Wednesday, October 28, 2009

And the WINNER IS....



"If you found this useful, consider visiting the main Violet Cottage website. Thanks for visiting!

The randomly picked number is: 7

Lowest Number 1
Highest Number 21"

Yep, 7 AGAIN. hahaha
Well, you know what they say about "7".

Tami, I am emailing you now for your info.
Thanks everyone for joining in.
Another giveaway will happen this coming weekend.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Do you sew or craft? Scrap giveaway !


Over at See Mommy Sew, there is a cool scrap giveaway. Sharing scrap fabric you know others will love to use seems like a great idea to me. To enter, just link to the post or if you are blogless...just leave a comment. Sew easy, sew generous, sew go for it. It ends tonight (Sunday) Sew get crackin'.

Last Day for Giveaway



If you have not entered, you have until midnight tonight 10/25.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Orionid Meteor Shower Peaks Tonight




Bundle up, get out the lawn chairs and look up for a show.
Tonight between 1 am and 6 am EST will be the best viewing time to see roughly 60 meteors an hour. I love shooting stars.

This is from debris left by Halleys commet. You won't be able to see a lot in the city, too bright there, but out here in the country away from city lights we should have quite a show.
Larry and I went out a few years ago when there was a great meteor shower and saw a bunch of shooting stars...WAY COOL.
Here is more about it








Painting by Larry

Monday, October 19, 2009

There is a season...




Fall. I love it. When the air turns crisp and the sweaters come out. I love to smell bon-fires and drink hot coffee outside. I enjoy watching the squirrels so busy at stocking up. I close my eyes and smell the aroma of homemade apple pie.


We live in the woods and there is no better show than looking out your window and seeing this.....



Time to pick the last of the tomatoes whether they are ripe or green....

Winter squash almost ready.....

The woodstove is keeping us cozy inside, nice to smell the smoke when you go outside from the chimmney....

Wood is all laid in and ready to go....

Dahlias are putting on a grand display before sleeping for the winter....

Castor bean seeds are ready to harvest....

Last of the gherkins ready to pickle....



And at the end of the day, you come in the house to a great meal of Lentil stew and cornbread....
* 2 large onions
* 2 big handfulls of baby carrots or 3 big carrots chunked up
* 3 TBSP olive oil
* 1 bay leaf
* 2 cans of chicken broth
* 2 cans of water (use the broth can)
* 1 and 1/2 c. brown lentils
* 3-4 potatoes, cut into chunks
* 2 chicken breast cut into chunks and season with a couple sprinkles of garlic powder
* 1/4 tsp. of tumeric
* Salt, pepper

Directions

1. Peel and dice onion
2. Peel and dice carrot
3. In large pot, heat 1 TBSP olive oil, stir in carrot and about 1/3 of the onions untl onions are ‘glassy’
4. Add bay leaf and chicken broth
5. Add lentils, cover, cook for approx. 30 min. at low heat.
While thats cooking....
6. Wash, peel potatoes, cut into cubes
7. Using 1 TBSP olive oil, saute potatoes and 2/3 of the onions until onions are glassy
8. Sprinkle with tumeric
9. Stir until evenly covered
10. Add to the lentils
11. Cook another 10 to 20 minutes or until both lentils and potatoes are almost soft
12. Wash chicken breast, pat dry, cut into cubes.
13. Heat remaining 1 TBSP olive oil to fry chicken at medium heat, turning with spatula till cooked
14. Throw into pot with the potato/lentil mixture
15. Now, season the mixture with pepper and salt.
16. Serve with cornbread or home made bread and some butter.