Category Archives: General

Summer Picnics

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One thing that really makes a summer picnic nice is a tray of deviled eggs as a side dish. I love to eat one or deviled eggs with my hamburger or hot dog, but I rarely make them. When I do make deviled eggs, I start with hard boiled eggs and then add just a dab of mayonnaise, pickle relish and salt to the yolks, stuff the yolks back into the white and then sprinkle some paprika over the tops.

How I Make Hard-Boiled Eggs
Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and add just enough water to cover the eggs. Over medium-high heat slowly bring the water to a simmer – not a rolling boil. Reduce heat to low, cover the pan and cook the eggs at the barest simmer for 10 minutes.

To avoid the dark blue ring around the yolks, pour out the hot water into the sink and immediately run cold water over the eggs until completely cooled.

To peel, crack the shell several times on a hard surface and gently roll the egg between your palms to loosen shell. Peel off the shell by starting at the large end and discarding the shell into the trash or add the shell bits to your compost pile, but do not put shells down the garbage disposal. Rinse the peeled eggs under cold water or dip in water to remove bits of shell.

Peaceful Afternoon

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This is one of the most pleasant days I’ve enjoyed for a long time. The weather is perfect – it is around 80 degrees but not quite so hot in the shade. There are a few puffs of clouds in the sky, but not enough to block the gentle sun. There is a light breeze and even though school is out for the summer I don’t hear any children yelling and playing. It’s so nice and peaceful that I am going to sit out on the garden bench and just watch my dogs play in the yard for a bit.

Manly Decor

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fishing pole wall art

If your husband has a “Man Cave” that needs some manly decor, try this clever idea I found on Pinterest this morning. It is a fishing pole and reel mounted on the wall with photo frames hanging across the pole, in between the guides. Of course, the photos are of the fish that were caught. What a great way to display the proud moments of your loved one and start some great conversations among the guys as they share their fishing stories.

Stately Magnolia Trees

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There are no magnolia trees in my yard but there always seem to be leaves from magnolia trees that blow into my yard from one of my neighbor’s trees. I never really paid much attention to how many magnolia trees are in my neighborhood until recently. I found an unusual number of brown magnolia tree leaves in my front yard and it gave me pause. I looked around with a more critical eye, searching out the stately trees with the distinctive blooms.

As it turns out, the original developer of this neighborhood must have really liked magnolia trees, because I can see a magnolia tree was deliberately planted in the front yard of every third house all the way down my block, on both sides of the street. That is actually a large number of magnolia trees and that many would not just be a coincidence.

The trees are actually evergreens, which means they keep their leaves throughout the year and do not drop their leaves like all the deciduous trees here. But they are mostly known for their beautiful, large white blossoms, which last a long time and are very popular for southern brides bouquets and decorations in the home.