Neighborhood Donkeys

In our neighborhood, four-legged neighbors outnumber actual people by quite a margin. There is no Homeowners Association.  The dozen or so residences here are set on plots of land that measures in acres instead of lots.  A few of my favorite neighbors came to the fence for a visit today.

Donkey in a field of Indian Blankets

On any given morning or evening, you might hear one of the neighbors call to another, " Hee haw, hee haw."  We know their voices well.

Grey and Brown Donkeys in the field.

What is special about your neighborhood?  What sounds do you hear often?

Donkey at the fence line.

What is the view from your window?  Taking these photos today gave me a better perspective about where I live.  Sometimes we forget how blessed we are.  My home isn't perfect.  It needs a lot of work.  What a blessing.  I have a home!  It offers lots of future potential blog topics about home repairs!

Donkey gathering.

The neighborhood of my childhood was in Temple, OK. Neighbors visited each other along fence lines and at kitchen tables.  Mom and Dad enjoyed regularly scheduled domino games with a group of neighbors.  It was friendly and familiar.  Do your neighbors get together for leisurely activities? 

Camera shy donkey.

As the camera comes out, someone is bound to protest or silently turn and walk away. There are all kinds of personalities in the neighborhood.  A handful are happy to pose and smile, while others prefer to go unnoticed.

Donkeys and wagon wheel.

Every group has a leader.  I was able to get more photos of this cute little donkey than all the others put together.  If he isn't the leader, he is certainly the most curious or sociable towards people.

Donkey grazing through fence.

He is looking for the greener grass on the other side of the fence.

Papa's wagon wheel flower pot and donkeys.

Papa attached this old iron cauldron to a pair of wagon wheels on an axle to and turned it into a flower pot for Nanny about fifty years ago. HUBBY just planted a day lily in it for me.

Adorable donkey face.

What a face, I love his mug!  Taking these photos of him was so much fun.  Looks like he enjoyed the attention just a little bit, too.

Handsome grey donkey.

I wish you could see the grey fellow better.  He is the most handsome donkey in the entire little group.

Just a nibble from the other side of the fence.

Is the grass greener on the other side of the fence?  Should we get to know our neighbors?  Do you just want to hug his neck and give him a nice scratch behind his ears?  What do you hear and see in your neighborhood?  I love to read your comments.  If you have photos of your neighborhood, please share!

I hope you enjoyed getting to know my neighbors.  Have a great day!

Mother's Day Memories and Corsage Tutorial

Honoring Mom

 

In honor of Mother's Day, I propose that we do something to honor our Mothers. I am changing my facebook profile photo to this one of my Mother from now till after Mother's Day.

Mom, Christmastime, 1973

 

Also, I've recently spent time on Family History work.  She would be thrilled, and probably flabbergasted, about that one.  As mentioned in a previous post, I spoke to the Johnson County Genealogical Society about using facebook and other social media as a way to promote their endeavors.  One post wasn't enough.  My excitement about the recent release of the 1940 U.S. Census led to a follow-up post, too.

For many years, a Mother's Day tradition was observed in our family.  We all went to church together, and  we all wore corsages or boutonnieres.  The corsages and boutonnieres were special.  They were always made from carnations.  A red carnation was worn by everyone whose Mother was still living on this earth.  If she lived in Heaven, then it was tradition to wear a white carnation.

I remember one Mother's Day when the kids were young.  I bought silk carnations, floral tape, and chenille stems.  Mom came to visit for the whole weekend.  We stayed up most of the night Saturday night making boutonnieres and corsages.

For the last ten Mother's Days, I have been eligible for the white carnation corsage.  If you're blessed to be a candidate for the red carnation, I hope you can spend some quality time with your Mom on her special day.  

Dollar Store Corsage

My dollar store was sold out of carnations, but how about a white dollar store orchid corsage?

Want to make one?  Check out the Candy Box Tutorial.  Follow directions exactly, just use a pin to wear it and don't worry about the candy container. 

This post is shared at:

Sincerely, Paula:  NO RULES Weekend Blog Party #45

Truffles for Mom - 30 Minute Recipe

Truffles so delicious, you'd never guess the ingredients or how simple they are to make.  The prep time is only 30 minutes, and you can make a full 48 servings for about ten dollars.

My ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE church girls class made these yummy Truffles for their Moms for Mother's Day. This recipe is from the Kraft website:

What You Need

1 package (8 ounces) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1 package (15.5 ounces) OREO Cookies, finely crushed (about 4-1/4 cups), divided

2 packages (8 squares each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

Make It

MIX cream cheese and 3 cups cookie crumbs until well blended. 

 

SHAPE into 48 (1-inch) balls. Dip in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs. 

 

REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator. 

I have made or helped to make this Truffle recipe three times, twice with my girls.  One of my girls planned and directed this truffle making activity for the whole class.  They are best class ever, and the truffle recipe is pretty amazing too. Years ago, I bought some truffles on a few different occasions when they were made by volunteers and sold to raise money for Plaza Theatre Company.  I was so surprised when I discovered the ingredients.  I'd never have guessed the filling was made of crushed Oreos and cream cheese!

Need a cute gift box for these? Check out the The Candy Box Tutorial post.
I hope you enjoy this Oreo Truffles recipe.  I'd love to hear all about it, so please comment.  If you make some, send me a photo!

Kraft Kitchens Tips

How to Melt Chocolate

Place unwrapped chocolate squares in microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 2-1/2 min. or until chocolate is completely melted, stirring every 30 sec. 

How to Easily Dip Truffles

To easily coat truffles with the melted chocolate, add truffles, in batches, to bowl of melted chocolate. Use 2 forks to roll truffles in chocolate until evenly coated. Remove truffles with forks, letting excess chocolate drip back into bowl. Place truffles on prepared baking sheet; let stand until firm.

How to Store

 

Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator. 

This recipe is shared at:

 Sincerely, Paula: NO RULES Weekend Blog Party #46


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