In the Hive

For our first essay in english composition class, we had to write a paper about a place that was special to us or had an impact on us. I chose to write about my experience on Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina. It was quite a nerve wracking trip for me! You can read my essay below! A Bridge Too High In the western mountains of North Carolina, there is an awe-inspiring place called Grandfather Mountain. Here, a pedestrian suspension bridge hangs in the sky a mile above sea level, simultaneously defying gravity and jutting into the clouds above. I had traversed the bridge successfully, but not without trepidation, and waited on the causeway for my family to return from exploring the cliff. As I stood surveying the rocky outcrop, I glanced back across the seemingly bottomless crevice at the metal monster that was separating me from safety. I knew my only avenue of escape was to return from where I had come. This may seem unimpressive, but for me it was a personal chal...

Apple Cranberry Streusel Custard Pie Source: Allrecipes.com (8 servings) 1 wegmans pie crust, one ready-made 9 inch crust 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk, Sweetened Condensed Milk 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 large eggs, beaten ½ cup hot water 1 ½ cups fresh or dry-pack frozen cranberries 2 medium granny smith apples, peeled and sliced ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar ½ cup all-purpose flour ¼ cup butter or margarine, softened ½ cup chopped nuts 1. Place rack in lower third of oven; preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In large bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk and cinnamon. Add eggs, water and fruits; mix well. Pour into pie crust. 2. In medium bowl, combine sugar and flour; cut in butter until crumbly. Add nuts. Sprinkle over pie. Bake 10 minutes. 3. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F; continue baking 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator. I did not thaw the cranberries before putting in recipe.

My new accuquilt triangle in a square die came! I think I was sewing my seams a bit large, but overall the block came out pretty good. I see one tip that is too long, but my horse gallops fast.

We celebrated our first early dismissal day from school today with a sandwich party! Who knew Thomas could open his jaw so WIDE??

We saw this movie last night. It was great - I own all of the cookbooks mentioned in the movie! When Andrew was little, I had hoped to cook my way through Julia's book. Unfortunately, I never got around to it!

Mike took the last squash out of the garden, so we made this salad. It was tasty! Quick-marinated Yellow Squash Salad Crisp-tender slices of squash marry well with lemon, shallot, and thyme. Choose yellow squash that is glossy, firm, heavy for its size, and small -- a petite squash boasts fewer seeds and more flavor than a big one. Ingredients 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon) 3 tablespoons olive oil Coarse salt and ground pepper 2 medium yellow squashes (8 ounces each), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise 1 shallot, thinly sliced crosswise 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves Method In a medium bowl, whisk together lemon juice and oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add squash, shallot, and thyme. Toss to combine. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Prep - Prep: 15 Minutes - Total Time: 20 Minutes Source: Martha Stewart (4 servings)

Our friends Rick and Jean showed up to help celebrate the autumnal equinox. Rick surprised us with his outfit, but Michael joined in the fun. We had some chocolate, toasted marshmallows by the fire, and said good-bye to summer.

I finished a block this morning and I am off to class!

I finally watched The Secret Life of Bees last night. I read the book when it came out a few years ago. It was a good movie!

Thomas snapped this picture at sunrise today - he loved the colors! He's back! I love this color morning glory!

Cranberry Vanilla Coffeecake Vanilla is arguably one of the best scents in the world, and it permeates this tender cake in the form of a simple vanilla sugar. A zesty cranberry filling lies beneath the crumble top. Ingredients ½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise 1 ¾ cups sugar 6 ounces fresh or thawed frozen cranberries , 2 cups 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided 2 teaspoons baking powder ¾ teaspoon salt 1 stick plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened, divided 2 large eggs ½ cup whole milk Garnish: confectioners sugar Method Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle. Generously butter a 9- by 2-inch round cake pan. Line bottom with a round of parchment paper and butter parchment. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into a food processor with tip of a paring knife (reserve pod for another use if desired). Add sugar and pulse to combine. Transfer to a bowl. Pulse cranberries with 1/2 cup vanilla sugar in processor until finely chopped (do not purée). Whisk to...

Cheese Ravioli with Three Pepper Topping "A nice change from tomato sauces. I cooked this one day for myself, and my family ate all of it before I had a chance. It's that good." Ingredients 1 lb. cheese ravioli 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 small onion, diced 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced ½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced ½ yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced 2 cups chicken broth, divided ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes Method 1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook ravioli in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes, or until done; drain. 2. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion and bell peppers until tender. Add one cup of the broth, season with pepper flakes, and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in remaining broth, and cook until most of broth has evaporated. Spoon pepper mixture over ravioli. Source: Allrecipes.com (6 servings)

This is the quilt I put together when Michael was in Bako!

Today in the garden, Michael spotted a gray tree frog. We had fun taking pictures of him and some of the bees on my black and blue salvias!

Karl had to write a poem for language arts class, I really like it! I Am... I am the eldest maple tree, towering high above the thick forest canopy; I wonder what it is like for who get to live life, not to merely observe; I hear the chitter-chatter of the green woods’ wonderful creatures below; I see the miracle of life from the highest view, above the sheltered woods; I want to explore beyond my branches and into the bush; I am the eldest maple tree, towering high above the thick forest canopy. I pretend to exist on the lush forest’s turf, below the songbirds as they trill their tunes; I feel the dank earth under my roots, bringing the forest’s sustenance to my leaves; I touch the rolling gusts, as they stream low and graceful over the valley; I worry that some day the gales shall strip my fronds away; I cry to think that one morn, my emerald leaves won’t caress the rays of the rising Sun; I am the eldest maple tree, towering high above the thick forest canopy. I understand that I sh...

Here I am, just hanging at the college reading short stories before class starts.

Michael, Thomas, and a friend went to Hawk Mountain over Labor Day. He took this silly shot at the Pinnacle. What a jokester! Yikes! Snakes! It's good I stayed home!

I went out on our deck to take a few of our sunflower heads to a friend, when I noticed I had a little visitor! As I pulled out on the camera shot, I noticed he or she had a companion! Looking on the internet, I discovered it is mating time from grasshoppers!

I made some more bee blocks made - having fun!

Mike made made this for our lunch together yesterday!! It was great. The original recipe says it is 10 servings but we divided it into 8. Sesame Pasta Chicken Salad Source: Allrecipes.com (8 servings) 36 grams sesame seeds, (1/4 cup) 16 ounces farfalle ½ cup vegetable oil ⅓ cup light soy sauce ⅓ cup rice vinegar 1 teaspoon sesame oil 3 tablespoons white sugar ½ teaspoon ground ginger ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 3 cups cooked chicken breast meat, shredded ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro ⅓ cup chopped green onion 1. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add sesame seeds, and cook stirring frequently until lightly toasted. Remove from heat, and set aside. 2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain pasta, and rinse under cold water until cool. Transfer to a large bowl. 3. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine vegetable oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, sesame seeds, ginge...

I managed to sneak in some fun things! I made a block to match my other one, and made a new block this morning with bees! Finished a quilt top sample for the shop called Clementine's Secret - Took some snaps in my "park" - I snuck to the quilt shop - Now it's back to studying!