Trick-or-Treat, smell my feet
Give me something good to eat!
trick
Friday, October 31, 2014
Thursday, October 30, 2014
The Fruit Room
I was afraid of some things in my childhood home. Like the dingy, dark, musty basement. The door to the basement was in the center of our home. I liked it shut. It scared me when it was open. I imagined all kinds of things. Creaks and other sounds that conjured up the wildest, frightening imaginations. The wooden steps, without a railing to hold on to, seemed long and dangerous.
I was afraid every time my mother sent me down to the Fruit Room to fetch a bottle of peaches or pears. I remember getting to the bottom step and running as fast as my legs could take me... through the main room, past the old coal furnace (and that's another very scary thing!) through the dilapidated kitchen, down the short hallway, past the bathroom to the fruit room, which was at the very corner of the basement. I don't think there was a window in that room, because it was very dark. It seems like I had to go to the center of the blackened room and pull a string on the light in order to turn it on. That seemed to be the case in the entire basement which made it more challenging to see. Your eyes would have to adjust to the dark before you could see even enough to feel your way to the light string. With bottles of fruit in hand, I'd run back through the basement the same as I came. I couldn't get back to the safety of the upstairs fast enough. I was too scared to even look behind me. I dreaded the chore of having to go to the basement. I can feel panic coming over me as even as I write.
Fruit rooms, or storage rooms, are in basements. A very scary place for me. I have never liked basements until four years ago when we built our new home. It is a walk-out basement, full of light. Double french doors lead to a patio, making it even more light and friendly. The basement is completely finished with a family room, game room, theater room, kitchen, bathroom, mud room, and guest bedroom. Our storage/fruit room is located underneath the front porch area. It is fairly small, but large enough for what we need. The entire room is encompassed in cement. We had the finishers build shelves so it feels finished. There is a light switch in the furnace room for the storage room, so getting light is not a problem either. I don't mind going to the basement anymore, although I don't usually go down there unless the kids are up to play, or we have guests, or we go to the theater room to watch a movie. You won't find me down there alone!
Some things will never change. Even though I don't mind the basement in our new home, I won't be down there alone. Basements will always scare me a little.
I was afraid every time my mother sent me down to the Fruit Room to fetch a bottle of peaches or pears. I remember getting to the bottom step and running as fast as my legs could take me... through the main room, past the old coal furnace (and that's another very scary thing!) through the dilapidated kitchen, down the short hallway, past the bathroom to the fruit room, which was at the very corner of the basement. I don't think there was a window in that room, because it was very dark. It seems like I had to go to the center of the blackened room and pull a string on the light in order to turn it on. That seemed to be the case in the entire basement which made it more challenging to see. Your eyes would have to adjust to the dark before you could see even enough to feel your way to the light string. With bottles of fruit in hand, I'd run back through the basement the same as I came. I couldn't get back to the safety of the upstairs fast enough. I was too scared to even look behind me. I dreaded the chore of having to go to the basement. I can feel panic coming over me as even as I write.
Fruit rooms, or storage rooms, are in basements. A very scary place for me. I have never liked basements until four years ago when we built our new home. It is a walk-out basement, full of light. Double french doors lead to a patio, making it even more light and friendly. The basement is completely finished with a family room, game room, theater room, kitchen, bathroom, mud room, and guest bedroom. Our storage/fruit room is located underneath the front porch area. It is fairly small, but large enough for what we need. The entire room is encompassed in cement. We had the finishers build shelves so it feels finished. There is a light switch in the furnace room for the storage room, so getting light is not a problem either. I don't mind going to the basement anymore, although I don't usually go down there unless the kids are up to play, or we have guests, or we go to the theater room to watch a movie. You won't find me down there alone!
Some things will never change. Even though I don't mind the basement in our new home, I won't be down there alone. Basements will always scare me a little.
Writing prompt # 1: Something that scared you when you were young...are you still afraid?
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Thursday, October 23, 2014
A Pinterest Win
I found a recipe for Broccoli Cheddar Soup on Pinterest. I followed the directions, * making a few minor changes to reduce the fat content, and loved it! This soup recipe will definitely be a permanent part of my "meals to fix". It was easy to make and yummy to the tummy! Just right for a cool Fall day.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
1/2 c. butter *I changed amount to 1 T.
1/2 c. each of chopped vegetables of your choice (potatoes, celery, green peppers, carrots, broccoli).
1/2 c. finely chopped onion
2 c. water
1 T. granulated chicken bouillon or 2 chicken bouillon cubes
_________________________________________________________
1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. flour
4. c. milk *I used skim milk
2. c. sharp cheddar cheese
1. Heat butter in pan over medium heat. Add vegetables and cook until tender, stirring occasionally. *To reduce fat, melt 1 T. butter in pan and cook onion until golden brown. For all other vegetables, boil or steam just until done. I chose broccoli, celery, and carrots.
2. Add steamed vegetables to browned onion. Add water and bouillon; bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat 1/2 c. butter in a 2 quart pan. Stir in flour and cook until bubbly. Remove from heat.
4. With a wire wish gradually stir in milk until well blended. Cook over medium heat, stirring often until thickened. Do not boil
5. Stir in cheese until fully blended. Stir cheese mixture into vegetables and heat. Top with grated cheese, if desired. Serve immediately.
Serves 8-10
Making a couple minor changes, this recipe was a win! To my dismay most recipes found on Pinterest look amazing but fail to meet my expectations. I was very pleased with the outcome of this recipe. I will be making this soup occasionally in the chilly days ahead.
Writing prompt #1: Create something inspired by Pinterest, was it a win or a fail?
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Thursday, October 16, 2014
Six Word Fridays: leaves
Yellow leaves fall softly down -- whirling,
twirling round and round, making a
carpet on the ground. Raking leaves...
into a pile, makes a bed
for jumping in. Yellow leaves on
the ground, crunching softly under foot.
leaves
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Haunted House
In the late 1960's -
Every Halloween my brothers and sisters and I would dress up using props around the house, throw a pillow case over our shoulders, and go trick-or-treating. We walked to neighboring homes before piling into the station wagon for mom to take us to the main drag where the houses were closer together. She dropped us off periodically and we would run to and from each house until there was a long break in houses. There was a lot of activity on the main road with monsters, ghosts, goblins, witches, zombies, hobo's, and pirates. Car brake lights lit up the dark street and made it easier to see the little creatures darting back and forth across the street. The trees lining the street were large and seemed to reach high to the black sky. I imagined a witch, on her broomstick, flying across the sky in front of the full yellow moon. Halloween was be-witching and mystical! Leaves swirled around us as we ran from house to house. I remember the distinct smell of musty leaves and ripening apples in the air, the feel of a cold chill, frightening jack-o-lanterns lit up on every doorstep, and the sound of dry leaves crunching beneath my feet. Walking through ankle deep dry leaves was the best part of trick-or-treating! Collecting candy was a close second!
There were two very memorable houses midway up main street on the east side of the road. Big, towering, monstrous trees loomed in the foreground, casting a dark shadow across the lawn of Ms. Rowley's house. She was my fifth grade teacher. Candles flickered cheerily in various sizes of orange jack-o-lanterns all lined up on the large front porch's cement railing. We knocked on the door, and yelled in unison, "trick-or-treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat!" The door opened up to a well lit and inviting and yummy smelling living room. Like apples and cider. Miss Rowley wore bright red lipstick and had a cheery smile on her face. I really liked her. And I always dreamed of living in her home!
Just to the north of the Rowley home was a house that sat back slightly in a field. The Topolovec home. It was an unusually large home for our town. The outside was a dingy grayish white with architecture that reminded me of Herman Munster's home on The Adam's Family. The house was Victorian style and it looked creepy. It was the only house in Spring Glen that looked like that. I always felt apprehensive about trick-or-treating there, although I did with the moral support of my siblings. A youngster can imagine all sorts of "things that go bump in the night!" with such a long walk to the front door of that house. I thought it as the haunted house of Spring Glen.
Fast forward 20 years later to the late 1980's -
The Topolovec home was going to be torn down! And before the scheduled date, they turned it into a haunted house for Halloween. I always knew it was the Haunted House of Spring Glen!
I was separated from my husband and had moved back to Spring Glen - my hometown. A friend and I were up to having the daylights spooked out of us so we made a date to go to the Haunted House. The line to get in was long and as we inched closer to the front door all I could think of is how creepy the house had always appeared to me. My anticipation and anxiety grew with each step. This was the first real Haunted House I had ever been to. And it did not disappoint!
I think I winced, screamed, and jumped at everything I saw, felt and heard. I grabbed on to my friend and never let her go. Sticky cobwebs, slimy eyeballs and brains, vampires rising from their coffins, zombies with pale faces, mists of fog, chains clanging, saws grinding, howls and hoots, and eeiry music gave a ghastly feel to the atmosphere already draped in darkness. As we went from room to room another frightening creature slithered out of the shadows, sending us clamoring for safety. Only to be greeted by the dark side again!
It probably took 20 minutes or so to go through, from start to finish. It was the best and scariest Haunted House I have ever been through. Nothing to date has compared! My hometown - population less than 1000, knew how to totally creep you out! I will never forget the Topolovec House. The Haunted House of Spring Glen!
Every Halloween my brothers and sisters and I would dress up using props around the house, throw a pillow case over our shoulders, and go trick-or-treating. We walked to neighboring homes before piling into the station wagon for mom to take us to the main drag where the houses were closer together. She dropped us off periodically and we would run to and from each house until there was a long break in houses. There was a lot of activity on the main road with monsters, ghosts, goblins, witches, zombies, hobo's, and pirates. Car brake lights lit up the dark street and made it easier to see the little creatures darting back and forth across the street. The trees lining the street were large and seemed to reach high to the black sky. I imagined a witch, on her broomstick, flying across the sky in front of the full yellow moon. Halloween was be-witching and mystical! Leaves swirled around us as we ran from house to house. I remember the distinct smell of musty leaves and ripening apples in the air, the feel of a cold chill, frightening jack-o-lanterns lit up on every doorstep, and the sound of dry leaves crunching beneath my feet. Walking through ankle deep dry leaves was the best part of trick-or-treating! Collecting candy was a close second!
There were two very memorable houses midway up main street on the east side of the road. Big, towering, monstrous trees loomed in the foreground, casting a dark shadow across the lawn of Ms. Rowley's house. She was my fifth grade teacher. Candles flickered cheerily in various sizes of orange jack-o-lanterns all lined up on the large front porch's cement railing. We knocked on the door, and yelled in unison, "trick-or-treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat!" The door opened up to a well lit and inviting and yummy smelling living room. Like apples and cider. Miss Rowley wore bright red lipstick and had a cheery smile on her face. I really liked her. And I always dreamed of living in her home!
Fast forward 20 years later to the late 1980's -
The Topolovec home was going to be torn down! And before the scheduled date, they turned it into a haunted house for Halloween. I always knew it was the Haunted House of Spring Glen!
I was separated from my husband and had moved back to Spring Glen - my hometown. A friend and I were up to having the daylights spooked out of us so we made a date to go to the Haunted House. The line to get in was long and as we inched closer to the front door all I could think of is how creepy the house had always appeared to me. My anticipation and anxiety grew with each step. This was the first real Haunted House I had ever been to. And it did not disappoint!
I think I winced, screamed, and jumped at everything I saw, felt and heard. I grabbed on to my friend and never let her go. Sticky cobwebs, slimy eyeballs and brains, vampires rising from their coffins, zombies with pale faces, mists of fog, chains clanging, saws grinding, howls and hoots, and eeiry music gave a ghastly feel to the atmosphere already draped in darkness. As we went from room to room another frightening creature slithered out of the shadows, sending us clamoring for safety. Only to be greeted by the dark side again!
It probably took 20 minutes or so to go through, from start to finish. It was the best and scariest Haunted House I have ever been through. Nothing to date has compared! My hometown - population less than 1000, knew how to totally creep you out! I will never forget the Topolovec House. The Haunted House of Spring Glen!
What creeps you out?
Writing prompt #2: Write about something that creeps you out?
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Thursday, October 9, 2014
Six Word Fridays: late blooming
Dad's Christmas cactus usually blooms in
December. I arrived back home from
Europe in mid January... and you
can imagine how surprised I was
that my Christmas cactus was late
in blooming! It had waited until
I got back home to burst
out in the most beautiful vivid
pink blooms I had ever seen!
Must have been dad behind the
scenes... welcoming his daughter safely home!
I had a glimpse into heaven
that day, feeling all dad's love
as he keeps watch over me!
late
A Mystery...
I'm always setting myself up to be teased. Not intentionally. I just find myself in the most unusual situations and awkward circumstances... more often than what I'd like to admit. As of late it's over forgetfulness.The last time I was teased was by my youngest daughter. That was yesterday. I can't even think of what we were talking about for the story of the "stolen 4-wheeler" to come up, but I'll forever be teased about it!
Story of the Stolen 4-Wheeler
A couple of months ago, a customer came to the house to pick peaches from the orchard. I was in the middle of watering plants in the front yard when he pulled up. I stopped what I was doing and hopped on the 4-wheeler and rode down the driveway to the barn, where we got some boxes out from him to put the fruit in. I was only there a few minutes.
I went back to the house and got busy inside. Later that afternoon, I went to youngest daughter's house in No Ogden. I noticed a 4-wheeler in the most unusual position. It was in the orchard, at the bottom of the driveway in the cherry trees. It was facing toward the house. Although I thought it was strange, I didn't think too much at the time. I just thought it was the neighbor's and maybe he came up to check the irrigation pump and left it there for some reason.
It was late when I got back to the house. As I pulled up the driveway I noticed the 4-wheeler still in the cherry trees. I thought again, "how strange". I stopped to look closer and saw that it was my 4-wheeler! Not the neighbors. I started to panic! All kinds of imaginations ran through my mind. Someone surely broke into the house last night while I was sleeping, and took the 4-wheeler out of the garage! Where did they go with it? Did they commit a crime on it? I was so upset I couldn't even think straight. I called youngest daughter back up and we decided I should go back to her house and spend the night... just in case something fishy was going on. I messaged my husband who was far off in Europe. He suggested I contact the local police department and have them monitor the house that night.
I gathered some personal items together and called the police department. No answer! It was the weekend. I decided to just leave and see if I saw a patrolman parked along the highway going into town. Sure enough there was one. It was now dark. I saw him as I passed. I quickly made a U-turn and headed back north. I made another one and drove up behind him. I turned my lights off so I would not blind him. Then I thought, "oh no! He probably has a gun. I'm going to get shot because he thinks I am a nutcase!" He got out of his truck and walked cautiously toward me. I was scared. "I might die tonight!" He approached my side of the car and I rolled my window down. I introduced myself to the officer and said "I bet I scared you, didn't I? You know pulling up behind you with my lights off!" I doubt he saw any humor it that whatsoever.
I told him the entire story of the 4-wheeler incident and was sure someone had broken into my house the night before and stole it. All the while I was sleeping. I even had my security alarm set and couldn't figure out why I never heard anything. I am a very light sleeper! I asked the patrolman if he would drive past my house once in awhile during the night to make sure nothing suspicious was going on. He kindly said he would.
And... he did tell me that when needing assistance from a police officer I needed to pull up in front of the car, not behind. Whew! "I'm glad I dodged that bullet tonight!"
I felt much safer staying at Audrey's house that night. But, I was anxious to get home in the morning, too. I was up very early, cleaned the kitchen and headed for home by the time her household was starting to move for the day.
As I pulled up the driveway the 4-wheeler was still in the same exact position. Nothing suspicious went on during the night. That was good news. I was still very nervous though and planned on staying at my daughters house one more night. I did not want to be in that big house all by myself! No way! That is... until....
my memory came back! The mystery was about to be solved! The case of the stolen 4-wheeler was about to break wide open!
About an hour or so before I was going to leave for the night, I remembered something about the day my customer came to pick peaches. Remember... I had been watering plants when he needed my help. I got on the 4-wheeler and met him at the barn to get him boxes. When I was coming up the driveway, I parked the 4-wheeler at the bottom, just above the lower cherry trees, and hoped off to finish watering plants. I put the brake on. I did remember that, too! I went around the house watering and humming the next 20 minutes away. I got through and went in the house through the side garage door, giving no thought to the 4-wheeler I had left in the driveway! "Oh no! It was me who had caused all the commotion!" I was so embarrassed. I called my daughter, admitted my guilt, and said I wouldn't be spending the night. I had her promise me not to tell a soul, I was so embarrassed. Apparently, the brake did not hold the 4-wheeler from rolling backwards into the cherry trees. No wonder it was in such an unusual and odd position!
In the meantime my husband was messaging me asking me all kinds of questions. Then, he called me! "Oh, no!" I had two choices. I could either keep the story going (but that would mean I'd have to tell really good white lies to keep it going), or I could just admit the truth and tell him I was the thief. He made it easy on me. Before I told him anything at all, he said, "Carol, maybe you left it there and just didn't remember." Whew... "yes, I did! I remembered and that is exactly what happened."
Then I thought, "Oh, no! we have a security system. The hubby has been spying on me all along! But how could he know... we don't have camera's at the front gate...."
That's my story. And, I'll forever be teased! My kids keep telling me about all the stories they are going to tell at my funeral. It will be a laughing good time occasion! I can't believe they are going to embarrass me when I dead! Oh well, I'll take laughter over crying any day!
Story of the Stolen 4-Wheeler
A couple of months ago, a customer came to the house to pick peaches from the orchard. I was in the middle of watering plants in the front yard when he pulled up. I stopped what I was doing and hopped on the 4-wheeler and rode down the driveway to the barn, where we got some boxes out from him to put the fruit in. I was only there a few minutes.
I went back to the house and got busy inside. Later that afternoon, I went to youngest daughter's house in No Ogden. I noticed a 4-wheeler in the most unusual position. It was in the orchard, at the bottom of the driveway in the cherry trees. It was facing toward the house. Although I thought it was strange, I didn't think too much at the time. I just thought it was the neighbor's and maybe he came up to check the irrigation pump and left it there for some reason.
It was late when I got back to the house. As I pulled up the driveway I noticed the 4-wheeler still in the cherry trees. I thought again, "how strange". I stopped to look closer and saw that it was my 4-wheeler! Not the neighbors. I started to panic! All kinds of imaginations ran through my mind. Someone surely broke into the house last night while I was sleeping, and took the 4-wheeler out of the garage! Where did they go with it? Did they commit a crime on it? I was so upset I couldn't even think straight. I called youngest daughter back up and we decided I should go back to her house and spend the night... just in case something fishy was going on. I messaged my husband who was far off in Europe. He suggested I contact the local police department and have them monitor the house that night.
I gathered some personal items together and called the police department. No answer! It was the weekend. I decided to just leave and see if I saw a patrolman parked along the highway going into town. Sure enough there was one. It was now dark. I saw him as I passed. I quickly made a U-turn and headed back north. I made another one and drove up behind him. I turned my lights off so I would not blind him. Then I thought, "oh no! He probably has a gun. I'm going to get shot because he thinks I am a nutcase!" He got out of his truck and walked cautiously toward me. I was scared. "I might die tonight!" He approached my side of the car and I rolled my window down. I introduced myself to the officer and said "I bet I scared you, didn't I? You know pulling up behind you with my lights off!" I doubt he saw any humor it that whatsoever.
I told him the entire story of the 4-wheeler incident and was sure someone had broken into my house the night before and stole it. All the while I was sleeping. I even had my security alarm set and couldn't figure out why I never heard anything. I am a very light sleeper! I asked the patrolman if he would drive past my house once in awhile during the night to make sure nothing suspicious was going on. He kindly said he would.
And... he did tell me that when needing assistance from a police officer I needed to pull up in front of the car, not behind. Whew! "I'm glad I dodged that bullet tonight!"
I felt much safer staying at Audrey's house that night. But, I was anxious to get home in the morning, too. I was up very early, cleaned the kitchen and headed for home by the time her household was starting to move for the day.
As I pulled up the driveway the 4-wheeler was still in the same exact position. Nothing suspicious went on during the night. That was good news. I was still very nervous though and planned on staying at my daughters house one more night. I did not want to be in that big house all by myself! No way! That is... until....
my memory came back! The mystery was about to be solved! The case of the stolen 4-wheeler was about to break wide open!
About an hour or so before I was going to leave for the night, I remembered something about the day my customer came to pick peaches. Remember... I had been watering plants when he needed my help. I got on the 4-wheeler and met him at the barn to get him boxes. When I was coming up the driveway, I parked the 4-wheeler at the bottom, just above the lower cherry trees, and hoped off to finish watering plants. I put the brake on. I did remember that, too! I went around the house watering and humming the next 20 minutes away. I got through and went in the house through the side garage door, giving no thought to the 4-wheeler I had left in the driveway! "Oh no! It was me who had caused all the commotion!" I was so embarrassed. I called my daughter, admitted my guilt, and said I wouldn't be spending the night. I had her promise me not to tell a soul, I was so embarrassed. Apparently, the brake did not hold the 4-wheeler from rolling backwards into the cherry trees. No wonder it was in such an unusual and odd position!
In the meantime my husband was messaging me asking me all kinds of questions. Then, he called me! "Oh, no!" I had two choices. I could either keep the story going (but that would mean I'd have to tell really good white lies to keep it going), or I could just admit the truth and tell him I was the thief. He made it easy on me. Before I told him anything at all, he said, "Carol, maybe you left it there and just didn't remember." Whew... "yes, I did! I remembered and that is exactly what happened."
Then I thought, "Oh, no! we have a security system. The hubby has been spying on me all along! But how could he know... we don't have camera's at the front gate...."
That's my story. And, I'll forever be teased! My kids keep telling me about all the stories they are going to tell at my funeral. It will be a laughing good time occasion! I can't believe they are going to embarrass me when I dead! Oh well, I'll take laughter over crying any day!
Writing prompt # 4: a time you were teased.
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Tuesday, October 7, 2014
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Monday, October 6, 2014
Quotography: October
October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came -
The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,
And leaves of every name.
The Sunshine spread a carpet,
And everything was grand.
Miss Weather led the dancing,
Professor Wind the band.
I want to run and jump in the leaves, twirl around and look heavenward at the sunshine peeking in through the trees while the colorful leaves of Autumn dance wildly around me. To make it more fun, I'll invite the grandchildren!
Oh... 'tis Autumn!
picture - Mnt. Nebo Loop, Utah
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Six Word Fridays: Drink Me!
Mad Hatter's Tea Party -- Thanksgiving Point
She drank from a bottle called
Drink Me! And up she grew
so tall. She ate from a
plate that said Eat Me! and
down she shrank so small. And
so she changed, while other folks
never tried nothing' at all! --Alice
My girls and I have a Mother's Day Tea every year for Mother's Day. Sometimes we do something out of the ordinary and invite all the guys. A couple of years ago we went to Thanksgiving Point Gardens in Lehi and had a Mad Hatter's Tea Party! Homemade hats, special potions, colorful eateries, a walk through the tulip gardens, and a touch of madness fun was on our Alice In Wonderland menu.
drink
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Throw back... Show and Tell
It was 1963. I was five years old. Mom had just had her last baby. A baby boy. Our family was now complete, with four girls and two boys. And a mom and a dad!
Even though I was only five, I remember the anticipation and excitement of a new baby coming to our family. I was in Kindergarten and for my show and tell I wanted to show the class my new baby brother. Arrangements were made for the class to walk to my house and see our new baby.
On an early Spring day, a few few weeks after my baby brother was born, my teacher had the school class line up single file and follow her down the sidewalk a couple of blocks to my house. I'm sure I was at the head of the line. After all it was my show and tell! After arriving at the house, my classmates and I all gathered outside the large living room window and watched as mom lifted my baby brother up high for all to see!
I can't remember how my classmates reacted, but I do know how proud I felt. Mom and I had just delivered the best show and tell of the year! Well... besides me showing my tonsils in a bottle!
Writing prompt #4 Throw back time! Share an old photo and tell us about it.
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