Friday, April 14


The view from my kitchen window last night! A long-awaited spring storm on the horizon. It immediately had my adrenaline pumping, even though the storm was 50+ miles away to the south. : ( Posted by Picasa

Monday, April 3

time change

I wish I could remember where I copied & pasted the following news story from. Well, you can Google to find related articles if you wish. It's about next years time change. I found it to be very interesting.

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Next year daylight savings time will be pushed back on the yearly calendar by a law passed last year.

Currently daylight savings time begins on the first Sunday of April ending the last Sunday of October, according to a press release from Astronomical Applications Department.

However in 2007, the dates will be modified due to the passage of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The act will start daylight saving time on Sunday, March 11, and end daylight saving time on Sunday, Nov. 4, in 2007.

Daylight savings time was started in the United States with the Act of March 1918, also called the Standard Time Act. Standard time was the instituted in the U.S. and Canada by the railroads in 1883 but not established as law until the Standard Time act passed, according to the release. Repealed in 1919, daylight savings time was re-established nationally in the United States during World War II and continuously observed from Feb. 9, 1942 to Sept. 20, 1945. Post war, daylight savings time's use varied among states and localities until the Uniform Time Act of 1966 provided standardization in the dates of beginning and end of daylight time in the U.S., but still allowing for local exemptions. The Uniform Time Act stated daylight time would begin the last Sunday in April and end the last Sunday of October, with the change over to take place at 2 a.m. local time, according to the release.

The energy crisis years saw congress enact earlier dates for daylight savings time. In 1974, daylight time began Jan. 6. Just a year later, in 1975 it began Feb. 23. After those two years the starting date reverted back to the last Sunday in April. In 1986, a law passed that permanently setting the start date to the first Sunday in April to begin in 1987. The ending date remained the last Sunday of October, the release stated.

Sunday, April 2

Recipe of the Month - April

This post has been sitting in my drafts folder since 4/2. I really need to get with it.....

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Here it is April already! Can you believe it?

Flower beds to prepare, windows to wash, winter clothes put away, outdoor toys to be brought out of storage.... Oh the list could go on & on. Enjoy every minute of it because before you know it the oppressive heat & humidity will be upon us.

Today was such a fun day! We enjoyed lunch with the Dahl family and then gametime for the adults, while the kids played. We really need to do that more often! Thanks guys!

Well, on to the recipe of the month....

This time it's Taco Seasoning Bulk Mix. Now, even if you buy the generic packets it adds up to be about 35 cents a packet. I know, I know. That's pretty cheap. But have you ever looked at the ingredient list? The sodium amount is unreal! I believe there are preservatives too. Now either of those two is reason enough to find an alternative.

So, I came up with this, and our family prefers it over the store bought. I've never done the math to compare this to the packets, but most of the ingredients are things you probably already have and you can play around to find the taste you like. You could even take the salt out completely if you like.

This recipe is for one batch, but a double batch will fill a quart jar.


Bulk Taco Seasoning Mix
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3/4 C dried minced onion
1/8 C salt
1/4 C chili powder
1 T. dried oregano
2 T. cornstarch
2 T. crushed dried peppers
2 T. dried minced garlic
2 T. ground cumin

Mix all ingredients together to blend. Store in an airtight container.

To use: Add 2 - 3 T. of mix to 1 lb. of ground beef, turkey, or shredded chix. Add 1/2 C. water and simmer before serving.
Yield: almost 2 cups