Beef Enchilada Casserole Recipe

 

Beef Enchilada Casserole Recipe

45 min | 15 min prep
SERVES 6 -8

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 lb ground meat
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 (10 3/4 ounce) cans creamy chicken verde soup
• 1 (4 1/2 ounce) can chopped green chiles
• 1 1/2 dozen corn tortillas, cut into triangles
• 2 (10 ounce) cans red enchilada sauce, divided
• 1 (16 ounce) can chili beans drained and rinsed
• 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• black olives, sliced (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lightly grease a 13x9x2-inch baking dish.
3. In large skillet, begin browning meat with onions.
4. Add garlic, ground chili powder, cumin, salt and red pepper.
5. Cook until beef is brown and crumbly; drain.
6. Stir in soup and green chiles, beans and enchilada sauce; reserve 1/2 can sauce to pour over top.
7. Line prepared baking dish with tortillas triangles.
8. Spread 1/3 mixture onto tortillas.
9. Evenly sprinkle with 1 cup cheese.
10. Layer more tortillas.
11. Cover with meat mixture.
12. Evenly sprinkle with 1 cup cheese.
13. Repeat again ending with cheese.
14. Evenly spoon remaining can of enchilada sauce on top.
15. Bake for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
16. Garnish with sliced black olives and sour cream if desired.

Serve with a green salad with spicy ranch dressing.  Ole’!

Have I Mentioned How Much I Hate Laundry?

Have I mentioned that I despise doing laundry?  I hate it SO much that I actually stopped on my way home from work to buy a new pair of jeans so that I wouldn’t have to come home and wash clothes.  That’s just ridiculous!  Not only is it ridiculous it didn’t work out for me.  I couldn’t find any jeans that I liked.  For some reason all the stores around here have stopped carrying my Levi’s.  Who can I talk to about this?  Does anyone have Levis Straus’s phone number?  What if I NEVER find my jeans again?  What will I wear?  I refuse to wear anything else except maybe yoga pants and that won’t fly at work.  I wear jeans to work everyday and I’m not sure that I could ever go back to business attire.  We have a very casual office.  Advertising agencies are the greatest when it comes to dress code! 

You would think that I could manage to do the laundry for 2 people.  My husband bought me a new energy efficient front load washer and dryer about a year ago.  They are very nice but the new wore off VERY quickly.  I always have a washed load in the washer that sometimes gets left in so long they have to be re-washed.  There is always a tub in the dryer and one on the bed in the guest bedroom.  Let’s not even discuss the 5 loads that are piled up in the floor of my newly redecorated laundry room.   Nor will we discuss the pile in our bathroom.  

I did manage to wash one load when I got home so that I wouldn’t have to wear the yoga pants tomorrow but I’m still going on a mission this weekend to find reinforcements.  See you at the mall.

Black Bean, Corn and Rice Salad

(not actual picture)

Ingredients:
1 cup rice, cook as directed but use chicken broth instead of water
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
2 T. chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 avocado, diced
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained & rinsed
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic, lime juice, vinegar and cumin. Add red onions, parsley, avocado, green pepper, corn and beans and toss to coat.

I took this to a pool party  back in the summer and received many compliments. It's great for summer because it is made without mayo but don’t be scared to make it in the fall either.  I like to take it to work for lunch.

RIO GRANDE LIMEADE

• 2 (12 oz) cans frozen limeade concentrate, thawed and undiluted
• 3 cups tequila
• 3 cups water
• 2 cups orange liqueur
• 1 cup fresh lime juice
• garnish with lime slices

Stir together first 5 ingredients. Chill 8 hours. Serve over ice and garnish if desired.
This recipe makes a perfect margarita, not too tart, not too sweet. Enjoy with chips and salsa. Ole'!!
I'll be having these after my siesta or maybe a siesta will be needed afterwards…

It Just Takes One Great Attitude

It just takes one great attitude to set the tone for the day.  My usual route to work was backed up for about a mile and at a complete stand still this morning.  Ugh!  I managed to get over and turn around and go another way which takes me through about a million red lights but will eventually get me back on the freeway headed in the correct direction.  I live about 23 miles from where I work and it usually takes anywhere from 35-50 minutes to get there.  It was inevitable that I was going to be late to work and I was frustrated to say the least.  I decided to stop off at the Chic-fil-A and get me some Chicken Mini's so that I could have breakfast while sitting through the red lights. 

I was greeted by perhaps the MOST positive person I have ever encountered at a drive through window.  He must have gotten him some last night!  He reminded me of what a beautiful day it was and that the sun was shining.  He was a real delight!  I have decided to take his positive attitude to work with me today.  I figure if he can feel that good about life working the drive through window at Chick-fil-A then I should stop whining about sitting in the gray cube.  After all, it's Friday and my cube does have a window!!!  I hope you all have a sunshine filled day!

Eat, Drink and be Merry

I love this Doctor
Q: Doctor, I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life. Is this true?
A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it... don't waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.
Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.
Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?
A: No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine, that means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made out of grain. Bottoms up!
Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
A: Well, if you have a body and you have fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc.
Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?
A: Can't think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain...Good!
Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?
A: YOU'RE NOT LISTENING!!! ..... Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they're permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?
Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?
A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.
Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
A: Are you crazy? HELLO Cocoa beans ! Another vegetable!!! It's the best feel-good food around!
Q: Is swimming good for your figure?
A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.
Q: Is getting in-shape important for my lifestyle?
A: Hey! 'Round' is a shape! Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.
And remember:
'Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming 'WOO HOO, What a Ride'
AND.....For those of you who watch what you eat, here's the final word on nutrition and health. It's a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting nutritional studies.
1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
3. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
4. The Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
5. The Germans drink a lot of beers and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

Chill in the Air

We finally have a cool breeze in the air here in Cowtown.  Yee Haw! Now I’m ready for wreaths on the door, cinnamon candles, Halloween candy, ghouls and goblins, campfires, sweaters, yard work, walks thru the leaves and a big bowl of Chili.

Who Did She Do To Get That Job?

Sitting in this gray cubicle is making me crazy! What a waste of a beautiful day. I despise being stuck inside on beautiful days, especially in spring and autumn. I'm not sure how I ended up in corporate America. I remember being so excited when I got my first job at an ad agency. It sounded SO glamorous. NOT! Accounting is Accounting whether it is for a Electrical company or in Advertising. Totally boring, same thing day in day out. Why couldn't I have been just a wee bit smarter and went into a more exciting line of work. Say, the travel industry for example.
As I look through my cubicle window at the lovely view of the parking garage (yes, I should be working) I am wondering how that geeky chick (Samantha Brown, aka Lucky Bitch) on the Travel Channel got her job. I mean, who what did she have to do to land that job? Traveling around to exotic locals, staying in 5 star hotels, laying on beautiful beaches, tasting wine, zip lining through jungles and getting paid to do it. I think I missed that job posting. I can only imagine what the qualification requirements were for that position....

1. DEMONSTRATE ABILITY TO LOOK GREAT IN A BATHING SUIT. A few years back I would have met that requirement, before I started sitting on my butt in an ad agency. Every year spent sitting at this desk seems to make it spread wider.
2. MUST ENJOY FOOD PREPARED BY WORLD CLASS CHEFS. That's pretty much a no brainer and another reason for the wide track. I love to eat other people's cooking because I sometimes get tired of my own.
3. PROFICIENCY IN RIDING A ZIP LINE. That has to be way easier than the zigzagging that I do during my hour long commute in rush hour traffic.
4. AVAILABILITY TO TRAVEL. I do this daily to the cube and back again.
5. FLEXIBILITY TO STAY IN 5 STAR HOTELS or SWANK SPAS. I think I can handle this one too!

I'm sorry I missed that job posting on Monster when they were doing their recruiting. I think I will get my resume together just in case Samantha gets a better job offer. Yea, right.

If You Can’t Hang With the Big Dogs

I have a thing for porches. I would rather hang out on a porch than anywhere else!

Hillbilly  and I spend a lot of time on our porch.  A porch is a great place to watch the world go by...

Actually, I don't really need an entire house at all. Just a porch attached to a bathroom is all I need to be happy.

If you can't hang with the big dogs, stay on the porch!

Too Much Time On My Hands!

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Italian Pasta Salad, aka Oodles of Noodles

We were going to a birthday party last night and I wanted to take something that went with what the hostess was making. The theme of the night was Italian. I decided to make a pasta salad & bruschetta. It was really good. Here is what I did...
these measurements are not exact, I made this recipe up as I was preparing it so you may need to adjust

Italian Pasta Salad

• 18 oz tri-color pasta, cooked and drained ( I have also used fettuccine, my niece calls it Oodles of Noodles when I do that.  Feel free to use what you want)
• 2/3 cup sliced black olives
• 2/3 cup sliced green olives with pimento
• 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup grape tomatoes
• 2/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1/4 cup fresh basil
• 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley

Mix all together.
Now for the dressing

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 t. sugar
• the juice of half a lemon
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• salt and pepper

Mix all together and let set in the fridge for awhile before serving.

"She's Like the Wind" Video-Patrick Swayze RIP

Patrick Swayze Passes Away: Wake-Up Video » MTV Newsroom

I absolutely loved to watch Patrick Swayze dance.  He was very talented and he was a Texas boy to boot.  I watch Dirty Dancing everytime it comes on TV and I own the DVD.  I think it is a great story and it makes me tear up everytime I see it.  The link above is Patrick Swayze's "She's Like The Wind" video.

I suppose that he is "like the wind" now.

Stuffed Animal Talent Shows

I have taken a walk down memory lane this morning with sister. She has reminded me of all of the totally dorky things we did when we were kids. Stuffed animal “talent shows” were featured daily in my room using the bed as a stage. A combined talent of over 20 stuffed animals performed acts unique to their made-up identities that lived in my head (quite possibly schizophrenic in nature). We had a red hound dog that we named Elvis and naturally he always sang Elvis songs such as “You aint nothing but a hound dog”. This particular stuffed animal was won at the State Fair by my dad by throwing baseballs at coke bottles. Daddy could have been a major league pitcher, he had a scout try to recruit him when he was in High School but he chose a very different path instead. This trip to the fair was the only fun memory that I have of my dad. Then there was “Limber Jack” which was a gymnast that performed Mary Lou Redden type moves effortlessly. He always scored a perfect 10! I’m sure that he was  friends with Gymnastic Barbie (Mary) and probably went on several camping trips with her in the Barbie Camper (Barbie Campy as sister called it). Camping trips were big at our household as the only experiences that I had with travel were from going camping with the Girl Scouts. The living room served as the great outdoors for our Barbie’s. All would load up in the Barbie Campy and we would travel across country to the living room and set up camp. Good times…..... 
Sister also reminded me of my geeky hobby of collecting rocks (still do this). When I was in the 2nd and 3rd grade we lived on a ranch and there wasn’t just a whole lot to do so I picked pretty rocks up and collected them in my little red wagon. I was obsessed with this and looked for new ones everyday on our long gravel road. All was good until the cows knocked over my collection and stomped them into the ground. I remember the devastation when I discovered the trampled rocks. They were imbedded in the dirt and I wasn’t sure that I would ever be able to pick all of them up. I cried for hours. This is one of Hillbilly’s favorite childhood stories of mine and to celebrate it he bought me a tiny red wagon a few years back to put my new rock collection in. Everywhere that I go on vacation I bring back a rock and add it to my collection. I’m also still playing Barbie’s with my grandkids. Just last night me and Angel took a camping trip with the Weebles. Yes, we have a Weeble campy! Funny that I chose this particular toy when shopping for Angel when she was a toddler. Perhaps I am not finished living my childhood. Hopefully this will keep me young. I’ll have to discuss this with Mr. Bunny tonight when I make him talk for the girls. They think he is HALARIOUS and so do I!....

The Bitch I am Today

The harassment started in Junior High and didn't stop until I left  school as a Junior. I couldn't take the constant harassment and fear for my life anymore. I was a quiet honor roll student and excelled in English and was the top English student before this began. Because of my shyness I became an easy target. I remember the day it began. There was one little girl in my group of friends that was just a little meaner than the rest. She made fun of me in class one day to make the boys laugh and that's all it took. The trouble grew and festered, each child feeding off the other until soon the entire school including the class above ours joined in on the fun. Every time I changed classes someone yelled obscenities at me or tripped me or shoved me or hit me. During P.E. I would be tripped and shoved and made fun of as I ran the bases during games. Girls would follow me home threatening to beat me up almost daily. Sometimes I would walk home by going the opposite direction of my house, taking twice as long so that they wouldn't be able to find me. My only friend moved away right before we entered High School and I had nobody to stand by my side at the new scary school. The bullying went on even outside of school activities and soon all of the High School bullies joined in on the fun. Whenever I was seen out and about in town I would have to worry about being beat up and humiliated. One night I had to lock myself in my boyfriend's truck to escape from an angry crowd of teenage girls. I was scared to do ANYTHING! My grades suffered and my only friends became the drop out (freak) crowd. I could hang out with them without any worry of the bullies. Due to the trauma that I endured I ended up hating school. This is a shame and I never made it to college. I don't think that I have gotten over it to this day (need to work on this). This probably made me the bitch I am today.
When First Born was in High School she had a similar incident and I nipped it in the bud quickly. There was NO way in hell that I was going to let that happen to her. Thankfully my intervention worked and she went on to enjoy school. Mini Me didn't have to worry about bullies because I think I made her a little too tough. She didn't put up with anything from anyone. But she is a strong woman now and stands on her own two feet.
It's my belief that children that bully others should be expelled from school or put in an alternative program away from the children that want an education. Our educators need to open their eyes to what is going on and take action. Parents need to take this very seriously and do everything in their power to put a stop to what is happening to their children. If the child comes to you and tells of being bullied please don't take it lightly. It will not get better on it's own. Immediate action should be taken before it seriously alters the child's life.  I’m just sayin….

Broccoli-Cauliflower Salad

I made this for the hungry ones the other day and they gobbled it up!
Broccoli-Cauliflower Salad
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Ready In: 25 Minutes
Servings: 8
"Crunchy broccoli and cauliflower florets are tossed with salty bacon, cheddar cheese, and a mayo dressing."
Ingredients:
1  1/2 cups broccoli florets
1  1/2 cups cauliflower florets
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
6 slices bacon
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Directions:
1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Crumble and set aside.
2. In a medium sized salad bowl, layer in order the broccoli, cauliflower, cheese and bacon.
3. Prepare the dressing by whisking together the mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar. Drizzle dressing over top and serve.

The Epitome of Laziness

An entire day off from work has been wasted due to this nasty laziness. I don't know how it happened, I was always such an active person. Always a list of projects and places to go. I cleaned house every Friday night or Saturday morning whether it needed it or not. I'm not talking just dusting and vacuuming, I'm talking serious cleaning like washing all the bathroom rugs, scrubbing floors on my hands and knees and cleaning base boards. That was after I got home from my full time job and walked on the treadmill for an hour. Home cooked meals were made probably 5 out of 7 nights a week, not to mention coaching Mini Me’s softball team and carting kids and friends to various places. There were also party's every weekend to attend or host and I was always remodeling a house or moving to another one. Out of town with friends, going to the lake and Girls night with my friend doing our nails and watching our favorite show were also part of my normal routine. Now it's all I can do to cook dinner after I get home from work. Speaking of cooking, hold on I'm burning something....
I'm not sure what went wrong or changed but the laziness has set in. TV is my new best friend and I absolutely love to sleep now. And what's even stranger is I like it and I'm fine doing it. Perhaps it's because I'm tired or just simply getting older. Maybe aliens have invaded my body and are using it as an energy source. I'll sit here and ponder the possible reasons while my feet are kicked up on the coffee table as I watch re-runs of Law and Order. It will be time for sleep soon:)

Don’t Ever Forget

Get the tissue ready.

Toes in the Sugar Sand

This is a photo from my trip last year to Orange Beach when Mini Me was living in Mobile. The girls thought that if they clapped the dolphins would come up to the boat. It must of worked because they were swimming all around us.
It was the Rae Rae’s 2nd birthday so I flew down and rented a place on the beach. The birthday party was at daughter Mini Me’s in-law’s beach house (townhouse). Those people down in Bama know how to entertain! They wined and dined me for days and took me out on their boat for a dolphin excursion. You can’t even imagine the seafood they prepared for us. I can’t wait until they come to visit us here in Texas. I’m going to reciprocate by making them some good ole Texas barbeque and some Tex-Mex.
I surely wish I were there now with my toes in the sugar sand and a drink in my hand!

Department of Public Safety

I'm not sure why they call it that. I never feel safe when I'm there. I actually feel quite threatened. It's a room full of people in the worst possible mood due to the long lines and aggravating paperwork. People from 3rd world countries that do not understand the English language lurking in the corners. There were an abundance of elderly people and I'm not sure but I am guessing that once you hit a certain age you have to prove your alive by showing up at the DPS to renew your license. An older man named Morris Gandhi felt compelled to recruit me to fill out his paperwork when he could not convince the state employee to help him. I must have “sucker” written on my forehead.  He said he was handicapped from a stroke. Maybe he should reconsider driving if he is does not have the ability to hold a pen. I’m thinking he needed help because he cannot read English not because of a stroke. Yet another reason not to drive on our roads. But-- since I was number 32 and we were only at 6, I went ahead and helped the man out. That was my good deed for the year.
I am quite sure that my safety was at risk by entering this dilapidated building. It has to be extremely old because I remember going there to get my DL when I turned 16. There was evidence of water damage on the ceiling, It was apparent that the ceiling tiles were about to fall on my head and I swear there was black mold.
Needless to say I will not let my license expire again! If I’m lucky I won't have to go back until I am of the age that I must  prove to the state that I am alive.

Better Than a Dirt Nap

Getting older is gross! grotie to the max, disgusting, despicable and down right embarrassing sometimes. Definitely not for the faint at heart (no pun intended). It sneaks up on you like a snake in the grass and is just as slimy. Where do the wrinkles come from? They were not there last month, I'm quite sure. One day you wake up and look in the mirror and there they are screaming "YOUR OLD"! You reach for the bottle of Intense Moisture Cream and slather it on but it's too late...they aren't budging.
Reading glasses are quite sexy, aren't they? I noticed the waning eyesight while shopping one day in Wal-mart about a year or so ago. I was trying to read the ingredients on the back of the Intense Moisture Cream and I couldn't make out the words. I thought that it was the lack of light and/ or that the type on the package was smaller than normal. WRONG! It was my eyes screaming "YOUR OLD". I now must keep "readers" spread around the house and on my desk at work. But I draw a line at wearing them around my neck!!! I keep that one on my ABSOLUTELY NOT list right under SAS shoes and bathing suit dress! No matter how fat or old I get I REFUSE to purchase SAS shoes or a swim dress as those definitely scream "YOUR OLD & FAT"!!!!
And then there is the ever-popular gray hair! At first you only have a couple at a time and so you just simply pull them out every time you look in the magnifying mirror (with your readers on) because this is the only time that you can really see them. As time goes by they seem to multiply like rabbits until you can no longer keep up by pulling them. You then tell yourself that there is no reason to try to hide it and that you have earned these gray hairs and you are going to wear them with pride. Your fine with it until your children start suggesting that you should color your hair and your sister asks you if you know that your hair is gray. Back to Wal-mart you must go with your readers in your purse on a mission for the perfect hair color. Might as well pick up more Intense Moisture Cream while you're there.
I'm sure there are some positives to getting older but my memory is so bad (an additional result of getting older) I can't seem to remember them! All in all, I guess getting older is better than the alternative (dirt nap) so I think I will try adjusting to this new less appealing way of life and head up to Wal-mart.

Memories of the Ranch Part III

It is very strange to me that I remember so much about living at the ranch. I was only 7 & 8 years old and I remember very little about being 9. Weird! I have written the Life on the Ranch posts mainly for my daughters and nieces to read. I thought they should know a little about me and sister’s childhood
Promises were made to get Momma to move that far from her parents. I remember being promised horses and learning to ride once we got settled but the only horse we ever had was an old grey mare. We couldn't ride it at all and I'm not sure why but I remember my dad and great grandpa soaking it's legs in the creek down by pen. I'm guessing that it had arthritis or something due to old age. Do horses get arthritis? Whatever... One time my little friend from down the main road brought her horse over to our house. It was a Shetland pony. I don't think Momma let us ride it though. So much for the horses. I wouldn't actually ride a horse until we moved back to the city and I went to a horse riding girl scout camp for a week. That was fun!
School in Podunk was quite an adventure for the big city girl. All 12 grades went to the same school. I got to ride the school bus for miles. We stopped and picked up some very interesting kids along the way too. There was the boy that was missing a couple of toes from a farming accident that lived at the dairy. I don't think he owned any shoes because he was always barefoot and his feet were always dirty. He actually had to milk cows before he got on the bus in the morning. I couldn't help but stare at the 3 toe boy, it always freaked me out beyond words but I also always felt a little sorry for him. The next stop was the red headed rich girl that lived in the beautiful ranch house on the hill. She was really mean! The little person also rode our bus. That was the first time I even knew little people existed. I had lead a very sheltered life.
I was well liked at that school. Everyone wanted to be friends with the "city girl" (the only time I was ever "popular"). I don't think they got many news kids out there. I kissed a boy for the first time in 3rd grade. He was the popular boy and all the girls were jealous. That's pretty much all I remember about school other than the time that I took my  sister  to school with me. It was the end of of the school year and if you had a brother or sister that would be starting school the next year they could ride the bus with you and spend the day at school. It was sort of a Podunk orientation. Anyway, sister loaded up on the school bus with me and off we went. All was good until someone informed me that I had brought her on the wrong day. I'm not sure what the teachers did with her that day but I remember being totally embarrassed.
Country life was very different compared to everything I was used to. Even acquiring food was different. At the ranch it actually grew in a garden behind the huge shed where one of the tractors was parked. Rows and rows of veggies. I learned a lot from the garden, things like potatoes grow UNDER the dirt and that it's incredibly fun to dig in the dirt to find them. It was like a game. The tractor would bust up the dirt and then it was my job to dig out the potatoes. I also learned the difference between a few and a couple. I was sent to the garden one night by my dad to get "a couple of onions" (which are very fun to pull up) and I came back with an arm load. I was scolded for pulling too many. It really hurt my feelings and I'm still pissed about it. We had watermelon galore and could eat the middle out of them and throw away the rest. It was watermelon heaven. Berries and Polk Salad grew wild all over the ranch and I remember picking berries and hunting the Polk Salad with my great grandmother. Our fingers would turn purple which is great fun to a child. Momma and Ma would make the greatest pies with the berries. It was pretty labor intensive because the berries had big seeds in them and had to be mashed through a colander and then made into pies. Uhg! I can still hear her griping about it. Maybe that's why my mom doesn't bake now.
Living on the ranch was a great experience and I learned a lot in the 2 or so  years we were there. I wish I were able to live somewhere like that now. I would like to be in a place where berries grow wild in the fence lines and going to school barefoot is acceptable. My grandkids could visit in the summer and make memories that they would never forget. Who knows we might even have horses we could actually ride...

Memories of the Ranch Part II

Our house was a couple of miles down the main road, about a mile down a dirt road, across a cattle guard and past the barn from Ma's and Pa's house. Like I said, this was a LARGE ranch. From what Momma has told me this house was a dilapidated old frame house. But I remember it as being a wonderful, fun place. Granddaddy (Mom's dad) fixed the house up and made it livable for us. Granddaddy was a self employed house painter with lots of time on his hands. He was the handy one in our family and could build/fix anything. I think he loved the ranch more than anyone. He would come up to visit and work on our house and fences and fish in the lake and hunt for birds. We always looked forward to Granddaddy coming to visit because we didn't know anyone in BFE. Sister used to follow him around on his heels and ask "Whatcha gonna do now Graaaannnddaaaaaadyyyyy". We still say that today.  He didn't sit still when he was at the ranch...always working on something. I remember going fishing with him at the lake we had on the ranch. Granddaddy, Momma, me and sister in small wooden boat slowly cutting through the Lily pads. It was magical and a little scary to me. We weren't allowed to make a sound because Granddaddy said we would scare the fish off. I think the real reason was that he just didn't want to answer a million questions. I think I remember Momma falling out of the boat one time but I may be mistaken. I do however remember her falling down the bank of the river one time. It scared me and sister to death, we thought she was going to drown. Momma had us VERY scared of the water and pretty much everything else. The swimming lessons that Momma enrolled me in didn't help. I actually took lessons in a lake while we lived there. Not a pool, but a muddy lake. Podunk!!!!
There were A LOT of things I was scared of at the ranch. The cows were a great source of anxiety for me. I even had a dream one time that a talking cow stuck it's head through the window of my bedroom and had a conversation with me. It was super creepy and I still remember it!!!! Another scary occurrence was when school let out early and Momma wasn't at the end of our dirt road to pick me up. I remember I had taken my shoes off on the bus and then had to walk down the mile long road on the hot red sand. I made it to the cattle guard but that's where i lost it. I had two choices, I could either continue down the road and walk through the cows or sit down and put my shoes on by myself and walk through the orchard (full of stickers) that came out behind our house. It was quite a decision, I think I just sat there and cried and Momma came along soon after that. That was awful scary for a city girl. I have already told my rock collection/cow story in another post so I'll skip that one. "Checking" the cows was a special treat. Sometimes we would get to go with Daddy and Pa when they went to check the cows. We got to ride in the back of the pickup and kick out hay along the way. I think they checked on them every morning and every night and I suppose they did this just to make sure that none of them were sick. For me it was a reason to get to ride in the back of the truck! Ma had names for all of her special pet cows which is quite weird considering they would either be sold or eaten later.
Storms, snakes and stray dogs were also scary things at the ranch to a 7 year old. I remember having a tornado warning and going down the road to a friend of Mom's and getting in her storm cellar. It was a creepy, damp hole in the ground. It may quite possibly have been a portal to hell. I believe that being sucked up by a tornado would have been preferable to hanging out in the dark portal to hell with the strange trailer house people. Once a tornado went right behind our house and through our orchard. I remember Momma looking out the window and I remember the noise but I'm not sure that we knew it was a tornado. Someone at school told me about the tornado going through our orchard. The snake story is a slightly amusing story. We had a big screened in porch on our house and the washer and dryer were on this porch. This porch was also the front entrance to our house. Now that I think about it that's sort of gross! Anyway, we were coming back with groceries one day and Momma spotted a snake. She beat it to death with my baseball bat. How about that city girl??!!!! But, the scariest thing that ever happened was when sister almost choked on a cough drop while we were waiting on the school bus. The school bus wouldn't come down our road to pick me up (too far and snaky) so Momma took me down to the main road to load up on the bus. Once we saw the bus coming I would get out of the truck and walk across the road. This particular morning as I got out to walk across the road there were some stray dogs coming our way.  Sister saw them and freaked and sucked her cough drop down her throat. It seems like Momma beat on her back for an hour before she was able to breath again. I thought she was going to die! Really! And while all of this was going on I was still worried about the dogs attacking us. I'm not sure if I ended up going to school that day or not. I know that I didn't ride the bus that day because i was way too upset! That was one of my most traumatic experiences EVER.
Life really is hard on the farm, isn't it? Hard for 3 city girls anyway.
See part three for the last of my memories of the ranch.

Memories of the Ranch

My family spent two or three years living on a cattle ranch when I was a small child. I have a lot of memories from the ranch considering the fact that I was only 7 and 8 when we lived there. I decided to write about this because I don't think sister remembers and I'm sure that my girls haven't heard all of these stories and I think they will enjoy them.
Daddy moved us to my Great Granddaddy's ranch when I was 7 and we lived there for two years. I'm not sure how Daddy convinced my citified, girly girl of a mom to move to BFE but he did. Mother hates animals and the outdoors and is allergic to EVERYTHING. She is more into primping and city lights and seriously does NOT enjoy anything outside whatsoever (not sure how my love of the outdoors happened). She doesn't even like to sit outside so I still can't believe she agreed to move to the country. It must have been the promise of lots of money and the good life. I remember the promise of horses and learning to ride, I'll talk about that later.

"The Ranch" was located on the Red River in North Texas on the border of Oklahoma and Texas. It was a several thousand acre working cattle ranch and had Red River waterfront, it's own small lake, stock ponds and beautiful fields. The cattle ranch was one of three different ranches/farms that my Dad's Granddad owned. I'm not sure where the other ranch was but he had a cantaloupe/cotton farm in west Texas somewhere. Pa was a self made millionaire and he and my Great Grandmother lived like paupers. They lived in the "Main House" which was a stone ranch hand house surrounded by large oak and pine trees. The kitchen and living area were separated from the bedrooms and bathroom by a huge screened breezeway/porch where they did most of their living. There was an old wringer washer that sat on the porch off of the kitchen. I remember the pressure cooker on the old stove in the kitchen just a whistling. Ma was always cooking beans or peas from their garden. I think the only time she sat down was when we came for a visit.
Pa was like a father to my dad because his father had died when he was younger. My Great Grandmother (Ma) worked like a man in the fields right alongside Pa until they were both too old to work. She was actually Pa's second wife and she raised my grandmother. Pa's first wife and my Mema's mom died at childbirth. Ma was an interesting character and never had children of her own. She never cut her hair and she wore it braided in a bun. Ma was the most musically inclined person that I've ever known. She could play ANY instrument by ear. I remember one time I took my harmonica with me to her house and she picked it up and busted out with a song. I was amazed! She was also related to Belle Starr, The Bandit Queen. If you don't know, Belle Starr is a Texas Outlaw that hung out with Jesse James. I'm not sure how they were related but I think they were cousins. Interesting, I'll have to research that more. Anyway my dad wanted to be a "Cowboy" more than anything and he loved Pa more than anyone and Pa needed help on the ranch. So we packed up and moved north and this is where the memories begin.
(part two coming soon)

Still Missing the Lake

 I really miss our place we had at the lake. Del Mar was the name of our neighborhood and it was the most peaceful place on earth! Peaceful until the Yankee Weekenders rolled in on Friday that is. That's when the party started and it didn't end until the last Weekender rolled out on Sunday night. We had the greatest neighbors there on Armada Loop! During the week it was just me and sweet Buster (God rest his soul) and Tommy across the street. Tommy worked during the week and Buster was retired so it was like I had the whole street to myself. My front porch had the perfect view of everyone and everything so I made it my job to watch the weekenders houses and make sure that Buster was okay! Weekdays were very quiet and uneventful but I was never bored. I could sit on the porch for hours on end and watch the wildlife or walk down to the dock and watch the water. Everything about that place appealed to me. The sights, the sounds and even the smells. At night you could hear the wippoorwill in the cove and sometimes behind our house. His call was my favorite sound! I think he kept an eye on me when Hillbilly was in town working. In the morning you could hear the ducks in the cove and occassionaly they would waddle through my yard with their babies following. Soooo cute! The squirrels and I had some issues the first 6 months that I lived there. They wanted to hang out with me WAY too much and way too close! They actually messed with me when I was working in the yard. I think the old couple we bought the house from used to feed them. They would actually come to the door and beg like a dog. One time they walked right into our living room. They got the message after a few swats with the broom and several dousings with the waterhose. We eventually learned to respect each others space and were able to live in harmony. The racoons however, were a different story. We really had no problem with them until the last year we lived there and were only there on the weekends. Apparently they liked to hang out on my porch as much as I did. We would be sitting there at night and they would walk up on the porch like they owned the place. I think they would have sat in my lap had I not jumped up and screamed at the top of my lungs. I never did get used to them and we sold the house shortly after that. The coons were more nature than I could take! SCARY! They are the only thing about the lake that I don't miss.

Weekends were action packed at the lake. Sometimes Mini Me would come to stay the weekend and we would cook out and play with Angel and ride the Sasquatch. The Sasquatch was a golf cart and Angel couldn't pronounce it and it came out Sasquatch so that's what we called it. I loved that thing and miss riding it! We could ride through the neighborhood or load it up with the rods and ice chest and head to the dock. You could usually find me on it all weekend, I liked to do donuts backwards ( it went faster in reverse) in the back yard. I also miss the bonfires! I would get a fire going on Friday night before Hillbilly would get home and we would sit and talk and have cocktails. Someone would always stop by to visit by the fire. Our porch was also the meeting place for all the neighbors, Yankee Weekenders and Fulltimers alike and if we wern't on our porch we were over at their houses on their decks! Everyone took turns cooking on the weekends. Someone in the neighborhood always had a project going on and the neighbors would come over to watch you work, give you hell or or just give you hand. In the summer it was all about the Lake. We usually went out on the water for a few hours and then came back and had cookouts! FUN! When we were too lazy to take the boat out we just went across the street to the Weekenders and bobbed off their boathouses. Bobbing is the fine art of balancing on a boat cushion while smoking and holding your beer. It takes practice but once you get the hang of it it's the only way to enjoy the cove! The Weekenders taught us how to bob and I taught the Yankee Weekenders how to eat blackeyed peas on New Years Day.
I really miss that place and looking back on it I wished we had kept it. Unfortunetely, there's no way to make a living at the lake so here we are back in the big city dreaming of being in the country again. For now I guess I will fire up the grill in the back yard and bust out the marshmallows but it won't be the same without my wippoorwill:(

Trail Bosses

This is me.  Enough said.

This is my husband, Hillbilly. He is originally from the hills of Kentucky but we forgive him for that.

This is my oldest daughter, First Born . She is my girly girl. I'm not sure where she got that from.

This is my youngest daughter, Mini Me. She is so much like me it scares me. Actually, she is a lttle meaner. Really.

This is my Angel. The name says it all. Don't mess with Nana's Angel or I will unleash the Queen's Fury on you! I mean it!

And this my friends, is the RAE RAE. She has a personality beyond explaination. She keeps us in stitches! Beware, she may bite!

A Man and His Boat

 It's all about a man and his boat and the pursuit of fish.

Lake Whitney is in Central Texas and has a very interesting terrain. I'm more of an East Texas kind of girl but we still enjoyed being on the lake.

This is the boat dock at the fishing lodge where we stayed. I caught about 7 crappie which is more than I usually catch. I don't have the patience to fish for long.



















It was very rocky....

Big Texas sky. We had a little rain but nothing too serious.

This is what you had to climb to get back to your cabin or go to the restrooms. The lake was low so you had to climb this very steep walkway and then a there was a trolley to take you the rest of the way to the top. We got a workout!

All that work for this big catch.

My Sister Thinks I've Lost It

My sister thinks it is quite amusing that I have started a blog. She asked me if I am soul searching. The answer is NO, I'm just amusing myself. I don't quite understand why she finds it so humorous. After all, It keeps me out of the rum bottle and exercises my mind. I am amusing my self while recording events from my life for my kids to read and I am getting things off my chest (therapy) and IT'S FREE . What can be wrong with that? I can't think of ANY other hobby that is totally FREE. Can you?

Maybe if she occasionally did something with me like shopping or a movie I would have less time to blog! Or, maybe I would have more to blog about. LOL! I'll be curious to see how she fills her time after her kids grow up and move out and have their own lives. There are only so many things you can redecorate around the house and it's too cold in the winter to play outside or work in the garden. I have news for her....she better start looking for a hobby now because it won't be long until her girls move out of the house too.

Spring at the Ponderosa

The backyard on Memorial Day.