~Sneak Peek~

This is really not fair. I'm just being a little teaser. Here's what's done so far on the island redo and jazz up makeover. I'm adding feet, some small corbels and some moulding. That should beef it up a bit. Our house doesn't have lots of beefy trim or high ceilings, we live in a cracker box........that's what I call it, so something really beefy wouldn't fit in here. Here's the lovely gray primer, looks blue, but it's actually gray....because I've decided to stick with my original thought and paint it red. AND, I already have my red dining room paint that I can tweak by adding in some craft paint to get the shade I want. Then I don't have to buy any paint. I do that lots, especially for small projects.......just play with the paint I have.
This end is perfect for a little moulding and trim.


I'm also working on redoing a YS chandelier for the kitchen that doesn't fit in the hall where I thought it would, again, low ceilings. I had to completely take it apart and rewire the whole thing because it has to be swagged. It'll be getting a new finish and I think I'll like it so much better than the builders chandy that I sprayed black a few years ago. Oh, it was just 5 bucks, a great find.
Come back next week to see it all finished.
Don't be afraid to try new things like rewiring a light or adding trim, if I can do it so can you!

~Fat Tuesday, Faschnacht Day~

On Shrove Tuesday, the task of making Faschnachts has been passed down for generations. For those of you who don't know what they are, a Faschnacht (German for 'fasting night') is a sweet yeast-based dough, rolled and cut into different shapes, deep fried and sprinkled with sugar -- the whole project takes about seven hours, a lot of kneading and rolling. The old German tradition was to use up all the "fat" in the house before Lent so one could fast.
See the grease on the box! That's fat! They're fried...in fat......
And they are so delicious! Fresh is the best way to enjoy them. They go stale quickly so we usually freeze them individually and pull out of the freezer for a quick sweet treat.
Wipe that drool off your chin!

Seriously what could be better than yeasty fried dough rolled in sugar!? They practically melt in your mouth.

These donuts are from a local church that prepares them every year and believe me they are well known and loved. People stand in line for hours to get them. Our friend Ross gets us a dozen every year. I ate two today. Thanks so much Ross! Do you enjoy these treats too?

~Middle Creek Wildlife~

Yesterday the weather was absolutely gorgeous, by that I mean sunny but still very cold. We hopped in the car for a drive to Middle Creek. Amish buggies are a common sight in this area. That's a manure spreader on the back of the buggy, in case you were wondering.

Middle Creek is a migration stop over for thousands of Canada geese, Snow geese and Tundra swans.

If only I had a powerful zoom lens! There are always people there taking pictures and having picnics in warm weather. The surrounding woods are full of trails for lots of hiking and exploring.

The lake is partially frozen and I was disappointed at the number of birds. I have been here before when there were literally thousands of birds and all you could see was white.

It was such a peaceful drive on a sunny day. Driving through the country and seeing sprawling farms here and there with gigantic silos, wash blowing outside on lines and kids actually playing outdoors, just renews your spirit. We saw the cutest little goats and lambs, plenty of cows and horses and even an oxen. It's so sad to think of the shrinking farmlands being overtaken by urban sprawl. Get outside and enjoy a sunny day, it's refreshing.

Project kitchen island begins tommorrow. I've gathered up the supplies and I'm ready to go. Today I'm rethinking my colors and hope to make a decision. That's the hardest part. Stayed tuned.

~Visiting in NY~

I was visiting my family for the last few days. Seeing how big Mia has grown and all she can do was amazing! It just fills your heart with love. She computes on her mommy's computer.....

she plays keyboard with her big brother.

My G'son is 17 now and has been accepted at PACE university in New York city. He just loves the city!

Now that's a smile that lights up a room. She smiles with her whole face.

She eats and feeds herself and smiles all day.

Two little teeth are so cute.

She plays and plays! Such a busy day, bath time, then off to bed.


She is such a good baby, hardly ever fusses and sings herself to sleep in her crib. Visiting is such a stress reliever for me. But when I was away my dad ended up in the ER again. All is back to normal now and we're having a major weather event with snow, slush and freezing rain.....just when I thought spring was near. (sigh)


The kitchen island is my next project. I've decided to give it a whole new look. Paint it, possibly dark red with some aging, a bit of trim, corbels, and see how that goes. After that I'd like to do something to the shiny white cabinets. I'm thinking of a glaze for an aged effect. I'll have to do some research to learn a good way to do that. Ideas and tips are welcome.The cabinets are ok but they're showing signs of wear.......marks that won't come off and paint wearing thin around the handles.......Change is good right?

How bored we'd be without projects!

~Mom's things~Memories

I have moved Mom from assisted living to a nursing home. Many of her personal things were in her room at assisted living and I had to move those things home with me. This is one of a pair of pretty lamps that belong to Mom. I can remember when she bought them at a lighting store and thinking how expensive they were. At the time she was furnishing an apartment and was buying lots of pretty things. This was shortly after my parents divorced. The shades are actually made from shells. The other lamp is a different style and taller but the shade and the finish are the same. I think they look about perfect in this aqua guestroom. I'll probably place them on the nightstands.

The chair and ottoman were hers too and they also have found a new home in the guestroom. It's comforting to have some of her things in my home. This will be a quiet spot for reading and thinking of her as she was.

Mom is adjusting well to the nursing home or as well as can be expected. I, on the other hand, have been having a hard time with it. Moving her and seeing her in the condition she is now is almost too much for me, needless to say I had a rough week. A nursing home is so different from assisted living but it is where she needs to be because she can no longer walk, has difficulty feeding herself and talking. This is her second week there and so far there have been no problems. While visiting with her she asked if Iwanted her to make supper and about how good sweet potatoes are. In her mind I guess we were at her home and I was staying for supper.

Please keep us in your prayers. I firmly believe in the power of prayers and wish only that my dear Mom not suffer. If you care to read more about this journey with Alzheimer's, click here.

~Artful Blogging~

Off I went to Border's book store to spend some time browsing the aisles full of books. I had my Border's gift card in hand and look what I found.

What a beautiful journal. Published quarterly, it's loaded with useful info on blogging.....how to have a better blog, take better pictures to enhance your posts and much more. Anyone who has a blog can submit articles for publication. Wouldn't it feel wonderful to have your blog featured in a magzine!

I immediately recognized Duda Daze, a blog that I'm familiar with. Her artwork is so cute, she calls it, silly little works of art. If you have a chance go for a visit, you'll get a smile there!

I also recognized The Feathered Nest, another beautiful blog that offers tutorials, crafts, artwork and loads of interesting posts. Stop over for a visit soon, you won't be disappointed.

While at Borders I just had to have a coffee drink, of course! I opted for a coffee milkshake sans the whipped cream, like that makes a difference. So there I was sitting in Borders, sipping, reading and it was so refreshing, so relaxing....just what I needed. I also got a book by one of my favorite authors, Jodi Picoult, Change of Heart. The subjects of her books is sometimes disturbing, but I get drawn into the characters and enjoy her style of writing.

It's so warm here today, near 70! Another day to open the windows to let out the stale air of winter. AHH......hope you all have a great day!

~A Candy bar or a Cookie bar?~

This is all that's left...it was that good! Chocolaty, sweet, salty, gooey AND crunchy! What more could you want?!
Thank you dear daughter #2 for this yummolicious recipe! You come up with some good ones. Since you told me your coworkers read my blog, I'd like to say HELLO and thanks for the great recipes!

This tastes like a candy bar to me but it's supposed to be a cookie bar, here's the recipe,
16 oz. log choc chip cookie dough
1 bag choc chips
18 oz. container caramel apple dip
3 c. rice krispies
1 1/2 c. chopped cashews

• Press the 16 oz. log of choc chip cookie dough into the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan and bake about 20 min. at 350. I broke off pieces and spread them in the pan with my fingers.
• While that's cooling, heat in a small pan, 1 c. choc chips & 1 c. caramel dip. When it's melted add in 3 c. rice krispies. Spread over baked cookie dough.
• Next heat the remaining choc chips, caramel apple dip and add in the chopped cashews. Spread that over the top, that's the 3rd layer. That's all there is to it. Chill it a bit before cutting.
  
  When I made this, I put the cashews on top, but should have added lots more to the 3rd layer. That's how I'll make it next time. I'm a chocoholic so I really enjoyed this treat.

******************

Isn't this little primrose pretty? I spotted it at the grocery store for $1.99 and just had to get it to brighten up the kitchen table. It reminds me that spring will be here soon. I can't wait because this felt like one of the dreariest winters ever.

Today the weather was beautiful. The temperature was near 50 degrees and the sun was shining. I cracked open some of the windows to let out the stale winter air and had a burst of energy...so I cleaned most of the afternoon. Come on spring!

~4U Valentine's day clipart

Feel free to use any of these images as you like! It's my valentine's gift to you.

An early wish for you. Happy Valentine's day from ~the Bunnies Bungalow~