Responses

First I'll put up a legal disclaimer since idjits at internet central or whatever have nothing more to do than be concerned whether bloggers are fraudulently recommending things for which they are paid to recommend - nothing in this blog is paid for by any being - the Lord provides and the Lord takes away, Blessed is the name of the Lord.

Whew - now pinto bean recipe for Pam - I know she is eating healthier (and has lost a LOT of weight as well as gained energy). By the way, dear Pam - we don't much eat turnips - not a favorite of either of us. If I did - would brush small amount of good olive oil, plenty of salt and pepper - then roast 'em til they are squishy and sweet.

Currently I'm making beans this way:

32 ounce bag dried pinto beans
1 large onion roughly chopped
Garlic – at least two cloves chopped
Two teaspoons of pepper corns
Two small cans diced green chilies
Large can of tomatoes including juice
Two teaspoons ground cumin
One lb. bacon chopped, cooked and drained OR
One 2.8 oz. jar Hormel REAL bacon pieces
Salt to taste


Prepare dried beans by rinsing with clean water and picking out any small pieces of rock or debris. Put beans in a large cooking pot – cover with water and bring to a boil. Turn off heat, cover pan and let sit for one hour – beans will absorb liquid and swell up. If you are picky – drain off water add fresh but I use the soak water – beans are already clean from rinsing. Remove cover; add enough water to completely cover beans. Add to bean pot, Onion, garlic, peppercorns, chilies, tomatoes and bacon - bring to low simmering boil. Cook until beans are softened – adding hot water if water level drops below top of beans. Add salt as soon as beans begin to soften – good way to check if beans are done – take one bean out in a cold metal spoon – blow on it and if the skin breaks open – it is probably quite done!

I also recommend going to the various boards for recipes - Dry Beans
Obviously if your family hates garlic or chilies or whatever – modify – the bacon pieces in a jar are less expensive and WAY less messy than frying up all that bacon.

KathyB -will have to find those B&B pictures and a few recipes - will have to be a whole separate posting. I probably do have a picture of our wedding at the inn.

Lanny - already said I'm going to work at posting more often but I am so committed to a few other things - not sure how well I'll do this - so will try but not covenant to post more often.

Sandra - not at all sure about Scotsmen - one of the few nationalities I have never dated or married! I'd hope they wore something solid color (I'm including skin color in there 'cause I've heard that is most likely what they wear) so wouldn't clash with clan plaid. Question immediately reminded me of the scene in Braveheart where the clans pulled up their kilts in defiance and shone their hineys at enemy soldiers!

Vickie - fellow Texan! Where would I visit IF the world weren't beset by terrorists, economic upheaval and hatred of Americans? - Dream visit would probably be Jerusalem - dream vacation would be a warm tropical beach - have lived on both right and left side of USA map - as well as north and south - love the natural beauty and unique places each state has to offer. But my statement stands - if I had to pick - visit Jerusalem/ stay a while on warm sands in the tropics!

Kathleen - funny you would ask what would I do, recently did a bucket list (things to do before we die) with a bunch of people on WalkerTracker.com -

top would be (I sound like a dimwitted beauty contestant here) something of significance for the Kingdom of God - build a missionary hospital in Ethiopia would top that list. Probably in the list of things I'd be able to do without winning lotto would be stay where we are for as long as we live - then both go to heaven at the same time!

Picture is recent sunrise over the tree line at our place - I mean really - where would I want to be other than right here on Buhlaland. It is good here and I appreciate y'all's interest in my life. Will put up B&B post SOON I promise .

It's a mad plaid world isn't it?

Dear friends and others who read my foolishness - picture is quite irrelevant to what I am writing today . Picture taken last holiday season - me holding a large gift bow on top of my head and attempting to get a picture of my big plaid self. The expression - ah - a thing of beauty is a joy forever - or some such poetic nonsense. I take self portraits in front of our hall tree/mirror in entry way - limits the options but can see myself.

All this aside - I am only a few posts short of putting up my 400th (oh my goodness) blogpost and rather than think of something clever or meaningful (and to prove I'm mentally lazy) I have decided to open the door to potential hazardous topics.

Y'all can ask anything you want - do I wear boxers or briefs? Where did I get my education? Am I a pre/mid or post tribulationist? You send in the question and I'll attempt to answer. Now - I will refuse a question which I cannot answer honestly/truthfully without hurting someone else - fair enough?

No prizes - no guess my weight or anything risky - just questions and answers. I realize I am not Ree Drummond but hope this will be fun for y'all. Oh - yes food questions are great too. Things like how I cook an elephant (very seldom) or my favorite meal ever - or something simple like why does a jelly sandwich always land jelly side down?

Life is great on Buhlaland - incredible autumn weather, within a reasonable time of finishing THE GREAT RENOVATION PROJECT (cue the sound of celestial choirs) and overall knowing we are blessed beyond belief. Our infirmities never block the view of eternity.

Sharing with you an absolute Truth with a capital T -

"My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."
2 Corinthians 12:9

Pumpkins - no frost yet!

We are having a beauty of an autumn season - - local Farmer's Market is overflowing with huge blooming mum plants, every squash and 'punkins sized from teeny little table decor to monstrous huge pumpkinpaloozas!

I am watching my "disposable income" expenses (whoever came up with that term never tried to live within their means) so didn't buy a great number of things - did purchase one of the supersized chrysanthemums and had a moment's hesitation on how to get it home safely. You see the solution - carefully squeezed in passenger's side of the car! It is October - not seeing much of what is traditionally called fall color - but on Buhlaland - we see blue skies, stars at night and lots of deer - that is all good. Hope your autumn is terrific - to everything there is a season.

Our State Fair Is a Great State Fair

You may not recall (probably aren't that old) a movie with Pat Boone and Anne Margaret called State Fair - musical score by Rogers and Hammerstein I do believe. We didn't look much like Pat Boone OR Anne Margaret but here is the modern skyline of Dallas as we drove to Our State Fair in Big D last week. Large white arch is part of new hoity toity bridge project over Trinity River.











Oh My goodness - Girl taking these free digital pictures was obviously more interested in showing the Camaro part than making us look any nicer - but 'tis me and hubby as we entered Chevy Land at the fair.
They had a Chevy with decorations honoring the military on display - really nice.














Can't go to the Fair without watching a little livestock judging - that little gal in the pink shirt was working it like mad - didn't see how she ended up but she was definitely showcasing that animal.

Of course there are lots of pink piglets napping up against gigantic sows.

Picture doesn't show too well - we went to a Stunt Dog Show - the dog onstage with trainer was a 3-legged pit bull - missing a hind leg. The dog was amazing - could jump more than 25 feet into a pool to the right of the stage. All the dogs used in show were rescue dogs from shelters.

Permanent buildings at Dallas Fair Park are all done in an art deco style - very pleasant with big trees and many ponds or fountains around to keep you cooler.

Can't go to Texas State Fair without saying Howdy to Big Tex - those are real clothes he has on - talk about Big and Tall sizes.




I had on my list I wanted to visit the Butterfly house - hotter than blazes in there and very high humidity - all tropical butterflies so you have to go through sort of an airlock to prevent escapes of non native species.

Wild metal sculpture outside Butterfly Exhibit - a butterfly costing over $6000 - no we didn't buy a souvenir of our outing!

We drive west from Dallas - having enjoyed our first visit to the Texas State Fair - it was Senior Citizens Day so entrance was free with parking $15. Didn't eat any of the yearly featured fried foods - took our snacks and purchased bottled water and a coke. It was an inexpensive and great fun day for us - haven't been able to get "away" much and this was just long enough to enjoy and not too exhausting.

We had fun at Our State Fair - it was indeed a great state fair! Back home to Buhlaland with tired feet and big smiles~!