Hearty Country Muffins and Gatlinburg

We had these for breakfast this morning. They are not only delicious, they are really very healthy for you! This recipe will make about 16 muffins, but they freeze really well!

Hearty Country Muffins
1 can(14-16 oz) pie apples
or fat-free fried apples, chopped up
1/3 cup butter, softened or melted
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
Beat these together thoroughly.

2 small or 1 large carrot, grated fine
1/2 cup raisins
2 cups flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Stir these in. Then take another 1/2 cup of flour, toss 1/2 cup chopped pecans or sliced almonds in it, and GENTLY stir it in the mix until barely blended.

Grease muffin cups or use paper liners or Baker's Joy. Spoon cups 2/3 full of mix. Bake in preheated 400 degree F oven for 14 minutes.

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Yesterday we went to Gatlinburg. We visited with my parents in a time-share condo they have there, then went downtown to walk around.

It has rained here for 8 days and the forecast was for rain the rest of the week too, but it stopped about 3 in the afternoon. Everything was still damp but at least we didn't get wet!

We walked the Mountain Mall, where Artemas and Diantha posed in this nostalgic picture-op.


The street corner at River Road and Parkway had this nicely-decorated Outhouse. the kids wanted their pictures taken in it. Don't ask what's with Diantha's attitude. With her are Beverly and Josiah.

Artemas looks like he has had enough and passed out. Veronica was feeling kinda puny yesterday for some reason, so she stayed back at the condo for a little nap.

We didn't go walking today. Instead I went to the range, where I shot as well with just my left hand as I did with my right hand only or both hands in rapid fire. Then I shot a couple mags with the 22 long rifle, with which I apparently can't hit the broad side of a barn. It doesn't help for me to need to hold it on my right side to shoot, but I am cross-eye dominant. I can't sight it with my left eye. Oops..

Artemas wanted me to share a pic of him, loving a Mountain Dew slushie, with the internet. Would you run out and buy a Mtn. Dew slushie on the basis of this picture?
Maybe I should see if Pepsico would hire him...

Since we didn't walk today, I didn't get a pic of the Dr. Pepper Hoodie anomaly.
However, I do have a pic of a cakewreck to share, which I am going to also submit to Cakewrecks blog. For want of anything else to call it, the kids and I have dubbed it The Leprosy Cake. YUM.

Stuff That Has Happened Recently

Another Big Box store anomaly. Our local big box store/indoor walk-for-your-health club is remodeling. I mean big time, confuse-the-customers, move-the-whole-store-twice remodling. They finally have the new pharmacy in, and the BP machine in a little nook. The machine is separated from the pick-up window by a half-wall topped with glass, which they have obliterated with ad signs in English and of course Spanish. Someone set their Dr. Pepper and hoodie up on the little ledge, probably while they took their blood pressure. For reasons of my own, I am taking my BP each day while we walk. The first day, we didn't think a thing of it.

On Day 2, we took a picture. Today was Day 3, and we took another pic. Shall we take a pic every day until some diligent employee notices the Lone Hoodie and removes it? Hmmm?

B has been at it again with the camera. Her favorite subject matters seem to be Mommy and Daddy, probably because what she looks at and whom she deals with mostly are, um, Mommy and Daddy. So firts thing in the morning Saturday, she snapped pics of the two of us. Thanks, B.

I have a tattle-tale pic of myself to share with the world. The other day as I went around the house doing this, that, something else, I kept having to put on reading glasses. I only wear a +1.00 but still, need them sometimes. I kept getting aggravated, because every time I needed a pair, I couldn't find them and had to go hunt up another pair. I sat down at the table to put on some glasses to look at something, and Diantha said, "Um, Mom... Why are you putting your blue glasses on your face when you have two other pairs on your head?" What is the answer to that? As Grandpa said to the kid in The Princess Bride, "You're very smart... now shut up!"

Artemas has been playing with more pearwood in the front yard. I have a really good stainless-steel hone to sharpen our really good chef-quality knives, but several years ago the oak handle and stop cracked. So Artemas took a piece of pear branch for a handle and a round of a larger branch for a stop, sanded them fine, water-base urethaned them, and mounted them on the hone. I love it. The odd shape fits the palm of the hand perfectly. Bravo, Artemas!

I finished the BumbleBee-nie I was knitting for a toddler boy. I really like the way it turned out. I had what I thought was a really good pic of the crown, but these dress-dummy heads are so WEIRD. Instead of being kind of round like a head, they are narrow from side to side and then really LONG from forehead to crown. The shape of them really distorts anything one puts on them. So the pic of the crown of the hat looked all misshapen, and when I tried to correct it in my photoshop program, it just got worse. So, one view is all you get.

We went to Gatlinburg for part of today, to visit with my parents who are in a time-share there. We really only live about 50 miles from there, so don't ask me why it always takes so DANG long to get there. By now, I am exhausted. So I will try to write some more tomorrow, about the Left slipper-sock to go with the BumbleBee-nie and about our day trip!

Fun Day, Hooray!

Today we took the day off and went to Gatlinburg. This is a tiny little touristy town at the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains. It is about 45 miles from our house to go the slow way, through Maryville, Townsend, and Wears Valley... or about 60 miles from our house to go the "fast" way, through Knoxville on the interstate. Which takes the same amount of time. We took the slow way.

We got donuts for breakfast at The Donut Friar in The Village, and just above here you see us smiling because our tummies are full of donuts. (Back row: Richard, Artemas behind a bunny, Allen WAY far away, and Diantha. Front row: Josiah, Beverly on wheels, and Veronica.)

Then we walked around. And walked, and walked. The entire town is basically one long walking mall with a few little offshoots, all handcraft stores and tourist trap crap and motels, and places to eat. Oh and handmade candy, fudge, jewelry,
woodworking, etc. etc. The girls and Josiah and I rode the ski lift. Never did that with any of the kids before, because it isn't that cheap. But it was a nice breezy ride, on a sunny day. Can't complain. On the way up and down, we cross the Roaring Fork River. Here is a shot of it, and on the left you can see a 3-story building of 6 time-share condo units, called Club Chalet. Richard and I stayed there for part of our honeymoon 26 years ago. I am happy to report that we get along better now than we did then. Back then, we had a HUGE fight and I threw his *last* can of beverage in the river. And he stayed married to me. Gotta admire fortitude like that. LOL.

Speaking of getting along or not, we went in the infamous Pancake Pantry to use the potties, because they were painting the ones in The Village. (The man told us they would be open Tomorrow, LOL) My mom and dad love to eat there (the Pancake Pantry, not The Village restrooms) but it's too rich for my blood, and my pocketbook. But I digress.

Anyway, the restrooms are upstairs and there is a balcony overlooking most of the dining area and the 2-story windows to the outside. There was a couple sitting down there, had to be man and wife because they were about the same age (older than dirt) and both wearing wedding rings. Also the wife had this long-suffering air about her, like this guy has been a drag for 60 years. So there they sit, and the whole time our large family was taking turns using the potties, they never ONCE looked at each other or spoke to each other. Since the situation nearly defies description (at least to me), I have drawn a little diagram.

The wife was LONG done with her meal (waiting on that cheapskate husband of hers to eke every penny worth of his breakfast). The husband was taking his good ol' time deliberately cutting and eating that last 1/3 of his omelet. Probably didn't even want it, but by Golly he paid good money for it, so he is going to get every last bite of it down if it chokes him, and maybe he won't eat again today because he wants to puke because he shouldn't have eaten all that omelet. See, sometimes I make up little stories about people in my head. Anyway it was sad, sad, sad. Can't imagine being like that. My dh and I can hardly wait to get home, get the kiddies all in bed and have sex. Sheeeesh!

Ok one last parting shot of Gatlinburg. Well maybe two. These are views taken from the lift. One is about half the downtown strip (Parkway), and one is looking past
the town to the beautiful mountains with snow still on them. This morning we foothillers had 40 degrees and by lunch time it was 80. But the top of the mountain didn't get the memo.

In other news, I started knitting a basket today out of some lumpy handspun Montadale like the Candylcious yarn in Diantha's Shop. I am going to felt it for B for an Easter Basket. I got it about half done, which isn't bad considering I spent most of the day walking G-burg (and yes, I am eccentric and knitted while I walked. LoL). This pic isn't the right color (the yarn I am using is red) but I wanted to show the texture. If I show you the rest... well, you know.