On The Road Eureka Springs Arkansas

 Hello and Welcome to the blog.  Tonight I am sharing some memories inspired by the book I am Featuring on my On The Road Tour this week . . . 

We're taking a virtual road trip to Arkansas.   I chose to make a stop in Eureka, Springs.  The Cowboy and I took a very short overnight little Romantic holiday.

We had two things on our our agenda.  

            A B&B with a hot tub

See the Passion Play

We were only able to stay one night and so we drove down early afternoon and arrived in time for dinner.  We had a lovely meal and then checked in late at the B&B

I loved the character . . .

The hot tub was perfect and soothed the tired bones!  It was romantic too.

I love the period pieces you can usually find in a B&B.

You all know my love of flowers and gardens.  I love water features.

We had so little time we only managed a short walk around the downtown area.

I love old buildings.  

Someday I want to visit the area again. 

When I do I want to visit Quigley Castle. . .  

I can only imagine what this wall if Butterflies looks like in real life . . . 

This small glimpse of the gardens beckon me.   

The house is called a Castle and I think it is.  There are many unique qualities. 

A  bit of interesting  info. From the website . . .

Stones that Mrs. Quigley began collecting as a girl assumed an important part of the house. Working tenderly for three years, Mrs. Quigley covered the outside walls with a collection of fossils, crystals, arrowheads and stones selected from the creek beds for their beauty.  

This is just one of the interesting places I would visit.

Where would you visit?

The Cowboy has his on list.  I'll tomorrow.

Thanks for coming by.  Before I go I want to update you on the Donkeys I told you about yesterday. 

Here is the Magazine article I found about the donkeys.

Burro's On The Boulevard click Here 

And below are links to the other features. 

Quigley Castle click Here 

Benton Place Inn click Here

Good Morning

 

The Donkeys Of Southlake Sharing A Memory

 

This sweet image reminds me of our daughter when she was just a Wee One.  

Someday there are things that happen or things you see that remind you of sweet memories.

When our daughter was 13 she became smitten with Miniature Donkeys.  It was this time of year way back when that we first met the mini's and for her it was Love At First Sight.   

I could ramble on and share memories and reminiscing but this post isn't vso much about that isn't what this post is about today.

Today I am sharing the story of three mini Donkeys that we and many others lived from a far.

Back in 2000 we moved back to Texas to one of few horse properties left in Southlake.  

Not far at a busy intersection lived 3 Mini Donkeys.  We passed them on the way to the feed store or other places.

Donkeys live to be over 30 and many years later they still charmed us until one day we saw construction going on one property.  It was sad the next time we went by and they were gone. 

Months went buy and several businesses were built including a bank.

And then one day we were taking the dogs to the lake and we saw this . . .  

It was hard to take pictures with the sun but there were no cars and so I pulled in and took pictures anyway.

This was a precious site me.

We realized we were not the only ones that loved this family.

When I got home I decided to see if I could find out what happened to these sweet charmers!

They are still sorely missed by the community of Southlake.

“I actually really cried when I found out they had been relocated,” Southlake resident Jo Hyman says. “I know it was for the best, and I am so happy they are living a good life. However, starting my day and ending my day with these creatures was a blessing.”

Other residents, like Frances Scharli and Jennifer O'Brien Thrailkill simply miss hearing them. 

“I loved to hear them bray when I took early morning tennis lessons at Southlake Tennis Center,” Frances says.                    

For many others, the donkeys were a fun way to introduce their children to the old farm feel of Southlake. Families would routinely visit, bestowing the donkeys with affection and treats.

“We would cut up apples and walk over once a week and feed them,” Michelle Woolf says. “It was something we looked forward to. They lived right behind us. We miss them dearly!”

Stephanie Mehan, who has lived in Southlake for a little over two years, got here just in time to enjoy the donkeys. Her kids, Tommy (4) and Evelyn (3), joined her on weekly visits.        

“Having donkeys behind a bank in town is just something you don't see every day,” she says. “We loved spending Sunday mornings there when everything was quiet and just waking up. It was a peaceful few moments in the midst of busy days.”

While they are gone, the donkeys are certainly not forgotten. 

Join me tomorrow when I share the rest of the story . . . 

. . . Here's a hint stop over at M Reading Journeys and visit my Own The Road feature

Today I am Featuring a character interview/guest post.  Click Here

Good Morning

 

The Heritage Heist-Charcter Guest Post Recipe- Great Escapes Tour

 

My character Lois Stone in the Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries loves hot apple cider. She can get lost in the heady scent of cinnamon and the sweet taste of the drink. So I’d like to share the recipe with you today. I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as Lois does.

Recipe for Hot Apple Cider

Ingredients

6 cups apple cider

¼ cup real maple syrup

2 cinnamon sticks

6 whole cloves

6 whole allspice berries

1 orange peel, cut into strips

1 lemon peel, cut into strips

Method

Pour the apple cider and maple syrup into a large stainless steel saucepan.

Place the cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice berries, orange peel and lemon peel in the centre of a washed square of cheesecloth; fold up the sides of the cheesecloth to enclose the bundle, then tie it up with a length of kitchen string. Drop the spice bundle into the cider mixture.

Place the saucepan over moderate heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cider is very hot but not boiling. 

Remove the cider from the heat. Discard the spice bundle. Ladle the cider into big cups or mugs, adding a fresh cinnamon stick to each serving if desired.

My character Lois Stone in the Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries loves hot apple cider. She can get lost in the heady scent of cinnamon and the sweet taste of the drink. So I’d like to share the recipe with you today. I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as Lois does.

Recipe for Hot Apple Cider

Ingredients

6 cups apple cider

¼ cup real maple syrup

2 cinnamon sticks

6 whole cloves

6 whole allspice berries

1 orange peel, cut into strips

1 lemon peel, cut into strips

Method

Pour the apple cider and maple syrup into a large stainless steel saucepan.

Place the cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice berries, orange peel and lemon peel in the centre of a washed square of cheesecloth; fold up the sides of the cheesecloth to enclose the bundle, then tie it up with a length of kitchen string. Drop the spice bundle into the cider mixture.

Place the saucepan over moderate heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cider is very hot but not boiling. 

Remove the cider from the heat. Discard the spice bundle. Ladle the cider into big cups or mugs, adding a fresh cinnamon stick to each serving if desired.

Visit the tour

Click Here

Buy the book  

Available on Amazon click Here

Menu Monday feat. Exclusive Recipe by Author Marc Jedel

 

Welcome I am super excited you are here today. 

 I have a special feature  African Sweet Potato Stew recipe graciously provided by author Marc Jedel.

The  main characters Jonas made the stew in the new book . . . 

You all know I strive to offer good and nutritious meals. This one  will be perfect for the Rustic Dinner Plate!

Let's start with . . .

Cast of Characters aka Ingredients . . .

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion,chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger

½-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more if you like you things spicy)

1 tablespoon mild curry paste or curry powder

1 medium sweet potato (about ¾pound, cubed into ½-inch pieces)

1¼ cups vegetable broth

1 heaping cup baby spinach, chopped

2 cups button mushrooms, chopped

(28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

3 tablespoons peanut butter (crunchy gives the nice crunch of peanuts but smooth is good too, especially if you’re not a big peanut fan)

Optional—2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Serve over rice, freekeh, couscous, or eat plain 

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and cayenne and cook gently for 10 minutes. Add the curry paste, stir well and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the sweet potato and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Add the broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the sweet potato is fork-tender. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes, then stir in the spinach.

Remove a couple scoops of mostly liquid stew to a separate small bowl. Mix with the peanut butter and stir well, then mix this back into the stew. Stir in the cilantro (if you like it) and add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for another few minutes until well mixed.

To serve, ladle the stew into bowls over rice, freekeh, couscous, or plain.  

I'm planning on making mine tonight.  A new and different cozy meal for a chilly day.

Here are my menu plans for the week.

Monday . . . 

African Sweet Potato Stew serving over Steamed White Rice 

Tuesday . . . 

Pork Cutlets, Stuffing and Broccoli 

Wednesday . . .

Spaghetti, Salad, Crusty Bread 

Thursday . . . 

Beef Stroganoff, Egg Noodles and Salad 

Friday 

Seafood Boil Mussels and Shrimp over Cajun Pasta and Salad

Join me Friday when I share my weeks meals on the 

Rustic Dinner Plate

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Simple Sunday

Have A Blessed Day 

 

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Happy Homemaker In Texas

 Good Morning

I hope you are enjoying my new daily Good Morning feature.

And now . . . 

It's time for  my regular feature 

It's a party over at Sandra's she provides the prompts . . .

The weather . . . 

Brr.  It really is winter now.  I know many of you will think I am whimp.  But to us it's cold.

Most days low around 38 and warming to low to mid 50's. 

Cloudy and rainy.  A few days the sun comes out and teases us.

What I am wearing . . . 

I usually put on leggings and a t-shirt because I am just staying around the house.  I add socks and fleece pants to take the dogs out several times a day.  It is cold for them too.  They do thier business lickety split and are ready to come back in. 

On the breakfast plate . . .

The Cowboy hasn't had Chorizo lately.  I will probably offer that with Eggs and Tortillas.

Or I might offer DoNuts I need to go out to the post office.  I like to do my errands early in the day.

On the To Do List . . . 

Post Office (at the hardware store)

Buy potting soil and look for seeds 

Dollar Tree never made it last week 

Change the Hot Chocolate station and use Snowman Winter mugs 

Change bedding to Winter I have never done this before but I have a really pretty throw I found at my MaMa's and I want to use it.  It will make a cute setting for a January  baby picture. 

Did I put clean refrigerator on last weeks list? 

Clean all the mirrors and glass shelves.  I have been out of Vinegar because I can't find it at Kroger or Dollar Tree 

Sweep, Vacuum and Mop we track in lots of dirt 

Clean front porch and spray weed killer in sidewalk and driveway cracks

My Ta Da' moment . . .

Gosh I don't think I have one it was a super busy week.  I should call it my Un Ta Da' Moment.  I missed posting a few days.  I got up on Friday thinking it was Thursday.  Whew.

Something fun to share . . .

Going on a road trip again.  This time I am off to Arkansas to feature this book 

I have lots of fun posts planned for here and at My Reading Journeys.  

Something sweet to share

I received the sweetest book in the mail . . . 

The book is a lovely hardcover with a sweet story.

What was even sweeter was the author signed it for the tour . . .

I am not doing alot of sponsored  book tours anymore since I am doing my own but when a Children's book comes along and a print copy is offered I jump on so I can build our Family Library.

In the studio/craft basket

Finishing up a Junk Journal page for a SWAP . . .

I had 2 partners for this SWAP.  I finished the 1st one and wrote about it over Here

Homemaking tip . . . 

This might sound silly but I try to sweep my kitchen floor in the morning before I do anything else . . . Well after the dogs go out.  

I find that if I don't when I think about it the floor has wet spots from filling ice trays or the dogs bowl.  I don't want to mop an unswept floor so I usually wait.  And then  it ends up lunch time and more mess and then dinner.  And I didn't get it swept.

So I sweep before anything else as in before my Dr. Pepper.

Now if I was super energetic I would sweep again at bedtime but.  Nah.

 

From the camera . . . 

It was pretty waaaay back in 2014. This picture brings back lots of bittersweet memories. 

Scripture/Devo . . 

Source

Have a Sparkly Day

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In The Studio-Playing With Paper & Glue and a SWAP

 Hello I am so glad you stopped in.  I have a fun project to share. . . 

Today I am sharing a Junk Journal page I made for a SWAP we were required to make 1 page front and back in a Botanical theme.

The page is shades of Blue. My photo is bad! On the front I didn't attach the Scalloped piece so that the recipient can choose how to use it.  

I used a large paper clip with a soft pale blue dangle to close the page.

The paper clip also holds some of the goodies on the inside.

But not the Butterflies I punched in shades of Blue.  I hope when she opens the package and the 🦋's fall out and surprise her.

I made several ephemera pieces and Journal cards. I used fibers, fabric and lace.  I also used paper that I dyed.

On the top is a fabric and lace cluster.  I wrapped the fiber around so I could tie the Angel dangle so that was removable . . . 

Another Journal card made from scraps.  I also made a mini notepad from the dyed papers.

A close up.  The Butterfly was punched from paper I painted.  The paper didn't turn out like I wanted but it made a pretty 🦋.

The mini notepad . . .

I am charmed by how each piece of paper I dye is different . . .

 

I hope you can see the faint impression of a doily.

Underneath all the ephemera pieces is Vintage theme postcard.  I used washi Tape to attach it.

Another ephemera piece tucked into a Belly Band made from a paint swatch.  I love the shades of blue.

I actually started the project by doing the back first!  I had piece of paper that had Botanical images.  I chose one and fussy cut it.  I layered it wit a Vintage Dictionary page and glued to Blue Berry died paper. 

I love how the back turned out.  Now I wish I had put it on the front.

When I was done I made a few more pieces from left overs.  I used card stock that I dyed.  on the left is what the card stock looked like before I decorated.  On the right shows the back. I let the paper on front fold over to the back. I liked the effect.

Here are the fronts.  Made completely with scraps.

 

This is the tray that sits on my desk.  I collect the scraps as I work on a project.  When I am done playing with scraps I sort it and put it all away to be ready for my next project. 

I am glad you stopped in.

I hope your day is Sparkly!

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