Positano, Italy
From the moment I arrived in Positano, I was in love. I read that it is the most photographed fishing village in the world and I can see why. There is something magical about the intricate winding roads, and we enjoyed exploring each alcove or shop as we traveled down to the sea. Like most […]
Canning Pineapple and Pineapple Jam
I love pineapple and usually just freeze it when I end up with more than I can use quickly. This time I decided to try my hand at canning some of the fruit and also making pineapple jam. I’m thinking I may use the jam for coconut cake filling. I have an awesome coconut cake […]
Donut Bread Pudding
My Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding was such a hit that I decided to try Donut Bread Pudding when I came across a box of day-old donuts. I made it basically the same way as my Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding making minor changes and using a different icing recipe. As with most of my dessert recipes, […]
Blackberry Jam
When I was growing up, you couldn’t walk but a few feet down a country road and you could fill your bucket with wild blackberries. Now, I have to hunt for them down country roads, wearing high rubber boots (you know, in case I step on a snake or need to fend off chiggers) while […]
Tunisia, Africa
When I think of Africa, I think of tigers, lions, elephants, and giraffe walking across vast areas of arid plains. Maybe throw in a jungle or two but for the most part I’m thinking safari. What I wasn’t thinking was beautiful tropical beaches but that is what I found. We docked in La Goulette, […]
Carthage, Tunisia ~ Punic and Roman Ruins
Carthage is a suburb of Tunis, Tunisia, situated at the site of the ancient capital of the Carthaginian empire. It was little more than an agricultural village for nine hundred years until the middle of the 20th century; since then it has grown rapidly as an upscale coastal suburb. I snapped this pictures as we drove […]
Square Foot Garden is a huge success this year !
This is my fourth year to have this little square foot garden. The first year I had cucumbers by the middle of May but the last two years were hot and dry and my little garden did okay but nothing to brag about. This year has been a different story. I decided to add a […]
Catalpa Trees ~ Historic Washington State Park
We have several large Catalpa trees at Historic Washington State Park where I work. I love it every year in the spring when all of the flowers bloom and then begin to fall in all late summer. It looks like the ground is covered in snow. The leaves on these trees are huge and the […]
Pompeii, Italy ~ Part 1
One of my favorite photos is this one of the forum with Mount Vesuvius in the background Romans took control of Pompeii around 200 BC. On August 24, 79 AD, Vesuvius erupted, burying the nearby town of Pompeii in ash and soot, killing around 3,000 people, the rest of the population of 20,000 people having […]
Pompeii, Italy ~ Part 2
I had so many pictures of Pompeii, Italy that I had to make this a two-parter. Here is the link the Part 1 if you missed it. My daughter and I decided we couldn’t go to Italy without going to Pompeii. It’s one of those places you dream about seeing but never think you will. […]
Peach-Leaf Yeast Starter
This is one of those “need to know in case of zombie apocalypse” recipes. Seriously though, we see natural disasters (tsunamis, tornadoes, hurricanes) happening frequently and every night you turn on the news only to hear about our down-spiraling economy. I firmly believe we need to be able to take care of ourselves and our families. […]
Sourdough Bread Recipe
There are so many talented people at the historic state park where I work. Two of these talented people are Sheila Ballard and Mike Terral. I was excited to have the opportunity to photograph a loaf of sourdough bread as they were getting ready to bake it. You may be wondering why I would be […]
White Chocolate Cupcakes recipe
My daughter wanted white chocolate cupcakes at her wedding so I came up with this simple and easy recipe. White Chocolate Cake 1 box white cake mix 1/2 box of instant white chocolate pudding 1 teaspoon vanilla * Liquid White Chocolate Coffee Creamer (use vanilla if you can’t find white chocolate) * Substitute the water called for […]
Plum Jelly Recipe (with pectin)
I’m so excited. I finally beat the birds to some of the plums this year. The plum tree in my yard is very, very old and there are only a few limbs that are still alive and produce fruit. For the last couple of years the birds have beat me to those red, juicy plums […]
Chicken Surprise !
This is what happens when you go on vacation for 16 days. I had three hens on eggs the whole time I was gone and this is the results… 14 chicks in the first round – this is what you get when you mix Millie Fleur D’Uccle, black, blue, barred and white cochins, and a […]
Turk’s Cap Jelly
In case you are new to my site, I work at a historic state park in Arkansas where I have many talented co workers. One of them is Sheila Ballard, the lady that made this awesome Turk’s Cap Jelly. I have grown Turk’s cap in the past but never knew you could make jelly form […]
Cathedral-Basilica of Cefalù
The Cathedral-Basilica of Cefalù, is a Roman Catholic church in Cefalu, Sicily, Italy. The Duomo dates back to the Norman era and contains some of the best preserved mosaics in all of Sicily.The building of the cathedral was begun by Roger II, the first king of Sicily, in 1131. He commissioned the artists to make the mosaics […]
Cefalu, Sicily (Small Fishing Village in North Sicily)
If I win the lottery, I have decided I want to retire in Cefalu, Sicily. As soon as I heard of this small fishing village, I knew I wanted to see it. It’s a city and commune in the Province of Palermo, located on the northern coast of Sicily, Italy on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It had the beautiful […]
Two things off my bucket list, travel to Italy (check), take picture of tornado (check)
Most people hear tornado sirens and run for cover, I hear them and grab my camera as I make a mad dash for the door. My heart starts pounding as I search the horizon for a whirling mass. With camera in hand, I watch and wait only to be disappointed time after time. This strange […]
How to always have the perfect shade of makeup !
Have you ever walked over to the makeup aisle and scanned the various brands of makeup? Once you decide on the brand, you start looking at the various shades, opening them up and rubbing small amounts onto you hand or your face? You find what you believe to be the correct shade only to find […]
