How dry is it in northern Illinois? Pretty darn dry.  Last week I heard that we are six inches below average in precipitation this ye...

Good morning, Sunshine!  Beccra over at TrueBlog! recognized me with a Sunshine Award.  Thank you, Beccra!  Beccra is an Australian...

with daughter in Forres, Scotland My great-great-great-great grandfather, James, came to the States from Ireland, with his Scottish wi...

Summer is in full swing here in Illinois.  We've been sweltering in the mid to upper 90s for about a week.  I know that is routine in m...

One of my husband's favorite expressions is "gilding the lily," so much so that it has become something of a joke in our fami...

Remember playing four square as a kid?  Or two square?  I don't actually have to remember that far back because we have a two square co...

Alfie is a very destructive dog.  We are always on the lookout for toys that can withstand his concerted attempts to destroy.  Kongs are go...

Finished dish on basmati rice Are you looking for something new and different to do with chicken?  We eat a lot of chicken at our hou...

Recently Libby of Artistic Expressions by Elisabeth hosted a yarn and tea swap.  I think I was the first person to sign up -- a yarn swap,...

Crispy version Our son went to a residential high school about thirty-five miles from home.  The parents association hosted a dinner o...

The older section is to the right.  The three-story building on the left is also part of the inn.  This picture was taken in 2010. Sad...

Vero Beach -- a charming town on Florida's Atlantic coast.  We have visited Vero pretty often over the past twenty years, ever since my...

Mom in her working days When I was growing up, my mother worked full time.  This was not quite as common in the 1960s as it is today.  ...

It was a busy morning at the strip mall when I stopped by for a haircut.  The parking lot was filled with honkers. See the second group...

I had a full half gallon of buttermilk that had reached its sell-by date.  A cup went into breakfast biscuits, but that left a whole lotta ...