I want some color!

Posted on October 16, 2009 by pamperme

Fall is my second-favorite season; there’s just something about it that places it second in my heart — second only to that sweet season of sunshine and warmth, of course.

One of my favorite fall views is at the top of the hill by Pattison State Park. When northbound, drivers can see all the way to the Duluth Hillside and when the fall colors are peak it is splendid. Many mornings this year I had my camera with during my drive to work to try and capture that view, but Mother Nature made sure I never got that shot.

It’s not just that view either.

The huge tree along another country road I travel is typically brilliant orange at this time of the year. Of all the trees on this planet I’d have to say that tree in a normal fall is my favorite. This year? Nada. Sure the leaves turned a little, but it wasn’t bold. It wasn’t spectacular. It was actually pretty dull.

Here’s my favorite fall photo this year:

This was in one of the little community gardens in Bayfield and taken during the Apple Fest. I know the flowers are dying, but it really captures the season for me.

And my second-favorite fall photo? Right here:

It snowed here on Oct. 10 and after it snowed the wind picked up and blew a bunch of leaves off the trees.

If this is a taste of what’s to come, I can tell you now that I’m going to really hate this winter season.

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Mid-life? I hope not.

Posted on October 15, 2009 by pamperme

I think I’m face-to-face with the beginning of my mid-life crisis. For several years now I’ve been content to be a mom and be at home enjoying my family. I’m realizing, though, that I am right now craving the social interaction of my youth. I look forward to getting out and visiting with friends and coworkers. In fact, I wish it would happen every weekend.
It’s not that I don’t love my life, because I most certainly do! I just feel like I’m missing something. Like there’s something out there I’m supposed to find and embrace that will help me find the direction I’m supposed to be pointed in.
Who knows? Maybe I just need a little extra interaction — not every weekend, but maybe once or twice a month. Or maybe I need to join a club of some sort. Like a book club or a margarita club or a beer club.
Or maybe I just need to get over myself.

 

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My blog just got a new pair of shoes!

Posted on October 1, 2009 by pamperme

Whattaya think of the new graphic for Redneck Princess? Well, I’ll tell you this: I AM LOVIN’ IT!

Credit goes to Jason Longstreet, a graphic artist in Superior — who also happens to be my cousin’s very talented husband. Basically, I sent him my old graphic — which I created using Paint just to have SOMETHING at the top of Redneck Princess — and asked him for his help. He captured everything I think this blog is about in this awesome new graphic! Thank you, Jason! Awesome job!

Looking for a graphic artist and want to take a look at some of his other work? Check out Jason’s Crosseyed Chameleon page at CGSociety.org. Maybe Jason is just what you’re looking for!

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You know you want some.

Posted on September 23, 2009 by pamperme

Since I started this blog, I’ve always wondered if I should try to take it in a specific direction. Like maybe have it be a blog about how I’m not a professional chef but I do love to cook and have had some successes. Or maybe give advice to people who may be too close to a situation to see what’s really happening. Or even to just be a mom venting and sharing and experiencing parenthood with people in situations similar to mine.

I decided today that I want to do all of those things. (I believe this can be blamed on the over-achiever in me.) So today’s the day I stop obsessing over which direction I need to take this blog and just continue to blog whatever it is that grabs my attention that day or that week or that month.

Today it’s food.

I love food. I love trying new dishes. I love cooking. I love the aromas that fill my house when I’m making rosemary pork chops or potato and cheese soup. I love making foods that elicit "Wow!" or "That was awesome" out of my Guy’s mouth.

I do not, however, enjoy clean-up. If only everything were disposable.

Tonight I thought I’d share two recipes with my readers. I found both on the Kraft Foods Web site.

First is a chicken dish that I’ve changed a bit. For Kraft’s recipe click here.

Here is my recipe:

Chicken and gravy over stuffing

3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 box stuffing mix

1 package chicken gravy mix

1/4 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese

In a large frying pan heat olive oil on high heat; add salt and pepper, to taste, to bottom of pan and place the six pieces of chicken in the pan. Season top of chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. Reduce heat to medium-high. Let cook 7-10 minutes and flip. Cook chicken until no longer pink inside; remove from pan for cutting.

In the same pan follow the directions for preparing the stuffing mix. While the stuffing is sitting (about 5 minutes) cut chicken into medallions.

In a small saucepan, prepare gravy per package instructions.

When stuffing is ready, place a serving of it onto a plate and top with chicken medallions. Sprinkle a little cheddar cheese over top and then drizzle with gravy. Serve with vegetable of choice.

Yield: 6 servings.

This is d-lish. I promise. And I cannot wait to make it again!

The second recipe I want to share with everyone is called Lemon Pudding Poke Cake. This is probably my favorite cake. I’d never had "Poke Cake" until yesterday and O. M. G. I cannot imagine eating any other kind of cake unless it has the words "ice" and "cream" before it. My photos of it did not turn out very good, but here’s the photo from www.kraftfoods.com:

This cake is so good it makes me want to lick my monitor. Seriously people. Nothing should ever taste that good. My favorite thing about it is the frosting is PUDDING! I’m not a fan of sugary, sweet frostings so the pudding on top is fabulous! I tried a piece right after the pudding set last night and my only piece of advice for all of you getting ready to make it right now is this: put it into the refrigerator and let it sit overnight. It’s at least 1,000 times better when it is cold.

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I will not forget.

Posted on September 11, 2009 by pamperme

Sept. 11, 2001

I think most of us remember exactly where we were and what we were doing on this exact day eight years ago. I was getting ready for work; sitting at my dressing table in the bedroom and applying make-up. Something in my brain that morning told me to turn the bedroom television on, something I just never did in the mornings because it typically did nothing but distract me. Monkey, who as 1-1/2 at that time, was playing on the floor. The Teenager, 6-1/2 then, was getting ready for a normal, first-grade day. For as long as I live I will never forget the feeling of dread that washed over me when I saw the NBC footage of the first plane hitting the World Trade Center.

Like almost all of America I was glued to the television for the next week. I couldn’t stop watching. I couldn’t stop crying. I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t answer the question, "Mommy? Why did they do that?"

I cannot imagine the grief experienced by the victims’ families on that day and even today. I can, however, let them know I have not forgotten. I think about that day often and I remember that sons, brothers, mothers, wives, children and parents lost their lives during an unthinkable act of horror. I remember there were nieces and nephews and grandfathers and uncles in that building that day who were innocent victims. I remember the fathers and husbands and aunts and dear friends who perished because America loves and accepts all its people.

I will not forget those Americans.

I will not forget they were taken from our country far before they should have been.

I will not forget how our country came together that horrific day and stood united while tears streamed down our cheeks.

I will not forget.

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Smoke-free living.

Posted on August 24, 2009 by pamperme

August 24, 2007, was the very first day of my new, non-smoking lifestyle. I didn’t do it alone; I had help. Chantix was my BFF for three months, in fact. That was before all the depression and suicide warnings, of course. But I don’t believe that would have been an issue for me anyway. I believe you have to be predisposed to depression for a reaction like that to be triggered. And I’m far from depressed.

I can’t say it was just the Chantix, though. There was a bit of will-power involved. Even some fear. Had my doctor not found a tumor the size of a golf ball on my kidney, I’d probably still be smoking.

So here I am with one less kidney and hundreds of dollars saved. And I still miss it sometimes.

I miss sitting on the beach with an ice cold beer and a cigarette.

I miss sitting on my deck in the summer, warming myself in the sun…with a cigarette in my hand.

I miss not caring if a bar allows smoking or not.

I miss the relaxed feeling that would spread across your body with the first inhale of that cigarette when you’re stressed.

But I don’t miss it enough to start again. There are things I don’t miss.

I don’t miss freezing my ass off during the winter because I smoked outside at home and at work.

I don’t miss the smell of stale cigarettes on my hands, hair and my clothing.

I don’t miss my smoker’s cough.

I don’t miss getting sick every other day.

I don’t miss being winded after walking from the couch to the bathroom.

I don’t miss being a bad example for my children.

For all of you out there reading this and trying to decide to quit, just do it. Find whatever way works for you and quit. There will be days you miss it, but I can guarantee you the days you don’t even think about it will far outnumber them.

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Goin’ camping.

Posted on August 13, 2009 by pamperme

I see it’s been quite some time since I’ve blogged! It’s these summer month. I’m outside enjoying the warmth of summer before that cruel beast named Winter strikes!

I do hope to post some photos from our upcoming camping trip, though. I think that will be my priority on the 23rd!

 

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Your garden-variety homicide.

Posted on July 29, 2009 by pamperme

I think I planted too many radish seeds too close together in too small a space.


I believe this because the seed packet stated I should have delicious, perfectly-sized peppery radishes in 22 days. Twenty-two days came and went about a month ago. There were no radishes ready that day.

About two weeks after that I pulled five small radishes from the ground; they were about the size of a large marble.

About another week later, I pulled six more the same size as the first.

Now when I check this is what I get:


When I was checking the garden last night I noticed many of my "radish stalks" had the beginnings of blossoms.

They’d gone to seed, I suppose. I ended up pulling all the radish plants out tonight.

I’ll consider this my first garden homicide — but not necessarily my last.

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What makes you happy?

Posted on July 27, 2009 by pamperme

A good friend of mine is experiencing several bumps on her married road and while under extreme duress confided in me that she’s just not happy. She followed that up with "I just want to be happy again. Redneck Princess? What do you do to make yourself happy?" I couldn’t give her a specific answer.

I’ve thought about this question a lot during the last week. I have a bit of a reputation for being straight-forward and a little less than forgiving when I think people have done wrong, but I do believe I am a happy person, nevertheless.

But what exactly is it that puts me in the "Happy Person" category?

My happiness doesn’t come from reading or gardening or spending time with My Guy and my girlies or going to the beach or listening to music or the bit of traveling we do. I suppose it comes from a combination of all of those things, though.

If I could no longer read, I would be unhappy. The same is true for hitting the beach or listening to music or shopping for bags and shoes.

If I couldn’t check out my garden and the yummy food it produces, I suppose I might be a little unhappy. (I would not, however, be unhappy if I never had to weed said garden again.)

I would be very unhappy if My Guy, the Teenager and Monkey were no longer around to share the daily minutia of our lives. That would make me downright miserable and very near inconsolable.

However, I am perfectly happy with my life as it is at this very moment. I’m happy I’m not changing diapers. I’m happy my children don’t require me to sit beside them while in the bathtub anymore. I’m happy I have a nice (but messy) home to go to every night. I’m happy I have family to share my ups and downs with. I’m happy I have great friends who I can trust with my heart and who’ve entrusted me with theirs. I’m happy I have a guy who stands beside me and makes me laugh and feel comfortable and safe.

Aren’t those the things that are supposed to make you happy? How do you get to that place again after several years of unhappiness? How does my friend begin the process of finding her happiness again? How does she change what has become routine?

I guess I can’t answer all those questions for her. But I can sit next to her and listen and dry her tears when needed. She’ll need to find her happiness again, but at least she won’t be searching alone.

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Meddle Court vs. Redneck Princess

Posted on July 10, 2009 by pamperme

Meddle: (def.) To concern oneself with or take part in other people’s affairs without being asked or needed; interfere.

If meddling were a crime people could actually be punished for, I’d be living out the rest of my days in a 10-foot by 10-foot cell, serving a life sentence with absolutely no possibility for parole. For some of those crimes I would stand right up and confess my guilt. But for a handful of them I would dig my heels into the ground and emphatically proclaim my innocence!

Meddle Court vs. Redneck Princess

Count 1: Taking it upon yourself to discuss your sibling’s affairs with other members of your family without said sibling telling you it’s okay — How do you plead? "Guilty as charged."

Count 2: Trying to distract a child in mid-tantrum at the grocery store so her mother doesn’t lose what’s left of her mind in Aisle 5 — How do you plead? "Yup. Guilty of that one, too."

Count 3: Sending your friend’s husband an e-mail with the hopes of helping find peace on a delicate subject in their home — How do you plead? "Abso-friggin-lutely not guilty!!!"

Earlier this week a friend of mine shared her deepest, darkest fears with me because of some unrest in her home. The problem was that she really needed to share them with her hubby — she just couldn’t do it, though. Not because he wasn’t open to whatever she had to say, but because her emotions would take over conversations and she just couldn’t get the right words out. It’s something she’s struggled with for as many years as I can remember.

But I could get those words out. So I did.

Even though she didn’t come right out and say, "Redneck Princess! Please help me!", I knew she needed me. And that, dear jury, is what exonerates me of guilt on Count 3.

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