Farmer's Wife

Trying my hand at charcoal sketching.
My second drawing.

She's a tired old girl.
She rises early to make biscuits and gravy for the Mr.

:)

Tomato Sausage Pie

Hello all!

If any of you are overflowing with tomatoes from your garden or your neighbors keep giving you more and more tomatoes...this is an awesome recipe! I ate the entire pie myself over a period of 4 days. I had it for dinner the first night...fell in love...and then had 2 slices for lunch every day until it was gone! No one else in my house is into tomatoes, so it was my pleasure to eat the entire thing! Man that really makes me sound like a hog..that's a little embarrassing! LOL! Well, it's not like I ate the entire thing in one sitting! Ha Ha!

INGREDIENTS:
1 - 9 inch uncooked pie shell, 1/2 pound sausage, 1 c. chopped onion, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 egg, 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard, 1/2 c. light cream, 2 c. shredded mozzarella, about 3 tomatoes sliced.

DIRECTIONS:
Cook sausage in fry pan in small amount of olive oil. Chunk sausage into pieces. Add onion and garlic. Careful to not burn garlic.

In a small bowl, mix together 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard, 1 egg and 1/2 cup light cream. {I used half n half.} Stir into cooled sausage mixture.

Sprinkle 1 cup shredded mozzarella in bottom of uncooked pie pastry shell. Pour sausage and egg mixture on top of mozzarella.

Make a layer of sliced tomatoes covering the entire top of sausage/egg mixture. Sprinkle with 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle top of pie with a bit of dried basil and oregano.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes in 375 degree oven. Let stand 20 minutes before slicing.

Enjoy!

Locust or Cicada?

Why do I love finding these ugly, little, lifeless, fragile skins of a bug?

I guess it's because it's reminds me of childhood when I thought they were the coolest thing ever!

I grew up calling them locust shells...but in doing some research, I've found that they actually belong to that of the cicada!

It is true that people often refer to cicadas as locusts. I've heard people say "Aren't they the same thing?"

Locusts are actually a member of the grasshopper family, and look very much like a grasshopper. They are quite destructive, swarming and eating their way through crops, sometimes causing such devastation that leads to famine and starvation.

On the other hand, cicadas aren't really destructive like locusts. Here's a little information about cicadas. They have a stout body, broad head and beautifully clear membrane wings. Their distinct large, shiny eyes bulge from the sides of their head.


I love the sound that cicadas make! The males vibrate their abdomen producing a buzzing, clicking sound. To me, it's a rather soothing, hypnotizing sound to fall asleep to on a hot summer night.

Here's an amazing fact...there are over 2,500 species of cicadas!! Holy cow!

I'm sure all of you have heard of the "17 year cicadas", living in their nymph stage, in the earth and then emerging in force. These are known as "periodical" cicadas, but they aren't destructive like locusts. Although, it is true that locusts can cause some damage to crops, shrubs or trees...but only by way of "scarring" left on tree branches while females lay their eggs deep in the branches.

The most common cicada that most of us are familiar with is the "dog day cicada" that reappears every year, mid-summer. They are what's known as "annual" cicadas. To me, it just wouldn't be summer without these little critters singing their songs in the trees. That sound is a key essential to summertime!

Do you find empty, shed cicada skins in your neck of the woods??

stick pencils and Shaker Woods

Show and Tell!
Just wanted to show off my new treasure
that I lah-uvvv! love}
These very rustic, naturey pencils.
When I write with them, I feel like a woodland gnome!

Wouldn't a woodland gnome write with a stick pencil?
I thinking yes!

Acquired these lovelies at a craft festival in the woods.
A craft festival to end all craft festivals!
Shaker Woods in Columbiana, Ohio.
The kind of festival where a man strolls the paths strumming on a bango.
Where hand-built miniature houses pose as stores where artists sell their creations.

Clog dancers tap, tap, tapping...and pound, pound, pounding on a wooden stage.
Smokey BBQ pork, roasting...scenting the air all around.
Artists dressed up, all old fashionedy-like.
Shade, glorious shade...under massive oaks...sunlight filtering through the leaves.
Freshly cut, fried potato chips, all salted up nicely.
Pottery, wooden dolls, hand carved spoons, natural soaps and herbs
Canned jellies, salsas, mustards, and butters.

I want to go again!

just for fun

I'm
blogging

crafting

creating

sewing

reading

:)
oh, and eating chocolate!