Spring is coming, but I think we are more behind here, south of Sentinel Butte, than anywhere else. It has just been so dry and cold! We are still waiting for leaves on most of our trees and if anything is blooming, it is a struggle. This is a chokecherry blossom photo that I took out in the park this weekend. I do have my flowers and two tomato plants planted, so hopefully, they survive.
When the wind isn't too ferocious, Pepper and I have been working on getting the yard cleaned up. It is always a big job, and this year, since I have more "time," I am trying to do a better that average job of it. It seems I just get an area clean and the wind blows in more tumble weeds and branches! Pepper is good company tho, and I love when she comes to "help" me!
I called this blog "This and That" because that is pretty much where my mind is today. Planning to have some company this weekend so am starting to think about my grocery list and what to cook. I think I will make these Chicken Salad Party Sandwiches from Taste of Home. They are soooo good! I like to cook my chicken breasts in the crock pot with just butter, Lowrey seasoning and pepper. Do not add water. They turn out very good and work well with this recipe because I do not want it to be watery. Then, here is the recipe.
4 C cubed cooked chicken breast
1-1/2 C dried cranberries
2 celery ribs finely chopped
2 green onions, thinly sliced (or onions or not)
1/4 C chopped sweet pickles
1/2 tsp curry powder (I am not a big fan of curry, so I use Adobo seasoning)
1 C fat-free mayonnaise (or regular) regular probably tastes a little better
1/4 coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 C chopped pecans, toasted (add just before serving)
Mix and refrigerate until serving. To serve, stir in pecans and spoon onto lettuce lined rolls.
I will either bake some Texas rolls or get some croissants to serve it on. Makes me hungry to think about it.
So, May has been a busy month, for this retired insurance agent. I have gone to a piano recital, a grade school spring concert, to Fargo for a confirmation and birthday party and I have, besides working in my yard, been taking some sewing classes in preparation for the arrival of my new machine, which finally came last week after ordering it in January! I have babysat a few days, done some photography, did housekeeping and cooking, helped Howard move equipment several times, and I have a new exciting project to announce.
Greta Nelson, who does beautiful water color paintings approached me about doing something "artsy" in Medora, so we have met and discussed options. This is a work in progress and we are open to ideas and suggestions, if anyone thinks this is a good idea or not. We have a lot of ideas, but.....
This is the current project I am working on with my new sewing machine. If it turns out, I will show you the finished project.. It is not a quilt.
As I said, so many things to do, this retirement schedule is interesting after 50 years of needing to be somewhere on time and gone all day. People always say time goes even faster after you are retired. I agree, although maybe it is an age thing. Years ago, when Hanson (my son) was probably about 16, he sagely told me, "Mom, life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer you get to the end, the faster it goes!" Yikes! TTFN