This and That Thursday by Mental Pause Mama

The AC problem has been fixed and immediately the water I have been retaining is leaving my body. I will be happily peeing all day. (Sorry, but it's true.)

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I have decided I am not a huge fan of Panhandle storms. This may take some getting use to. I will admit, the one that we had last night scared the living bejeezus out me.

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I have an issue with...pie. Last night for dinner, I had a slice of Lemon Meringue, a slice of Cheese Cake and for dessert I had Pineapple Upside Down Cake...all of which were home-made. I seriously need to examine this problem. Is there a 12 step program for dessertaholics? Hi, my name is Marlene and I haven't met a dessert I did not like...maybe if they were not all made with butter, I might like them less. Look at this bad boy...I know, right?

I miss the ocean and the smell of salt in the air. I miss fresh seafood caught earlier that day. I miss the boat horns and the bay breeze...that sweet Virginia breeze. We will relish in it for four days at the end of July. I will also be thrilled to see the boys at Angry Adam's Wine and Cheese Spot!!! Our hotel room will be right over top of the shop!

This is the only semblance of a store within a 30 mile radius. Seriously, dude. But...they do have fresh made pie, Blue Bell Ice Cream, and Chocolate...so I'm good.

Puppies are the epitome of true love. I absolutely adore this boy. He loves his Momma.

I love to serve grumpy, old men food and watch them enjoy it only to see a spark of a smile emit from their mouth. It makes me giggle.

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It is always wise to scrap the cow poop off one's cowboy boots before entering an eating establishment.

I love the clang, clang, clang that spurs make on the concrete floors of the restaurant. It reminds me of Aaron Copland's "The Grand Canyon Suite". I adore all his compositions. I also think of the musical Oklahoma.

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I might have a Beef Brisket Burrito with Colorado Green Chili Sauce and Cheese for dinner tonight, instead of pie...but then again...maybe not.
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This is Home Girl on the Range wishing you a very blessed day.

Sunrise, Sunset

Living the majority of my life on the East coast of the United States afforded me numerous occasions to view wondrous sunrises. Nothing is more awe inspiring than to sit quietly on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and watch as this big, fiery ball breaks the horizon to greet a new day. Fresh and new...young and untainted. It always provided me with such hope that each day could be new and different. There is one major drawback to living life on one coast...you never get to experience the opposite reaction.

Now I live in the panhandle of Texas where I can view both sunsets and sunrises on a daily basis. I have been dumbfounded by their beauty. I have been rendered speechless. They have also left me with a deeper understanding of the cyclical nature of life and the human circumstance.

People are brought into our lives for one reason or another...for us to learn something about ourselves, to gain that ever growing deeper understanding and to find inner peace...to experience true happiness. I symbolically connect this to sunrises and sunsets. Some people stay for many phases of the moon and some for only a short time. I am okay with that. I get it. I understand. I am just deeply grateful that my heart is so large as to accept the failings, the triumphs of myself and others...to realize that each day is birthed with newness.

I have missed you. You know who you are. You will always be my sunrise and my sunset...no matter the distance between our hearts.

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I'll tell you how the sun rose,—

A ribbon at a time.

The steeples swam in amethyst,

The news like squirrels ran.

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The hills untied their bonnets,

The bobolinks begun.

Then I said softly to myself,

“That must have been the sun!”

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But how he set, I know not.

There seemed a purple stile

Which little yellow boys and girls

Were climbing all the while

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Till when they reached the other side,

A Domini in gray

Put gently up the evening bars,

And led the flock away.

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This is Home Girl on the Range wishing you a very blessed day.

When Life Gives You Lemons...Make Pie!!

There is nothing better on a hot summer day, then something cold, tart, and oh, so lemony. This is also a great recipe for any Fourth of July celebrating that you might be doing. It is better to make two, because it is so good it will be gone in a minute. Trust and believe.

Ingredients
1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups water
2 lemons, juiced and zested
2 tablespoons butter
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
4 egg whites
6 tablespoons white sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

To Make Lemon Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 cup sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in water, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in butter. Place egg yolks in a small bowl and gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of hot sugar mixture. Whisk egg yolk mixture back into remaining sugar mixture. Bring to a boil and continue to cook while stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat. Pour filling into baked pastry shell.

To Make Meringue: In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until foamy. Add sugar gradually, and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pie, sealing the edges at the crust.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown.

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This is Home Girl on the Range wishing you a very blessed day.

This and That Thursday by Mental Pause Mama

I can not believe that this week is flying by as quickly as it is, but here we are, once again, greeted with This and That...or other random crap trapped inside my head.

1. I love working...no, I "really" love working. It does not seem like work because I get to do something I love and that is cooking...making people happy.

2. My muscles (every one of them) are disputing the fact that I love my job. They are screaming..."You are an evil person!!!!" I may have even found some muscles I had never met before.

3. Chicken Fry is not fried chicken...it's fried steak.

4. People in Texas do not eat a lot of chicken, they do however, love their beef.

5. I can make enchiladas like a little ol' Mexican grandma, now.

6. Any of the food that I "pimp" on this blog will not have the true recipe to accompany it. I have been sworn to secrecy...like, my life will be in serious danger, if I were to give them out...but, I will try to offer a recipe that I approve of to takes it's place. If you want the real stuff, you will have to come and visit us.

7. Visit us as at, "My Happy Place" Cafe, Happy, Texas. Best food around!!! Bar none.

8. I am looking forward to date night.

9. Date night is still a long way away.

10. Puppies get HUGE over night. Tex needs his own bed.

11. Blue Bell Ice Cream is better than Blue Bunny Ice Cream.

12. You know how I feel about cream...oh, and butter...and bacon.

13. I'm thinking bacon, scrambled cheese eggs with tomato, and onions on grilled whole wheat bread for breakfast, what about you?

14. I will wash that down with strong coffee and lots of Motrin.

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This is Home Girl on the Range wishing you a very blessed day!!!

My Happy Place

I found it...I finally found it...and I even make money working there. Just stay in "your happy place" and all will be well.

Oh...and speaking of bang'n diner food? I'm rockin' the kitchen in My Happy Place...come see me and I will throw down just for you. Cowboy Food and Tex Mex...nothin' better.

Yo, Guy Fieri...you can come see me there, too. The place has a great back story and the current personalities would make for an awesome segment on Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives!!

Living what I love and loving what I do.
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This is Home Girl on the Range wishing you a very blessed day!!