weights and measures

i have been debating whether or not i should delete this blog. for all intents and purposes, i don't write anything of any merit over here anymore and i have been debating whether i should chuck it all- all 2500+ posts worth or whether i should just delete some and leave others- or leave well enough alone. any thoughts?

plant life in my window

my amaryllis and flats of beans and squash

spring is lingering...

unusual weather for us here in upstate new york- one day it's 85 degrees and the next it's more seasonable. i am not fooled though :) i am going to try to take some pics of my flats- i have beans, squash, tomatoes, peppers, pumpkins, peas and the like starting in the window- not to mention an amaryllis that thinks it's jack's beanstalk :) i started a few new crochet projects and updated a bit over at the other blog- i need to make time to update etsy and whatnot- so, between that and sneezing (pollen counts are high here- it even said so in the paper) and swollen glands- i'll be around :)

public service announcement

my mother was an abused woman. my aunts were abused women. i had the potential to be an abused woman. luckily, i am not. every day in this country, a woman dies every 4 hours at the hands of her significant other- often it is after she has left the abusive situation. this information could be helpful to prevent women from even getting into a relationship in the first place...

yardwork

i keep putting it off because it's april and i shouldn't have to mow.... but i have to.... sigh....

completely perplexed again

is it me? it probably is... it usually is... why is it that folks don't have any notion of roles and boundaries? is it a cultural shift? it's an absolute lack of common sense that's for sure. let me explain...

i believe everyone deserves a helping hand when they are down- i am pretty generous in that regard- but i am also not stupid. look, if your family member or friend is able bodied and down on their luck- by all means help them out if you can. if that family member is able bodied and lazy- or can't manage money- cut them off. seriously. it is not your child's inalienable right to live the life you provided for them indefinitely. at some point THEY choose the quality of life they lead. YOU should not be providing for them if they are of age and on their own. and, i firmly believe that you should not be providing for grandchildren either. nope. it's the parents' responsibility.

i know i am going to take flak for this- but people need to take personal responsibility for their own lives and you are not doing them any favors or teaching them anything if you take that responsibility. again, everyone needs some help once in awhile, but if it has become part of your life- cut it out. i read the paper this morning and the advice column had a blurb on a daughter taking care of her parents and brother- in his 40's- because they can't manage money. tough shit. they are all able bodied adults who work- they lose their home- it's on them. perhaps living in the car for awhile without the comforts they enjoyed would drive the point home better.

look, basic shelter, food, water, and clothing are the necessities of human life. anything beyond that is not a right. seriously. people want a certain lifestyle- THEY should earn it. period.

recipe share

i tried this one out and really enjoyed it- i'll tell you my version and give you the one from the cookbook :)

i wanted a sweet/sour or teriyaki style flavor- and i simply used what i had on hand- i cooked brown rice and i already had cooked roast pork- i thought about chinese food and what they serve in their dishes- and cabbage came to mind- but i had brussels sprouts. broccoli and sprouts are part of the cabbage (brassica) family- so i threw some broccoli in too with onion and the pork. the recipe called for marinade chicken- so, i just made the marinade and threw it in with the veggies and pork to flavor them- i simmered and reduced it down so it wasn't too juicy- as i wanted the pineapple sauce. anyhoo, the end result was pretty tasty but i should have gone heavier on the garlic for my taste. if you try it- let me know how you liked it :)

teriyaki chicken drummettes with pineapple sauce

24 skinned drummettes
1/2 cup sugar (i use brown sugar)
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup soy sauce (i use reduced sodium)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon gingerroot, grated (i use ground)
1 clove garlic, pressed

combine ingredients with chicken and marinade for about 8 hours in the fridge. remove chicken and reserve marinade. place marinade in saucepan and boil one minute. remove from heat.

coat broiler pan with spray and place chicken in 350 degree oven for 50 minutes or until done- turning and basting occasionally with marinade. serve with pineapple sauce.

pineapple sauce

1- 8 ounce can crushed pineapple, in juice (i used a 20 oz. standard can and double the recipe)
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 teaspoons cornstarch

combine ingredients and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened. yield- 1 1/2 cups

regrouping

i hope anyway. my plans for today include- taking the garbage out :) baking bread, cleaning, and laundry. i enjoyed the weekend waayyy too much :) the sunshine and spring time- well, it gave me spring fever and hubby and i watched the boob tube, went price comparison shopping at the nearest grocery store- and exercised. and i made a few crochet squares- which i posted at the crochet blog and fan page on facebook.

had my two morning cuppas and i definitely need something to soak it up in the ole' stomach... so, off i go....

love me some van morrison

i am so into 'into the music' right now- love 'and the healing has begun'...... i could put that on repeat all day.... if you follow the link, you can listen.... apparently, the official website for van morrison is currently down- which is a shame.