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

Monday, January 18, 2010

Animal Treat Recipes

An animal-lover friend of mine has a little home-based business making pet treats. She's a great gal and makes yummy, healthy treats for our pets that are even safe enough for humans to eat! I thought I'd share her website with you. I'm also including a couple recipes you might want to try yourself!! Ü
Store these in freezer.
Can take out 10 day's worth to store in an airtight jar on counter:

Saesars Lip Lickin Brownies

3 to 3 1/2 lbs of liver, beef or chicken  (I use Chicken, beef tends to be stringy)
1 C whole wheat flour
2 C white flour
1/2 C corn meal
1 med shaker of grated parmesan cheese


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cover cookie sheet with foil, coat with cooking spray, sprinkle lightly with corn meal and set aside. Process liver and garlic in food processor or blender until it looks like milk chocolate. Pour into large mixing bowl and blend in the rest of the ingredients. Spread evenly onto cookie sheet (the mixture will be thick) and sprinkle lightly with corn meal. Bake until no pink is left. I usually bake them for about 30 min for one pan and then turn the oven off but leave the brownies inside until they are cool. Cut in pieces and be ready to be loved by your dog(s). I have yet to meet a dog that doesn't like SLLBs and I think that this is about the greatest bait on earth... Enjoy!!!
DPB Signature Treats

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached or all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup dry powdered milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
(optional)
1/4 cup peanut
butter
1/2 cup chicken
stock
1 egg, slightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine flours, cornmeal, powdered milk, sugar and salt. With a pastry blender or fork,
cut in peanut butter until mixture is crumbly. Stir in chicken stock and beaten egg. Add cold water, 1
tablespoon at a time, until dough forms a ball. On a lightly floured surface, knead dough for 2 to 3
minutes. Pat or roll dough out to a 1/2-inch thick circle. Using a round cookie cutter, cut out treats
and place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until golden. Remove from oven and
transfer biscuits to a wire rack. Let cool completely.


Have Fun!!
~AuntyB~

The New Year: 2010

We're well into the new year, and I've decided I'm going to make a few things priority from now on. For one, I'm going to keep this blog updated!...I've neglected it far too long!! (I'm sorry for that!) I also need to be a little better at keeping in touch at my yahoo group with information on home and garden topics.
The second thing I'm working on is my health. I've kept it on the back-burner for too many years now and it's finally catching up with me, so it's time I make some changes. Since Dr. Oz is the one I trust most, I'm going to follow his advice with what pertains to me as well as I can. I'll probably fail off and on....I'm a sweet junkie....and a carb junkie....and a, well, you get the idea. *lol* But I'm going to do my best to work on my bad habits and make some changes for the better.
As you know, I'm a diabetic. I'm also overweight. I've considered applying to be on the show, "The Biggest Loser", but I'm afraid the first day would kill me! hehe So....I'm on my own. Wish me luck!! Ü

~AuntyB~

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~

My Loves.....