Raletourn50's Weblog

Amaryllis AHA

raletourn50 — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:43:07 +0000

My 2008 Amaryllis looks really good here. This year I got only leaves. It’s been a problem of mine so I was delighted to see this information in my local paper.

Amaryllis Care

If you want to rebloom your Amaryllis each year, Rhonda Ferree, University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator, offers these tips”

1. The Amaryllis needs heat to start growing so place the pot in a dark warm, airy space until the first leaves or flower bud shows. Then move the Amaryllis into a sunny location and water thoroughly. Do not water again until the soil is dry to the touch. When the flower blooms, move it out of direct sunlight so it will last longer.

2. When the flower fades, return the pot to bright sunlight. Allow the plant to grow a number of long strap like leaves to help rebuild the bulb. Then to help form nest year’s bulb, begin fertilizing twice a month. If you prefer an organic type, try fish emulsion. Always water the plant before adding fertilizer. When danger of frost is past, plunge the pot into your garden where the plant will receive filtered sunlight.

3. In mid-September the outer leaves will begin to yellow, an indication the plant needs to rest. Cut all leaves to within an inch of the neck of the bulb, bring inside and stop watering. Store in cool spot 40-55 degrees. In late November or early December begin watering. When bulb begins to show signs of growth, start the blooming cycle again.

Good luck and hope your Amaryllis reblooms.

A Popcorn Day Ramble

raletourn50 — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:10:50 +0000

Today is National Popcorn Day. I love a big bowl of popcorn. Popcorn has alway been at the top of my food pyramid.

If you’re looking for a great movie to enjoy with that popcorn look no further than BUCK… a 2011 award-winning documentary about a real life cowboy horse whisperer. What a great story , this extraordinary man has such a calming effect on the animals and people he’s around. Author, Nicolas Evans himself said, “Others have claimed to be the inspiration for Tom Booker in The Horse Whisperer. The one who truly inspired me was Buck Brannaman. His skill, understanding and his gentle, loving heart have parted the clouds for countless troubled creatures.”

If you like horses this movie is a delight. It’s my pick for an Oscars.

Four Years and Counting

raletourn50 — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 12:18:00 +0000

I started this blog four years ago just as my retirement was starting. It’s name was to be Retired Ramblings, as I am a rambler, but due to my inabilities it became Raletourn50′s Weblog. Here was a place to keep in contact with the family and friends I don’t see as often as I’d like. It has given me a place to ramble, to share my art and my photography. I have received many comments, all positive and they have kept me motivated. I thank you all for your support.

I love the word count and at one time I thought I would keep each post to under 100 words. I spell check and rewrite a lot. Many times I started a post and never finished because it didn’t sound right. Then along came Facebook…with it’s quick and easy approach…. and my ramblings became fewer and fewer.

In 2012 I resolve to do better and be better. Don’t hesitate to drop me a line and keep me focused.

Looking forward to 2012

raletourn50 — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:57:58 +0000

What’s around the bend for 2012?

Top Ten for 2012

10. I am hopeful for a bright New Year.

9. I am thankful for the past that brought me here.

8. I have my wits about me most times.

7. I have many amazing friends.

6. I have a check, direct deposited each month.

5. I have a warm home.

4. I have a talented husband who fixes the heat.

3. I have two sweet little boys who kept me busy on their visits.

2. I have the sun, the moon, the stars, and the beauty of nature outside my window.

1. I have a wonderful loving family that make me smile every day.

Tis the Season…

raletourn50 — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 17:00:03 +0000

“Golden sunlight;
Heavenly sky;
Sweet fresh air;
Merry bells.
Oh, glorious,
Glorious.”
Charles Dickens,
A Christmas Carol

Wishing everyone a star to wish upon during the holidays

A Weird Thing

raletourn50 — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 00:42:45 +0000

I’m reading The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings…it has totally captured my interest. George Clooney is starring in the movie in theatres now. I had seen one advertisement for it this summer and put it on hold at the library and just picked it up this week. What is driving my interest now is …I can hear George’s voice saying the lines as I read them. I like George, I’ve seen most of his movies and liked them all but this is a bit wierd. Experience tells me the movie is never as good as the book, but I think George can pull this off.

All is Calm…All is Bright

raletourn50 — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 17:19:18 +0000

A few things are checked off
. Decorated tree
. New art
. Cherry winks

Grandma’s Big Yellow Bowl

raletourn50 — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:25:09 +0000

Thanksgiving comes with many traditions and every cook has a special one, for me its Grandma’s yellow bowl. I use it all year round for breads but now is the time to bring it out for dressing and pies. I enjoy the memory of Mom stirring and baking and letting the lucky kid hanging around lick the spoon.

How did this tradition start? Back in the 80s, my Martha Stewart years, I started buying King Arthur flour because Martha said it was the best. On the back of the King Arthur bag was a recipe called; ” The easiest loaf of bread you’ll ever bake!” I couldn’t resist; I followed the traditional recipe: kneading and rising twice. Everyone loved it! No really MM couldn’t stop raving about it. It was now up to be to make fresh bread on a weekly basis and bring it where ever we were going. This is when my mom passed the big yellow bowl to me.

I love this recipe and agree it is really easy but the one part that I continues to challenge me is the shaping of two french style loaves. Mine look a bit deformed and although this has no effect on the tastiness I’m always looking of ways to improve the look of the bread. One way to resolve this issue was making rolls and this has greatly improved the look and now with just two of us I can pop most in the freezer for later use.

This year I got a new Pampered Chef stone baking pan and saw a recipe for checkerboard rolls. They baked up nice and pretty maybe the start of another tradition. Traditions have to start somewhere.

November its a most wonderful Time of the Year

raletourn50 — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 15:43:19 +0000

Tis that time of year when family and cooking replace the warmth of the summer sun. These frosty mornings tend to keep me in the kitchen planning and experimenting just a bit. My recipes have been updated but of course tradition is the name of the game at Thanksgiving.

Here are a few of the family favorites passed from Grandmothers and Memeres:

Turkey with the French dressing,

Homemade bread with a checkerboard twist,

Sweet potatoes with a brown sugar butter sauce,

Fresh cranberry relish as well as the canned kind ( because it’s so good in a late night sandwich).

For these simple things and so much more I am forever thankful.

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them…John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Patriots Vs Steelers

raletourn50 — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 13:58:51 +0000

I did not sit in front of the TV with my Patriot jersey and helmet for Sunday’s game cheering on the Patriots like usual. The boys were here and throwing snowballs and building with legos is more fun. But we had dinner during half time and sat down to enjoy the second half. The Patriots are a second half …fourth quarter kind of team and they had pulled a win from Dallas two weeks earlier and a bye week of rest so come on boys. However they just didn’t look like the Super Bowl Champions of old but I wasn’t going to give up on them. There were a lot of groans in that second half and a disappointing final drive but we all know…”You can’t win them all” and “There is a lot of football left”.

What really surprised me though was watching the game On Demand Tuesday night. NFL Network replays the game in 90 minutes and while watching that fast forward kind of version I thought they didn’t play that bad. The defense weren’t defending too well, the referees didn’t see the Gronkowski touchdown, Brady looked uneasy in the pocket, a few of the pass interferences were missed and that fourth quarter flair wasn’t there. But the Patriots right now have a Turnover ratio of +2. Brady has thrown 8 interceptions while the defense have snagged 9 this year. On paper they look pretty good so have patience and let’s see what happens next week.