Author: Dackel Princess

When The Moons Come Over The Mountain…

We went to The Cog Railway yesterday with a friend. For those of you who have never been to the top of Mount Washington, this is a great way to go. You can travel up in a cog train to the top. Elevation 6284 feet!

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The Brake Man and guide for our trip up the mountain told us: “Sometimes hikers will moon trains near the top of the mountain. For those of you with delicate sensibilities look away, for everyone else, get your cameras ready!” And Hubby leaned over and said to me, “It’s probably B.S.”.

We got to the point where the train crosses the Appalation Mountain Trail and as we were approaching, we saw hikers on a path near the train. We all started to wave, but they did not wave back and the next thing we knew, they lined up, turned around and “the moons came over Mount Washington!”

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Everyone laughed and clapped and even the young children on board thought the hikers were very funny.

Thursday 13 #50 Meatloaf

Thursday 13

Maribeth’s Meatloaf

1. 1 large onion, finely chopped
2. 1 celery rib, chopped
3. 2 garlic cloves, minced
4. 1 tablespoon olive oil
5. 2 eggs, lightly beaten
6. 1/4 cup ketchup
7. 1 pounds ground beef
8. 1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
9. 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
10. 1/2 teaspoon salt
11. 1/4 teaspoon pepper
12. 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
13. 2 slices of bacon

Combine all ingredients and place in loaf pan and bake in a 350° oven with the bacon slices on top for about an hour. Let set for a few minutes before slicing.

Puppies, Puppies, So Much Fun!

Did you ever wish that you could run and jump and roll around in the grass with wild abandon and not worry that people would think you had lost your mind?

Okay, let’s face it, unless you are six years old, it’s not going to happen. However, watching the puppies gives me probably more pleasure than if I was actually doing it myself.

I love to watch them run, jump, tackle each other and roll down the hill while biting each other on the leg! You can almost see them smile while they are doing this.

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I was watching today and I was thinking about the fact that they have been playing like this since they opened their eyes Christmas Eve! What a wonder it is to watch these two siblings grow, still best friends, still playmates.

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Anneliese

These puppies sure are keeping me young!

Moon Glow Pickles

Moon Glow Pickles

6 quarts cubed cucumbers (ripe and yellow)
(cut into quarters lengthwise, peel and scoop out seeds and cube)
3 large onions cubed
1/2 cup canning salt
2 green peppers chopped
2 red peppers chopped
Put in large pot cover with water and soak overnight.
drain and rinse.
Then add:
12 whole cloves
2 TBSP mustard seed
6 cups sugar
1 quart apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. Turmeric

Cook until soft and kind of transparent. Pack in hot sterilized jars. Yield 10 pints.

First Batch Of Pickles

We made our first batch of Moon Glow pickles yesterday. I had previously cut up and set to soak the 6 quarts of pickling cucumbers, and yesterday we decided to do the actual cooking and canning of the batch.

I measured out the vinegar and spices and simmered it until the cucumbers were done. By then the canning jars were sterilized and we got down to work.

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I already have another group of cucumbers that will be ready for pickling early next week. Suddenly, with a little bit of rain, the cucumbers and squash are growing like crazy!

This & That On A Summer’s Day

Why is it that I have these great urges to cook elaborate meals when it is so hot? Saturday I made the most wonderful “Herb Crusted Standing Rib Roast” for dinner, (see cooking archives) which required me to heat the oven to 450 degrees! There I was checking the roast with the sweat pouring off of me. I think I must be a little crazy for doing it, but it tasted so good and was worth all of the heat to cook it.

I have also recently cooked a turkey breast, and then you all remember a few days ago I had the Lobster. All cooked during the heat wave of 2007!

It seems we have had this heat for so long, which is why, when I got up on Sunday and found the temperature outside was a cool dry 55 degrees, I grinned from ear to ear!

Sunday is due to be the perfect New England summer day. Dry, with temperatures expected to only get into the low 80’s. I can handle that. So what is my plan?

I want to take the puppies for a walk, go to the grocery store and buy a few more Lobsters (they are on sale again for $5.99 a pound!) and some fresh local corn on the cob.

I really am a fall and winter person. As much as I enjoy the sunshine, I also enjoy the cold and a good rainy day once in a while. This summer we really haven’t seen too much of that.

I remember one summer when I was a teenager on Cape Cod. It was so cold and foggy and rainy that all the tourists stayed home. For me it was the best summer of my life, although I think I was the only person on Cape Cod that felt that way.

I think the perfect summer would be sunny days with temperatures in the upper 70’s and lower 80’s, with rain at night that would bring the temperatures down for great sleeping.

Perhaps the next time the position of “Mother Nature” comes up, I should apply for it! Then I could direct the snow to the ski areas, the rain to the parched crops and sunshine to those places that seldom see it.

I think I see a new career looming in the future! (LOL)

Zucchini Carrot Cake

Here is a recipe I made up to use some of my abundantly growing zucchini. It’s fairly healthful as I used Splenda for my diabetic Hubby. It is moist and spicy and rich. Enjoy!

Ingredients
– 2 cups white sugar (I used 1 3/4 cup Splenda Sugarblend)
– 2 eggs, slightly beaten
– 2 cups carrots, peeled and shredded
– 2 cups zucchini, peeled and shredded
– 2 cups all-purpose flour
– 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
– 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
– 1/2 teaspoon cloves
– 1 teaspoon salt
– 2 teaspoons baking powder
– 1/2 cup cooking oil
– 1 teaspoon vanilla
– 1 cup raisins (optional)
– Top with whipped cream

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Container: 9″ x 13″ baking dish, greased and floured
This rich, moist cake unites two garden favorites and the sweetness of raisins.

Directions

* Preheat oven to 350º F.
* In a large mixing bowl, blend sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla together, mix well.
* Add dry ingredients and stir. Add grated carrots and zucchini, mix until well combined. Blend in raisins.
* Pour into prepared baking dish. Bake 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
* Serve warm or cool. You may garnish with whipped topping or ice cream if desired. May substitute all carrots or all zucchini rather than a combination if desired.

A Leg Up

You will all think I have lost my mind, but here is my Friday tale. Completely true, I assure you.

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Our neighbors own a very cute, but strange Schipperke male dog named Kodiak. Ever since they moved in, he has come over and wee-wee’d all over our yard. Fritz accepts this as he is Kodiak’s best friend and adheres to the my tree is your tree mode of thinking. Life is just the two boys romping around our back yard.

Now, Arnie has been watching Kodiak for some time. He hasn’t much cared for him since Kodiak nipped at him and Anneliese when they were about 12 weeks old. He watches and he waits and when Kodiak comes to call he barks like mad!

He also alerts me when Kodiak lifts his leg.

This morning Kodiak came to call. Arnie told me and I let Fritz outside to play with him. I could see Arnie sitting by the door, unhappily. He wanted to get out, he wanted to chase Kodiak away.

I smiled, but got on with my housework not thinking any more of it. By mid afternoon, Kodiak had gone home and Hubby suggested that we take the puppies out for some exercise, so we got their toy balls and out we all went. The dogs played and played and then I spotted Arnie. He was a little apart from Greta, Fritz and Anneliese.

I watched and watched and soon, what should he do? He went over to the corner of the cement basement and …

He lifted his leg and wee-wee’d right on the spot where Kodiak had gone that morning!!!

I mean he lifted that short little leg so high, I thought he might topple over, but he didn’t.

Hubby and I were so proud and we praised him over and over, while Hubby grabbed the hose and rinsed the corner off.

I guess our little boy is growing up!