Can you believe that Christmas is now LESS that two weeks away?? With all the hustle and bustle that goes in in many homes and all around town it seems that sometimes nerves can get frayed and things taken just a little bit to seriously.
So take a deep breath and take a couple of minutes (well 2:37) to listen to this. One of my favorite Christmas(y) songs!
Monday, December 12, 2011
Friday, December 9, 2011
Troublesome Times
Prepping has come a long way in the past two - three years. When many of us first started in this "movement" prepping was an unfamiliar term. It was misunderstood and those of us who were into it were pretty much looked upon as a bit "odd". When you tried to talk to others about what you were doing you were most likely met with a blank stare or a rolling of the eyes as if to say "What a nut job!" Funny how things change in the face of a depression some would say is as bad or possibly worse than the Great Depression in the 1930's.
It seems that prepping has now become mainstream. Heck there are even television shows about preparedness and survival. On the local radio stations you now hear commercials for storeable foods and "survival seed vaults". Even FEMA warns us that we should be prepared for emergencies. They tell us we should all have storeable food put away, water stored, and has even put out a list of things you should have on hand just in case of an emergency. I found this one especially informative.
Folks, we are in some troublesome times. On one hand you have all this mainstream attention to being prepared and on the other hand you have now all become potential domestic terrorists. You didn't know that?
The FBI ,in August of this year, issued a bulletin to Military Surplus Stores which included the buying bulk supplies of MRE's and even using cash to make purchases as possible terrorist activity which should be reported to authorities. Think I'm kidding? Read this FBI Bulletin .
And now I have come across this. The following is a quote from Stewart Rhodes, of OathKeepers “A fellow veteran contacted me concerning a new and disturbing development. He had been utilizing a Mormon cannery near his home to purchase bulk food supplies. The man that manages the facility related to him that federal agents had visited the facility and demanded a list of individuals that had been purchasing bulk food. The manager informed the agents that the facility kept no such records and that all transactions were conducted on a cash-and-carry basis."
Think about that. Think about the implications. How is it that buying foods to help your family survive in these times that many of us know are coming? Are we now targets because we choose to prepare for uncertain times? Terrorists? How did this happen? How did we come so far down this tyrannical road? We are now seeing the beginning of what some of us have seen coming for a long time. And it seems to me that the "powers that be" are starting to worry about those of us who have chosen this prepping lifestyle. Those of us who have made a decision to live more independently and choose to care for ourselves and our families rather than depend on our government to do it for us. Now we are being considered potential terrorists for these actions.
The growth of the prepper movement into the mainstream seems to have become large enough to make "them" understand that we KNOW that things are bad and bound to get worse. It also seems to me that they are now worried about the fact that we DO know. Please read this article that came out just this week. Can you see the potential for disaster?
~~~~~~ Hey ... I'm Just Sayin' ... ~~~~~~
It seems that prepping has now become mainstream. Heck there are even television shows about preparedness and survival. On the local radio stations you now hear commercials for storeable foods and "survival seed vaults". Even FEMA warns us that we should be prepared for emergencies. They tell us we should all have storeable food put away, water stored, and has even put out a list of things you should have on hand just in case of an emergency. I found this one especially informative.
Folks, we are in some troublesome times. On one hand you have all this mainstream attention to being prepared and on the other hand you have now all become potential domestic terrorists. You didn't know that?
The FBI ,in August of this year, issued a bulletin to Military Surplus Stores which included the buying bulk supplies of MRE's and even using cash to make purchases as possible terrorist activity which should be reported to authorities. Think I'm kidding? Read this FBI Bulletin .
And now I have come across this. The following is a quote from Stewart Rhodes, of OathKeepers “A fellow veteran contacted me concerning a new and disturbing development. He had been utilizing a Mormon cannery near his home to purchase bulk food supplies. The man that manages the facility related to him that federal agents had visited the facility and demanded a list of individuals that had been purchasing bulk food. The manager informed the agents that the facility kept no such records and that all transactions were conducted on a cash-and-carry basis."
Think about that. Think about the implications. How is it that buying foods to help your family survive in these times that many of us know are coming? Are we now targets because we choose to prepare for uncertain times? Terrorists? How did this happen? How did we come so far down this tyrannical road? We are now seeing the beginning of what some of us have seen coming for a long time. And it seems to me that the "powers that be" are starting to worry about those of us who have chosen this prepping lifestyle. Those of us who have made a decision to live more independently and choose to care for ourselves and our families rather than depend on our government to do it for us. Now we are being considered potential terrorists for these actions.
The growth of the prepper movement into the mainstream seems to have become large enough to make "them" understand that we KNOW that things are bad and bound to get worse. It also seems to me that they are now worried about the fact that we DO know. Please read this article that came out just this week. Can you see the potential for disaster?
~~~~~~ Hey ... I'm Just Sayin' ... ~~~~~~
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Hillbilly Pie
Hillbilly Pie
Ingredients
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 unbaked 9 inch deep dish pie crust (I made two regular 9" instead)
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Combine the cream cheese, white sugar, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract in a bowl and blend until creamy. Spread the mixture into the bottom of the pie crust. Whisk together the eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, butter, flour, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract in a separate bowl until combined; stir in the rolled oats. Pour the mixture over the cream cheese layer in the pie crust.
Bake in preheated oven until center is set, about 60 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.
This recipe says that it will make one 9" deep dish pie. Well I don't have a deep dish pan so I ended up making two regular pies instead. They really turned out great. Kind of like a pecan pie without the pecans. So if you are looking for something a little different and want to try something you probably have never tried before I think you might like it. You can see from the picture that my oven bakes a bit unevenly. It's one of those things that you just have to get used to. I have to move things around about halfway through the cook time (if I remember it).
~~~~~~ Hey ... I'm Just Sayin' ... ~~~~~~
Sunday, December 4, 2011
December Has Arrived
It seems the weather has turned the corner on into winter here. I suppose that shouldn't surprise me as it IS the first week of December. I still find that I have to occasionally have to remind myself that I now live in a place that, although mild, has distinct seasons. It's been chilly and wet here the past few days and I've found myself hanging out in the house and drinking hot beverages and doing some baking. On today's agenda is another batch of bread. I've got a new pie recipe I'll share with you later this week. I figured that two recipe's in a row wouldn't be the right thing to do. Especially since my postings are spread a bit thin lately.
Mars has pretty much completed what he can do around here to winterize the place. There is still the window air conditioner unit to contend with but that's just a minor thing. The well house is insulated, all the water pipes are wrapped, and the RV has been skirted with the older tin from the barn. We will be on the lookout for some paint to "pretty" it up with but for now it serves its purpose.The water hoses, yard furniture and various things around the yard are all in the barn and the rabbits have been moved in there as well.
Now I know that for you guys up north this isn't really all that cold but just to give you guys an idea of what type of temperatures I'm accustomed to dealing with this time of year the forecast down in Texas is calling for the 60's during the day and in the mid 40's at night and that's only because they are having a bit of rain moving thru the area! I am really happy to hear that some of my Texas buddies are actually getting some of that wet stuff. Heaven knows they need all they can get down there.
~~~~~~ Hey ... I'm Just Sayin' ... ~~~~~~
Thursday, December 1, 2011
No Bake Peanut Butter Pie
"And if that ain't true, then grits ain't groceries!"
No Bake Peanut Butter Pie
(makes 2- 9" pies)
Ingredients
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup milk
1 (16 ounce) package frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 (9 inch) oreo cookie crusts (graham cracker crusts are awesome too)
Directions
Beat together cream cheese and confectioners' sugar. Mix in peanut butter and milk. Beat until smooth. Fold in whipped topping.
Spoon into two 9" pie shells; cover, and freeze until firm. For the best results freeze overnight.
If you want, top with whipped cream and sprinkle crushed oreo's on top.
This also works well using low-fat cream cheese and "lite" whipped topping.
Take this to your Christmas Party and watch it disappear!
~~~~~~~ Hey ... I'm Just Sayin' ... ~~~~~~
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