Welcome!!

I'm so glad you could stop by! This is where I journal the latest happenings in my home and gardens. My life really isn't that exciting...I just thot it would be fun to journal it!
I'll be posting pics as I journal, so you'll have a visual of the things I write about.


If you'd like, you can subscribe to this journal so you'll recieve an email letting you know whenever I write something new in it. That way you won't have to worry about checking this site every now and then to see if there's something new in it! Ü Just click here:

Subscribe to Aunty B's Place Journal by Email


AuntyB's Place also has a website with lots of information you might find useful. To chek it out, click here:
http://lakesarea.brainerddispatch.com/Groups/AuntyBsPlace

Then there's the yahoo group of the same name...it's an email based group where we share lots of information (via email) on anything to do with our homes and gardens....like recipes, crafts, diy projects, garden info, you name it! Everyone is encouraged to participate in the yahoo group, even if it's just to chit-chat! Ü
If you'd like to join us, just enter your email address & click here:

Farm Bill

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Plans for My Monarch Butterfly Habitat

Every year I like to plant a few things to attract Monarch butterflies to my gardens, and since it's part of my plan again this year, I thought I'd share this with you....

Butterflies need a couple types of plants for their life-stages. The butterfly egg & caterpillar need what's called a 'Host' plant to start off. When the egg hatches, it'll eat it's own eggshell, then it'll eat on the leaves of that plant until it grows larger and creates a caccoon.

For the host plants, I'm going to be planting some Milkweed (the wild kind) and what's called Butterfly weed. Butterfly weed is in the milkweed family, but prettier. I've bought some that have orange flower heads and some that are pink. I just love them! They're a perennial so they come back up every year, but I usually buy more of them each year to add to what I've already got. Milkweed is the chosen plant for the Monarch. If you want to attract other kinds of butterflies, you'll have to do a search on their specific needs.

Once the caterpillar becomes a butterfly, they no longer eat the plants. They drink nectar. I furnish that in a couple of ways...

For one thing, I have a birdbath in my garden that I put butterfly food in. It's just a mixture of mud, water, sometimes a little manure, and sometimes I'll put a piece of old fruit in it. Have you ever noticed how butterflies seem to go crazy over mud puddles after a rain? Just make it like a mud-puddle...not too deep, and not to clean. They love that dirty water! Ü Oh....and they also like a little gravel in it, like sand. And make sure you have little rocks sitting in the butterfly bath so they can keep their feet out of the water while sipping!

Here's another recipe you can mix together & hang here & there:


Butterfly NectarOver-ripe fruit of some kind
1/2 to 1 cup of Molasses
1 can of beer
1/2 cup of fruit juice (any kind)
Brightly colored cloths

Mix all ingredients together until it's gooey and liquified. (use your food processor if you want). Then dip the bright colored cloths into the mixture and let it soak for a few minutes til the cloth is good and soaked all the way through. Hang the cloths onto tree branches to attract the butterflies. That's it!


As for plants to furnish the nectar, they love pretty much any kind of flower, and the more vibrant the color, the better. I have Purple Coneflower, Coreopsis, Black eyed susans, Asters, Blazing Star, Bee Balm, Oregano, Columbine, Astilbe,and Goldenrod to name a few. These flowers should be planted in groups of the same color because the butterfly is near-sighted and you'll want to make sure he sees where your flowers are.
Zinnia's are suppose to be another favorite, but I've never had much luck growing those. They want to get all black-spotty on me. Ick.

How to tell male from female? The adult males have thinner veins in their wings and a large dot on one of their inner veins of the hind wing. Females have thicker veins and no dots. The dot is a scent gland the males use to attract the females.

Every year I have Monarch's in my garden, but I still don't have as many as I'd like. And they don't seem to stick around as long as I'd like. I still have a LOT to learn about this butterfly.
Hopefully this summer I'll see even more!

Have a Great Day!!
~AuntyB~

Getting Seeds Started Indoors

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Pantry and Quilters Parlour


I just wanted to share with you about one of the local places I go to. It's called "Pantry Quilters Parlour". I'm not a quilter, but my Mom is. I just go there for the coffee & atmosphere...or for material if I have something I want my mom to make for me! Ü
This coffee & quilt shop is a locally-owned, community-orientated coffee shop & quilting store.

You'll find it on the North side of Main Street in Pine River, close to the dam. Right before you get to the Pine River clinic, on the same side of the street.
You can buy fabric and all sorts of quilting supplies as well as take quilting classes there....so if you're into quilting, you should check it out. They've always got something going on!
The coffee shop area is very comfy, with several tables and a nice fireplace, and room for lots of people to gather and visit together. They have complementary computers with internet and wi-fi access, so if you like to play while you drink your coffee, go for it!
Their coffee and esspresso beans come from StoneHouse Coffee Roasters in Nisswa, and they also offer organic/fair trade!
While you're drinking your coffee or tea, you can also try out some of their yummy baked goods, fresh fruit, and other foods.
It's really a great place to meet with your friends & neighbors. I love it! Ü

~AuntyB~

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Amish Friendship Bread

Amish Friendship Bread Starter (and recipe for bread)

I LOVE this bread!! I only make it about once a year, usually around Christmas time, but since it really goes well with coffee, I'm making some now! Ü

If you don't have a start from a friend to make the Amish Friendship bread, you can start your own. Here's How:

Amish Friendship Bread Starter

1 tablespoon Active Dry Yeast
2 cups warm water (need to be 110 degrees)
1 cup all-purpose flour  (I use pastry wheat flour that we grind ourselves)
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk

Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup of warm water in a glass bowl.   Stir in the remaining water, then add in the flour, sugar, and milk.  Beat the mixture with a wooden spoon until smooth. Cover with a lid or wrap.

Don't use metal spoons or bowls during the 10 day fermentation process!

I usually just put all this into a gallon size plastic baggie and keep it that way because I can seal it as well as mix it easier with the bag.

Don't think your starter has gone bad when it starts smelling like beer. It's supposed to do that. Your first batch of starter contains fresh yeast so it will get a fermentation going.

Do NOT refrigerate your starter!

Day 1- Begin your starter (this is the day you mix the above).

Day 2- Do Nothing

Day 3- Mash & squish the baggie for 30 seconds or so.

Day 4- Mash & squish the baggie for 30 seconds or so.

Day 5-  Mash & squish the baggie for 30 seconds or so.

Day 6- Add in 1 cup flour, 2 cups milk, and 1 cup sugar (squish the baggy to mix it well)

Day 7- Let the air out of baggy and squish again.

Day 8- Let the air out of baggy and squish again.

Day 9- Let the air out of baggy and squish again.

Day 10- Pour and squeeze the mixture into a big bowl.

Add in:

1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
2 cup milk

Put 1 cup of the mixture into 4 ziploc bags and give to friends along with the directions above as well as the directions on how to make the bread (below).

To make the Amish Friendship Bread:

With remaining mix, Add in:

1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

In a separate bowl, mix:

2 cups flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 tsp cinnamon
1 large or 2 small boxes of vanilla pudding
1 cup oil

Add this mixture to the bowl. Spray two loaf pans with oil spray.  Mix additional cinnamon and sugar and dust the bottom of the pan and top of the batter with it.  Divide the batter into the two pans, sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar, then bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

Makes 2 loaves.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Kitchen Substitutions & Measurement Equivalents

Kitchen Substitutions & Measurement Equivalents


Kitchen Substitutions:

Buttermilk
Substitute 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon
juice plus enough milk to equal 1 cup for 1 cup of buttermilk. Let stand 5
minutes.

Substitute 1/2 cup plain yogurt plus 1/2 cup milk for 1 cup
buttermilk.

Cardamom, ground
Substitute 1/2 teaspoon
ground cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger for 1 teaspoon ground cardamom.
(Flavor may vary.)

Chicken Broth
Substitute 1 cup
boiling water and 1 teaspoon instant chicken bouillon granules (or 1 bouillon
cube) for 1 cup broth.

Chocolate Chips, Semi-Sweet
Substitute 6 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate, chopped,
for 1 cup (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Chocolate, Bittersweet
Substitute 1 (1-ounce) square semi-sweet baking
chocolate for 1 (1-ounce) square bittersweet baking chocolate.


Chocolate, Semi-Sweet
Substitute 3 tablespoons
chocolate chips for 1 (1-ounce) square semi-sweet baking
chocolate.

Substitute 1 (1-ounce) square bittersweet baking chocolate for
1 (1-ounce) square semi-sweet bittersweet baking chocolate.

Substitute 1 (1-ounce) square unsweetened baking chocolate and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar for 1 (1-ounce) square semi-sweet baking chocolate.

Substitute 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 7 tablespoons sugar and 1/4 cup butter, margarine or shortening for 6 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate.

Chocolate, Sweet Baking
Substitute 3 tablespoons
unsweetened cocoa powder, 4 teaspoons sugar and 1 tablespoon butter, shortening or vegetable oil for1 - ounce German's sweet baking chocolate.

Chocolate, Unsweetened
Substitute 3 tablespoons
unsweetened cocoa and 1 tablespoon butter, margarine or shortening for 1- ounce
unsweetened baking chocolate.

Chocolate, White
Substitute 1- ounce milk chocolate for 1 ounce white chocolate. (Color and flavor will vary.)

Cinnamon, Ground
Substitute 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice or 1 teaspoon ground
cardamom for 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.

Cocoa, Unsweetened
Substitute equal amount of Dutch-processed cocoa for
unsweetened cocoa.

Coffee
Substitute 1 cup hot water and 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules or espresso powder for 1 cup strong brewed coffee.

Cooking Spray, Non-stick
Substitute for shortening to prepare baking sheets and baking pans.

Corn Syrup, Dark
Substitute 1 cup light corn syrup for 1 cup dark corn
syrup. (Flavor will be affected somewhat.)

Substitute 3/4 cup light corn syrup and 1/4 cup light molasses for 1 cup dark corn syrup.

Corn Syrup, Light
Substitute 1 cup dark corn syrup for 1 cup light corn syrup (Flavor will be affected somewhat.)

Substitute 1 1/4 cups
granulated sugar dissolved in 1/4 cup hot water or liquid used in recipe for 1 cup light corn syrup.

Cornstarch
Substitute 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour for 1 tablespoon cornstarch.

Coffee Cream
Substitute 3 tablespoons melted butter and whole milk to equal 1 cup for 1 cup coffee cream.

Cream, Heavy Whipping Cream
Substitute 1/3 cup melted butter and 2/3 cup whole milk for 1 cup whipping cream. Do not whip.

Cream of Tartar
There is no recommended substitution for cream of tartar.

Cream, Half & Half
Substitute 3/4 cup whole milk and 1/4 cup whipping cream for 1 cup half & half.

Substitute 1 tablespoon melted butter and enough milk to equal 1 cup for 1 cup half & half.

Egg Whites
Substitute 2 teaspoons meringue powder and 3 tablespoons water for1 large egg white.

Substitute powdered egg whites for most recipes requiring egg whites. Follow directions on powdered egg whites container.

Substitute 2 tablespoons liquid egg whites for 1 egg white in applications except meringue and angel food cake recipes.

Eggs
Substitute 1/4 cup refrigerated egg product for 1 whole egg.

Espresso Instant Coffee Powder
Substitute 2 to 3 teaspoons instant coffee granules for 1 tablespoon espresso coffee powder.

Substitute 2 1/2 tablespoons instant cappuccino drink mix for 1 tablespoon espresso coffee powder.

Flour, All-purpose
Substitute 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour for 1 cup all-purpose flour.

Substitute self-rising flour minus the salt in yeast bread recipes for all-purpose flour.

Substitute self-rising flour minus the salt and baking powder in
quick bread recipes for all-purpose flour.

Substitute 3/4 cup all-purpose flour and 1/4 cup soy flour for 1 cup all-purpose flour in recipes such as quick breads and pancakes to reduce the carbohydrates.

Flour, All-purpose (as thickener)
Substitute 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch,
potato starch, rice starch, arrowroot starch, or 1 tablespoon quick-cooking tapioca for 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour.

Flour, Bread
Substitute 1 cup all-purpose flour plus 2 teaspoons gluten
flour for 1 cup unsifted bread flour.


Flour, Cake
Substitute 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour for 1
cup cake flour.

Flour, Gluten-Free Blend
Substitute Gluten-Free Flour Blend for regular flour. To make flour blend, combine 2 cups rice flour, 2/3 cup potato starch, 1/3 cup tapioca flour and 1 teaspoon xanthan gum. Use appropriate amount for recipe; store remainder in container with tight-fitting lid.

Flour, Pastry
Substitute 2/3 cup all-purpose flour and 1/3 cup cake flour for 1 cup pastry flour.

Flour, Self-Rising
Substitute 1 cup all-purpose
flour plus 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt for 1 cup self-rising flour.

Flour, Whole Wheat
Substitute 1 cup minus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 3 tablespoons wheat germ for 1 cup whole wheat flour.

Substitute 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup
all-purpose flour for 1 cup whole wheat flour.

Garlic
Substitute 1/2 teaspoon instant minced garlic or 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder for 1 clove minced garlic.

Garlic, Salt
Substitute 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder and 3/4 teaspoon salt for
1 teaspoon garlic salt.

Ginger, Fresh
Substitute 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger for 1 tablespoon minced or grated fresh ginger.

Ginger, ground
Substitute 1 teaspoon ground allspice for 1 teaspoon ground ginger. (Flavor will vary.)

Half & Half
Substitute 3/4 cup whole milk and 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
for 1 cup half & half.

Substitute 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
and enough whole milk to equal 1 cup for 1 cup half & half.

Herbs
Substitute 1 teaspoon dried herbs for 1 tablespoon fresh herbs.

Honey
Substitute 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar plus 1/4 cup liquid (use whatever liquid is called for in the recipe) for 1 cup honey.

Substitute 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 3/4 cup
maple syrup, light or dark corn syrup or light molasses for 1 cup honey.

Italian Seasoning
Substitute 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves for 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning.

Ketchup
Substitute 1/2 cup tomato sauce and 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon vinegar for 1/2 cup ketchup.

Lemon Juice
Substitute 1/2 teaspoon vinegar for 1 teaspoon lemon juice.

Maple Syrup
Substitute 1 cup honey for 1 cup pure maple syrup.

Substitute 1 cup minus 3 tablespoons light molasses for 1 cup pure maple syrup.

Marshmallow Creme
Substitute 16 large or 160 miniature marshmallows plus 2
teaspoons light corn syrup for 1 cup marshmallow creme. Place in double boiler or stainless steel bowl over simmering water; stir until smooth.

Marshmallows
Substitute 10 miniature marshmallows for 1 large marshmallow.

Substitute 8 to 10 large marshmallows for 1 cup miniature marshmallows.

Milk, Evaporated
Substitute 1 cup half & half or whole milk for 1 cup evaporated milk.

Milk, Sweetened Condensed
Substitute 1 cup instant nonfat dry milk plus 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup boiling water and 3 tablespoons melted butter for 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk.

Milk, Whole
Substitute 1/2 cup evaporated milk plus 1/2 cup water for 1 cup whole milk.

Substitute 1 cup fat free skim milk
plus 2 teaspoons melted butter for 1 cup whole milk.

Molasses
Substitute 1 cup honey, dark corn syrup or maple syrup for 1 cup molasses.

Substitute 1 cup light molasses for 1 cup dark molasses.

Substitute 3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar dissolved
in 1/4 cup hot water (or liquid in recipe) for 1 cup molasses.

Mustard, Dry
Substitute 1 tablespoon prepared mustard minus 1 teaspoon liquid from recipe for 1 teaspoon dry mustard.

Mustard, Prepared
Substitute 1 teaspoon dry mustard plus 1 to 2 teaspoons vinegar or water for 1 tablespoon prepared mustard.

Nutmeg, Ground
Substitute 1 teaspoon ground allspice or 1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon or 1 teaspoon ground mace for 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg.

Oats
Old-fashioned oats and quick-cooking oats can be used interchangeably in baking recipes.

Oil
Substitute 1 cup melted butter, margarine or shortening for 1 cup oil. (Recipe results may vary. Texture and appearance may
be affected.)

Onion
Substitute 1/4 cup instant
minced onion or flaked onion for 1 cup (1 medium) chopped
onion.

Substitute 1 teaspoon onion powder for 1 cup (1 medium) chopped
onion.

Orange Juice
Substitute 3/4 cup water plus 1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate for 1 cup orange juice.

Poultry Seasoning
Substitute 1/4 teaspoon ground thyme plus 3/4 teaspoon ground sage for 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning.

Preserves
Substitute 1/4 cup jelly for 1/4 cup preserves. Consistency will be thinner with jelly.

Pumpkin
Substitute cooked pumpkin for an equal amount of canned pumpkin.

To cook fresh pumpkin: Heat oven to 375° F.
Place small whole pumpkin onto ungreased baking sheet. Poke top of pumpkin several times to let steam escape while baking. Bake, uncovered, for 45 to 60 minutes or until fork tender. Cool 30 minutes.
Cut pumpkin in half.
Scoop out seeds and discard or roast separately for a snack. Scrape pumpkin
flesh from skin into food processor bowl fitted with a metal blade.
Puree pulp in food processor or blender or mash thoroughly with a potato masher. Place pumpkin puree in a strainer and drain at least 30 minutes to make sure fresh cooked pumpkin becomes as thick as canned pumpkin. It is very important to remove as much moisture as possible. Refrigerate or freeze remaining puree.

Pumpkin Pie Spice
Substitute 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves for 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice.

Raisins
Substitute equal amount of other chopped
dried fruit for raisins. Golden raisins, dark raisins, dried cranberries and currants can be used interchangeably in baking recipes.

Rice
Substitute 1 cup uncooked brown rice for 1 cup uncooked white rice.

Salt
Substitute Kosher salt, iodized salt or sea salt for table salt in baking.

Shortening
Substitute 1 cup butter or margarine for 1 cup regular or butter-flavored shortening.

Sour Cream
Substitute 1 cup plain yogurt for 1 cup sour cream.

Sugar, Dark Brown
Substitute 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar plus 1 tablespoon molasses for 1 cup dark brown sugar.

Substitute 1 cup granulated sugar plus 2 to 3 tablespoons molasses for 1 cup dark brown sugar.

Sugar, Granulated White
Substitute 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar for 1 cup granulated sugar. (Works in a pinch! Altho flavor is changed a bit.)

Sugar, Light Brown
Substitute 1/2 cup firmly packed
dark brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar for 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar.

Substitute 1 cup granulated sugar plus 2 tablespoons
molasses for 1 cup light brown sugar.

Sugar, Powdered (Confectioner's)
Substitute 1 cup granulated sugar plus 1/8 teaspoon
cornstarch & process in a food processor for 1 cup powdered sugar.

Sweetened Condensed Milk
Substitute 1 cup instant
nonfat dry milk plus 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup boiling water and 3 tablespoons melted butter for 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk.

Tomato Juice
Substitute 1/2 cup tomato sauce and 1/2 cup water for 1 cup tomato juice.

Tomato Paste
Substitute 1/2 cup tomato sauce for 1/4 cup tomato paste. Cook
until sauce is reduced to 1/4 cup.

Tomato Puree
Substitute 2/3 cup water and 1/3 cup tomato paste for 1 cup
tomato puree.

Tomato Sauce
Substitute 1/2 cup tomato paste plus 1/2 cup water can be substituted for 1 cup tomato sauce.

Vanilla Bean
Substitute 2 to 3 teaspoons vanilla extract for 1 8-inch vanilla bean.

Vanilla Extract
Substitute imitation vanilla flavoring for vanilla extract.

Substitute other flavorings, such as almond, peppermint, rum or
lemon for vanilla extract (Works, but will change the taste a bit)

Vegetable Oil
Substitute equal amounts melted butter or margarine for vegetable oil.

Vinegar
Substitute 2 teaspoons lemon juice for 1 teaspoon vinegar.

Wine
Substitute 1/2 cup fruit juice for 1/2 cup wine in desserts.

Substitute 1/2 cup chicken broth for 1/2 cup wine.

Yeast
Substitute 1 (.0.6-ounce) cake of compressed yeast for 1 (1/4-ounce) packet active dry yeast.

Substitute 2 1/4 teaspoons quick rise, bread machine yeast or instant dry yeast for 1 (1/4-ounce) packet active dry yeast.

Yogurt
Substitute 1 cup buttermilk or sour cream for 1 cup yogurt.



This Chart is from the USDA
Nutrient Data Laboratory:




Measurement
Equivalents:


1 tablespoon (tbsp) = 3 teaspoons (tsp)
1/16 cup (c) = 1 tablespoon
1/8 cup = 2 tablespoons
1/6 cup = 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons
1/4 cup = 4 tablespoons
1/3 cup = 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon
3/8 cup = 6 tablespoons
1/2 cup = 8 tablespoons
2/3 cup = 10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons
3/4 cup = 12 tablespoons
1 cup = 48 teaspoons
1 cup= 16 tablespoons
8 fluid ounces (fl oz) = 1 cup
1 pint (pt) = 2 cups
1 quart (qt) = 2 pints
4 cups = 1 quart
1 gallon (gal) = 4 quarts
16 ounces (oz) = 1 pound (lb)
1 milliliter (ml) = 1 cubic centimeter (cc)
1 inch (in) = 2.54 centimeters (cm)



Metric Conversions:

Multiply Fluid Ounces By 29.57 To Get grams

Multiply Ounces (dry) By 28.35 To Get grams

Multiply Grams By 0.0353 To Get ounces

Multiply Grams By 0.0022 To Get pounds

Multiply Kilograms By 2.21 To Get pounds

Multiply Pounds By 453.6 To Get grams

Multiply Pounds By 0.4536 To Get kilograms

Multiply Quarts By 0.946 To Get liters

Multiply Quarts (dry) By 67.2 To Get cubic inches

Multiply Quarts (liquid) By 57.7 To Get cubic inches

Multiply Liters By 1.0567 To Get quarts

Multiply Gallons By 3,785 To Get cubic centimeters

Multiply Gallons By 3.785 To Get liters

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Adopting a Soldier

Adopting a Soldier


No matter what your political views are on the current war, our men and women are risking their lives and living in not-so-comfy conditions (to say the least), so our world might gain a little peace. A lot of these soldiers have nobody 'back home' to write to them and let them know our hearts and our prayers are with them, or that 'somebody back home' might actually care if they die. It can be very lonely for them. Imagine yourself being in a dangerous, unfamiliar place and not having contact (or very little contact) with anyone from home.....knowing you could die there, never making it back home to experience the beauty and safety or the warm, cozy bed you once knew. It's hard to imagine being in their situation!

That's why I'm a member of Adopt a US Soldier. All I have to do is write a letter to my soldier once a week. If he or she is able, they'll email me or write me back. I send them pictures sometimes (but you don't have to!), and sometimes (if they can) they'll send pictures to me, too! If I can afford it, I'm allowed to send them a care package of some kind. Sometimes all they need are a couple magazines, maybe some Ritz crackers, simple things like that can make them feel special! It's free to sign up and get your own soldier. All it costs you is one stamp a week and the price of your paper & envelope!

Why not check out their website for yourself and give this some serious thought?! There is a long L-O-N-G list of soldiers who signed up for this who still need someone to write to them!

I help care for some challenged folks, and as a way of helping them show some support to our troops, I signed up for a soldier for each of them. They can't write on their own, so my co-workers and I hold their hands and help them write the letters. It gives a great satisfaction when you can help somebody do something good for someone else! So if you know someone who's not able to write, maybe you could offer to do the same thing for them? Think about it!!

Here's a picture of a friend of mine helping one of our friends write a letter to the soldier he adopted:


Please go check out their website at: http://www.adoptaussoldier.org/

You'll be glad you did! (and so will they!)


~AuntyB~

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Diabetes Sucks!...and other happy thoughts...

Wow! I can't beleive it's been so long since I wrote anything here! I'm really going to have to get better at keeping up with things!
Let me try to catch you up:

I've been battling a few health problems over the last several months...
I started having 'spells' from low blood-sugars. At one point, I was having low blood sugar AND low blood pressure PLUS kidney stones (for the 2nd time within a year!)....all at the same time! *lol* (yeah, I can laugh NOW...but I sure wasn't laughing during the culvusions!) Turns out my kidney stones were caused my eating too much dark green, leafy vegetables. Go figure! *lol*

For those of you who don't know, I'm a diabetic. My blood sugars are either too high or too low...I just can't win! And if I get sick with ANYTHING else, it effects my blood sugars and makes me seriously ill.
Blood-sugar meter on left, Pump on right.
They started me on an insulin pump that I have to wear 24/7 and only take off for showers. A tube from the pump connects to me and pumps the insulin I need into my body. I have to change the tubing and re-fill my pump every 3 days. In this picture, the blood glucose monitor is on the left & the pump's on the right. When I test my blood with the monitor, it sends the results to the pump, and the pump does the math and gives me the insulin it thinks I need.
It's not as bad as I thought it would be, and when used correctly (as in, remembering the pump is smarter than I am and letting it do what IT wants to do! Ü), it really does wonders for keeping my blood sugars under control. I still have a hard time when I catch another bug, tho. Over the winter I've gained some weight, (which is a side effect to using insulin), so at this point they're starting me on Symlin, which is suppose to control the hunger effects I get from the insulin. Like everything else in life, it goes in circles. (The circle of life, of course!) I take insulin when I eat to control my blood sugars, which in turn makes me hungry so I'll eat something and take more insulin to cover that....which again makes me hungry....and so on and so on. The Symlin is suppose to cut out the hunger part. I'm just on a low dose right now. They're gradually working me up to where I should be. To adjust the Symlin, we have to adjust the amount of insulin I'm getting at the same time, so it takes a little while to get it all mastered. (One thing effects the other, ya know!) Then when I get sick, (even just a touch of something from all the cooties I pick up during the winter...and I've picked 'em up several times this past winter!), that screws up my blood sugars and won't let my insulin work the way it needs to, so I've also been fighting that battle. Sheesh. Good thing I've got excellent doctors now!!
When I'm not battling my health demons or at work, I've been trying to get things done inside the home. I'm a bit of an organizing nut and I like everything in its place and properly labeled so it's easy to find if it's put away somewhere, so I wanted to try to get everything inside the home just the way I want it during the winter months, so when spring gets here I can spend most of my free time outside in the gardens. And you know how I love to garden!! Ü
Here's what the insides of my kitchen cabinets look like, some minus a few supplies:



This one's a lot emptier than usual:

It took me most of this winter to get everything done, and besides washing windows...I think I may be finished! I still have my craft room in the basement to clean out, but I'll need a dumpster for that!...so that project HAS to wait til it's warmer outside. I plan to get rid of most of my crafting stuff, and just keep the things I'll need to use when I re-decorate a room or furniture or make something useful for the home. I'm not going to do regular crafts anymore, so I won't be needing that kind of stuff. And don't worry, what can be donated or recycled WILL BE. Ü
I re-stocked my basement pantry, re-organized all my kitchen cupboards, sorted thru & organized closets (need to do my bedroom closet again, tho!), painted my kitchen, livingroom, dining room furniture, re-decorated a couple walls, you name it! I'm not real happy with the way the color turned out in my kitchen, but I only did two walls in that color, so I'm going to live with it for awhile until I get another urge to re-do that.
My little Kitchen Hutch re-painted:
Living Room I painted, then hand-painted saying on it & added photos:
Bedroom walls didn't get re-painted, I just hand-painted this saying above bed:


My hubby is putting up cedar on the walls of my fitness room in the basement right now, and it's looking beautiful so far! I'll post a pic of it when he's finished.
As far as my job goes, I'm still working at the group home and loving it! It's a challenge sometimes, but it's a very satisfying job.
Money is a little tighter than I'd like, (as it is for everyone right now), but we're hanging in there! I've been working hard on controlling my spending, and for the most part I'm doing pretty good. We both still have our jobs, so we're thankful for that!
All in all, life is pretty good in my neck of the woods. I really can't complain about anything and I have a lot to be thankful for.
Now to start planning those gardens!!!.....

My Loves.....