Cookies, Clematis and Combines

Cookies

I was craving homemade cookies this weekend and I just watched the second episode of The Pioneer Woman's show on Food Network.

Because of the above, I made these...

I remembered reading about Monster Cookies on one of the blogs I frequent but it was before I started Pinning in and every recipe I may ever want to try. This meant I had to do some searching and I finally came upon PW's recipe on the Tasty Kitchen site.

If you have never used Tasty Kitchen to look up a recipe, I highly recommend it. Lots of great bloggers and others post their favorite recipes there.

Clematis
My sweet autumn clematis has started to bloom!

Can't wait to see it in full bloom!

Combines
As I was driving by the farm (also known as Grandma's house...even though my baby sister and her family live there now) and noticed this...

as sure of a sign that harvest is right around the corner as the turning corn and soybeans in the field around us! We were thinking that harvest was going to be late this year because all the rain this spring caused Dad and other farmers in Indiana to plant late. However, we didn't get much any rain in July and August so the crops have already started to turn. 

Looks as if they either plan to start with soybeans (the bean head is on the combine...the corn head looks more like fingers) OR they are just cleaning it up while they have some time.

Harvest was early last year and it went VERY fast so I only got to ride with Dad once the whole harvest...I'm definitely going to be in the cab more often this year...if I can persuade my nephews to give me a turn in the jump seat!

Those I Visit the Most

August...it's over?

Really?

I'm not sure where it went!

Hello, August, are you out there?

Of course, it WAS 100 degrees on September 1st so while August flew by, summer is still hanging on.

I can say the same thing...I'm hanging on! I worked 27 out of the 31 days of August so I have not been keeping up on my blog reading lately.

Having said that, today's Show Us Your Life theme over at Kelly's Korner is "Show Us Your Favorite Blogs" and that got me thinking.

What blogs did I make an effort to at least glance at during August when I was so busy?

Which blogs do I immediately click on in my blog roll when I see they have a new post?

These are the ones I'm going to feature today...even though I have a dozen more "favorite" blogs. Head over to the Real Farmwives of America Facebook page to see many of those, as well as my blog roll on the right.

So, here we go...in chronological order, here are my "most read" blogs:

1.  The Pioneer Woman...I took a road trip with six other women JUST to meet her. Enough said.

2.  From My Front Porch...I've learned to blog with Jent and we actually live very close to each other - not that I see her more than 4 times a year! Love her humor and realistic look at life - on and off the farm.

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3.  A Blonde Ambition...This southern girl has style and personality. I really want to ask her if I've waited too long to purchase a pair of leggings! She's getting married very soon and she's taken all of us with her through the process and it's been very fun - be sure to check out her engagement photos.

4.  how i met your father...I totally follow her train of thought and her posts never disappoint.

5.  How Sweet It Is...This one comes to my inbox and I forget it's a blog sometimes. I finally had to start "pinning" her recipes because my inbox was getting full. Of course, I haven't actually MADE any of her recipes yet but I will, I know I will. 
Usually I'm in love with her sweet creations but for some reason this corn chowder with shrimp and bacon is calling to me...

Source: howsweeteats.com via Megan on Pinterest

What are your favorite blogs? Be sure to link up to Kelly's Korner today!

My Excitement is Budding

I'm so excited. 

This is my Sweet Autumn clematis...

Isn't it gorgeous?

Look at all of those potential blooms!

I planted this last summer from a transplant my mom gave me. 

I have always loved clematis. I worked with a lot of different varieties during my summer job in high school working for a nursery. Clematis with large dark purple blooms. Clematis with light purple blooms. Clematis with large white blooms.

But I have not had the chance to enjoy Sweet Autumn clematis before and am so looking forward to sitting on my patio when this is in full bloom!

Do you have flowers that have not yet bloomed yet?

What's your favorite fall flower?

Not Such a Star Pitcher

I have never wanted to be a ballerina.

I have never wanted to be a doctor.

And I definitely never wanted to be a baseball player!

However, last night BECAUSE of the job I DO have (and love) I was able to "be" a baseball pitcher for just a moment.

I was at a meeting in Louisville, Ky. (I heart this city) and our evening activity was a night at the Louisville Bats baseball game. Our group had the opportunity to throw out the first pitch...well we were one of seven groups with folks throwing out the first pitch!

I stepped out of the room when they were deciding who would throw that pitch...when I came back in I found out that I was nominated...much to my horror because I DO throw like a girl!

Here I am warming up...

Here's the mascot...it's really a bat and not a baseball bat.

Here's the group that I was throwing with...I'm sad to say that even the mascots had a more accurate pitch than I did. I DID throw a bit better than the little girl in pink below!

"Oh what am I doing up here?" That's what was going through my head...luckily the stands were not full but I did have a loud cheering section in my soybean farmer-friends.

Before I pitched, the announcer read a nice piece on what Indiana soybean farmers are doing as a group to better their industry and the soybeans they raise so at least the crowd got some education with their entertainment.

The wind-up...

We got our baseballs back as we filed past homeplate...I knew this one was mine because you can see the dirt marks and yes, my pitch DID bounce before it got to homeplate!

It was a fun time but I have to admit I was nervous and would have NEVER chosen to put myself out in front of that many people to throw a baseball. I guess it's important for all of us to put ourselves in positions that make us uncomfortable and help us grow.

Hopefully, I never go to a football game and have the opportunity to kick a field goal! Horror!

Oh Technology, Please Slow Down

I never feel my age as much as when I think about how technology has changed in just my 30 or so years on this earth.

I'm not saying that I didn't have indoor plumbing or color television when I was young, but we did have a console television with NO remote and a dishwasher that we had to roll over to the sink and hook up to the faucet.

Source: us.mg6.mail.yahoo.com via Cora on Pinterest

Our television looked much like the one above but I don't think my mom thought of re-purposing our old one like they did!

Now, I'm also not saying that I've seen technology change as much as other generations. My grandpa farmed with horses when he was younger and then switched to tractors...can you imagine that transition? (I had a great photo of Grandpa and my Uncle Larry in a farm wagon pulled by horses but could I find it...no!)

But the technology in my lifetime has changed - especially in cellphones.

I'm looking to move from a Blackberry to a iPhone or Android and just can't decide. This got me thinking about my first cellphone...

I was telling a coworker about my first "cell phone" which I got as a perk of an internship between by sophomore and junior years in college.

It wasn't a cute flip phone and DEFINITELY not a smartphone.

It was one of these...

Source: en.wikipedia.org via Jennifer on Pinterest

I call it a "bag phone." It plugged into the cigarette lighter in my truck.

I LOVED it! Such freedom. If only I knew what was coming...

So, what do you think cell phones will look like in another 5 years?

I can only imagine!

Plugging Back In

I actually did it.

I didn't turn on my laptop or my iPad for two whole days.

I will admit to checking email, Twitter and Facebook on my Blackberry but I'm talking no more than two minutes at a time.

I think that's is the longest I've been unplugged for months...maybe longer.

Wow...it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be and I am feeling a bit more energized and ready to get back in the groove of things again.

Well, maybe it was the two unplugged days OR maybe it was the five naps I've taken in the last three days.

Whatever works, right?

Celebrating Mom

It's my mom's birthday and I just have one thing to say...

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