cooker/crockpot recipe. I will make this real soon. Added note: since putting the one below on here, I have read this version is more like Dolly’s soup. Whichever one is true, they both sound delicious. I have added the link for you to see the other. 

Dolly Parton’s Stampede Soup: 1 can (10.5 ounces) cream of potato soup

1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chilies - 1 can (15 ounces)

whole kernel corn - 1 pound ground beef - 2 cups milk - 2 cups shredded

Cheddar cheese. Directions: brown ground beef in a skillet and drain excess

grease. Dump beef, cream of potato soup, diced tomatoes, corn and milk 

into the slow cooker. Stir well to combine. Cover and cook on LOW 4 to 5 

Note: Add the 2 cups cheddar cheese at the end of the cooking time, while the 

soup is still hot enough for the cheese to blend nicely. This would be great 

to take along to a potluck.

Here is another recipe for the seafood lovers.

Baked White Fish with Panko Garlic Butter Crunch - Ingredients: 1.5 pounds 

white fish filets - 4 tablespoons butter - 4 cloves garlic, minced - 1.5 cups grated Parmesan 

cheese - salt and pepper to taste - fresh parsley, chopped - Lemon wedges for serving.

Instructions: 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. (200 degrees C.)  2. Melt butter in a

small saucepan over medium high heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes,

Until fragrant. Remove from heat.  3. In a bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan 

cheese, salt and pepper. Stir in the garlic butter and mix well.  4. Place fish filets on a

lightly greased baking dish. Press the panko mixture evenly over the tops of the fish.

5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork and the topping 

is golden brown.  6. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

Our one and only dessert today is…

Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake Bars: 1 Strawberry Cake Mix (1 box)

1 unsalted Butter (1/2 cup, melted) - 1 Cream Cheese (16 ounces) - 1 Large Egg

1/2 cup Granulated Sugar - 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract - Fresh strawberries 

1/2 cup crushed golden Oreos (1/2 cup)  Instructions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

Line a 9 x 13-inch dish with parchment paper. 2. Mix cake mix with melted butter 

and egg in a large bowl. 3. Press dough into the prepared baking pan.  4. Beat cream cheese 

and sugar for 1 minute in a separate bowl.  5. Spread cheesecake batter onto the strawberry 

crust.  6. Add strawberry pieces to the crust, pressing down slightly in.  7. Top with Oreo 

crumbs and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until set. Cool and Chill.

Hello, I am Denise and I am... 

Birdcrastinating: (verb) When you have a million things to do,

But stop everything just to watch birds, listen to their songs and

forget the world for a moment. 

I don’t think that’s an actual word, just someone with a good imagination and who knows, it might end up officially in the dictionary one day. There are a lot of us out there!

Must be nice! Ataraxia, a state of serene calm and freedom from worry. 

On the cup it says “Just breathe”.

Halcyon, calm, happy, peaceful moments in time. 

A little poetry. This one is appropriate considering that we are fast approaching the last day of Summer on Tuesday, September 22nd.

Summer and Fall: Today it still is summer, tomorrow will

be Fall.I see the purple asters, I hear the Autumn call. I

feel the warm sun shining as a balmy south wind blows;

the goldenrod is waving, the bees are in the clover. I hear

a distant honking - the geese are flying over. The maple

leaves are golden; the pumpkins, round and yellow, the

apple cheeks are rosy, the pears are getting mellow. The

nuts are growing rounder, the cornstalks, brown and sear.

By twenty lovely tokens I know that Fall is near. Today I

still am barefoot - oh how I love it all. Nona Keen Duffy.

A few wise words.

There is beauty in the small things. 

And talking about small things …

Tkalla Creations - The Ant’s Secret - Small steps every

 day build great things. One, a tiny ant watched the big animals.

They were strong, fast, and mighty. But the ant knew it had

something too - a big heart and the power to never give up.

The ant worked hard every single day. It carried one leaf, then 

another, then another…it never stopped. One day the animals 

saw a beautiful nest the ant had built. They realized, great 

things come from small effort, every single day. The Lesson:

Little by little, you can achieve anything. “Don’t underestimate 

your small steps. They lead to s beautiful tomorrow.”

I thought this was cute. What do you think they are saying/thinking? She’s away with the fairies again?

Looks like a great place to be. It is magical and good for the soul, so they tell me.

And as we are at the end of today's Odds and Bods, time to send lots of hugs to someone special.  

You!

Have a great day my dear friends

and always remember you are loved.

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

HAPPY SUNDAY EVERONE - ODDS AND BODS AND A RAMBLE FOR 8/23/26

Good Morning.

I am having a good start to the day here. I hope you are too. 

Say cheese!

I am sure my energy level will disappear later on, but I can always rest during the day if I have to. You can find me here lolloping in about.......... 

I am looking forward to the cooler weather and can feel it in the air already. Cooler in the mornings and evenings, windows wide open. We are having quite a downpour right now though and it is thundering and lightning. I hope all is well in your part of the world. I know you have been having some horrendous heat and fires. I hope you get a good downpour for a few days to ease things.

Here is my imaginary house/houses. I was torn between two places today. You are going to have to imagine what the rest of the house looks like, but aren’t they gorgeous? 

Time for a recipe or two. I don't make what I share but they are on an ever-growing list for future Monday Morning Recipe Posts.

Amish Chicken Noodle Salad, a creamy, sweet and tangy salad that’s perfect for potlucks, 

picnics and family gatherings. Serves 8 to 10. Preparation time: 20 minutes. Chill time: 

4 hours or overnight. Ingredients - Salad: 12 ounces egg noodles (or spaghetti broken 

into thirds - 3 cups shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken works great) - 3 hard-boiled 

eggs, chopped - 1 cup celery, diced - 1/2 cup sweet onion, finely diced - 1/2 cup sweet

pickle relish (or finely chopped sweet pickles - 1 cup frozen peas, thawed (optional) 

1/2 cup shredded carrots (optional, for color).  Dressing: 1-1/2 cups mayonnaise -

2 tablespoons yellow mustard - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar - 2 tablespoons 

granulated sugar - 1 teaspoon celery seed - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder - 1 teaspoon 

garlic powder - 1 teaspoon salt - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Instructions: 1. Cook the

noodles just to al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water, and allow them to drain very

well.  2. In a large bowl combine the chicken, eggs, celery, onion, relish, peas and carrots.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients until smooth. 

4. Fold the cooked noodles into the chicken mixture, then gently stir in the dressing until

everything is evenly coated. 5. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, though overnight

Is even better because the flavors meld together. Before serving: the noodles will absorb some 

of the dressing as they chill. If the salad seems dry: stir in 2 to 4 tablespoons mayonnaise

or mix 2 tablespoons mayonnaise with 1 tablespoon of milk for a lighter refresh.

Delicious add-ins: diced cheddar cheese - chopped ham instead of (or in addition to) 

chicken - chopped green onions - diced red bell pepper - sliced almonds or chopped

pecans for a little crunch.  Make ahead tips: keeps well in the refrigerator for 3 to 4

days. Do not freeze - the mayonnaise dressing can separate after thawing. This recipe

is ideal for preparing the night before a gathering. From My Kitchen to Yours....Notes....

Quick Homemade Bread - ready in about 20 minutes. What you will need: 2 cups all-

purpose flour - 2 teaspoons baking powder - 1 teaspoon salt - 1 cup milk - 2 tablespoons

melted butter.  How to make it: 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees

Celsius) and grease a baking pan.  2. In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt.

3. Stir in milk and melted butter until combined.  4. Pour into pan and bake for about

20 minutes.  Soft, simple and perfect fresh out of the oven.

Fun With Food

for the little kiddos and also 

 the bigger kiddos!

How about a word of the day? 

Isolophilia: A strong preference or love for solitude where one enjoys 

being alone, associated with peace, introspection, or personal space.

Another with a little humor (in this case a very cute donkey or is he a mule? He does have rather long ears).

Word of the Day: “Curple”, the curved part of the hindquarters of a horse, mule or donkey. 

In modern day terminology I think it is called a ‘croup’. We need to ask Sandra or Val about that. 

Kindness

When you get frustrated with older people because of what they can't do, 

think of how frustrated they must feel because they can no longer do it.

Wise Words

Things to let go of: fear - chasing perfection - need to please

toxic relationships - comparison - past mistakes - self doubt

things you have no control over

Stay close to those who give peace to your soul.

Tell me, I forget. Show me, I remember. Involve me, I understand.

Chinese Proverb

Be kind to your mind, it’s where your peace lives.

Don’t let the hard days win. 

A better day is waiting for you.

And let’s…

Grow slowly but never stop. Keep growing.

It’s important to…

Stay Calm and Meow…

and 

Have a Happy Day!

A final touch of the whimsy, along with the important reminder.

My thanks to Pinterest for today’s inspiration, and also in my signature sign-off there are several loving components from my life, all designed to give you a few smiles, hopefully. 

A long ramble so feel free to skip.

The bird is there because you all know I love birds, and the same for the squirrels. 

The dog is our sweet Bridgette who came into our family already named when our son was eight years old. She was a black labrador/dalmation mix. He pleaded her case when her human told him she was taking her to the pound, and did he want her. She was a year old and she stayed with us for 15 wonderful years. 

The cat was my childhood pet Binkey. I always thought of him as my cat. Years later my sister told me she always thought of him as her cat. No doubt he thought of us as ‘his’ humans. I still remember his contented purrs as he curled up on my lap. I don’t ever remember getting one scratch from him. He was a great yowler at midnight with all the other neighborhood cats, and also a great stalker. Cats were let out at night back in those days. We found many an interesting 'package', occasionally left inside. Yak!

The desert tortoise was son’s first pet, Big Al, so named after a movie character he watched, a gangster movie (no, not in our house, we had rules on TV watching but he had plenty of friends he could go to watch gangster movies). Big Al was the first pet to join us two years before Bridgette. He renamed him Big Alice when she laid an egg.  

Bridgette was a bit jealous of Big Alice. One day I was reading and I saw her flash by me and through the open door to the outside. It took me a few minutes to think that furtive flash was just a bit off. I went to check and Big Alice was firmly gripped between her teeth as Bridgette was digging a hole and getting ready to drop her in. (Her past human told us "she's a little bit of a digger."). Our sweet tortoise was none the worse but had a small dent evermore in her shell from Bridgette's incisors. We kept an eye on both of them for a long time afterwards. We always made a huge fuss of Bridgette whenever we could, and all seemed well. She and I had chats about her not doing that ever again.

I forgot to add the pet white rat I was given by a little boy I knew. That only lasted for a day when I came back home from school to be told that rat missed its mummy too much and asked to be taken back. Apparently mother could speak ‘rat’.  Who knew? 

The goose and sandwich in my hand came from a memory as a child. For all that I was running scared from what I thought was a crazy, hungry goose, husband said he was surprised I wasn't afraid of them to this day. I am not, still love them. You can read that story here if you missed it. 

The rabbits were also from my childhood. We had lots of them as pets. My dad built fancy rabbit condominiums on one side of our garden. At least they seemed like that to me and I didn't even know what a condominium was, but these were double decker rabbit hutches. Dad was a great hobbyist carpenter. We used to make little trails with homemade fences on each side from all dad's bits and bods and old cardboard boxes cut up. They got their daily exercise that way without getting lost. We also let them into the house occasionally.

He also had a great voice and played the piano, sang for anyone who asked. At special times of the year we all joined in many a sing-song, with our immediate family and visiting grandparents, aunties and uncles, and many friends. We had no television growing up. That was our entertainment. 

Dad built things in his spare time. He worked long hours, but he always found the time for a bit of woodworking. It was his way of relaxing. Later he put together bird houses and gave them away to anyone who asked for one, always having spare bits of wood around from his many projects.

 Dad was an animal lover, and he wanted those pets as much as we did. He always had dogs as a boy and his mother fed many stray animals in their neighborhood. Mum didn't grow up with animals. When I think of her now,  I admire her for being such a good sport about it all, though I heard, "Oh Stanley....." quite a few times.

Dad tested her patience once when he took us to a swampy pond area nearby. He brought a bucket of tadpoles home and put them in a large steel tank that he stored in the shed. He wanted us to watch as they slowly turned into frogs. It was a very rudimentary rustic pond he put together, but he filled it with mud and plants and logs from the pond. No, it wasn't pretty, but it had its own charm. Mum wasn't too thrilled when what seemed like a thousand of the little hoppers were jumping all over the place when she stepped out the back door one morning. Our garden was a perfect sanctuary for frogs, but I daresay they made their way back to the bigger pond eventually, which wasn't too far away.

That's my family ramble over with. I have probably mentioned a few of these things before but I'm repeating it for our son's benefit. This blog started out as a record for him to read about his family. I would have loved to have known my own mum and dad's ramblings, though fortunately I do know many stories mum told me, which I have put on my private blog. We are living in a great age for keeping a record aren't we? Come to think of it, son has probably heard all these before. On that note I'll finish my ramble.

Did you have any pets as a child? I would love to hear about them in the comments if you care to share.

Bye again.

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.