Easter Egg Tree

After my MIL forwarded us an email about this amazing man in East Germany who decorates an apple tree in his yard every Easter with not hundreds, but thousands of Easter eggs, I had to find out more and share it here.  The man's name is Volker Kraft and he has been decorating this same tree since 1965! It was just a little tree then and he started with 18 plastic eggs.  It has since grown and with it the number of eggs.  He now decorates the entire yard with help from friends and family.  This year there are 10,000 hand blown and decorated eggs hanging in his yard!!  Amazing!

Should I Shut My Computer Off??

I've asked myself this question many times, and tend to believe it is better to shut it off when I'm not using it rather than leave it running endlessly.  My reasoning is mainly because it uses electricity and electricity costs money.  I'm the electricity cop in our house (even though my hubby 'thinks' he is, he is constantly leaving lights on and things running, while telling the kids to shut things off!)  I'm always turning lights off and shutting off the fans that are 'supposed' to help circulate the heat from the wood stove in the basement...Such a waste of money!  Every time I turn something off, I tell myself that the hydro bill will be a bit lower this month.  I like saving money!

So, should I be shutting my laptop down when I'm not using it?

I set out to find out the truth of the matter.

Saving money is a good incentive, but just how much can we save? Well, it will depend on your own PC as to how much you could be saving.  A typical computer uses 300 watts.  If you use your PC for 4 hours a day, and don't shut it down, that would mean your computer is running, wasting electricity for 20 hours each day. Now, let's say electricity is 10 cents per kilowatt-hour.  For the 20 hours your computer is running, but not being used, it costs 60 cents per day. Doesn't sound like a lot, but over the course of a year it adds up to $219!!  

There is the argument that turning your computer on and off, thereby it getting hot and then cooling off, several times a day is hard on it's components. Things like solder joints can supposedly be effected, as can the CPU chip. But...and here's where I was convinced..our tv sets have many of the same components as our computers. Do you leave your tv on 24/7??  I know I don't. 

With 3 laptops in our house, I know we can save money on the hydro bill just by shutting them down between uses.  I've programmed them all to go into sleep mode after being idle for several minutes.  Also, just closing the lid shuts them down.  You can do this yourself in Windows by going into 'Control Panel'-'System and Security'-'Power Options'- then choosing 'Power Saver' and setting your preferences under 'change plan settings'. On the side bar of the 'Power Saver' page is the option to choose what happens to your PC when you close the lid.  

Well, there are my findings!  Hope you find them informative and useful!  

Wee Mouse for Taylor.

I had to show off this sweet little mouse and her teeny teddy that I made for my granddaughter, Taylor!  I purchased the pattern from Larissa at the Mmmcrafts blog.  She has an Etsy shop here where she has some really cute patterns for sale, and on her blog you will find some free patterns!  I had so much fun making this little mouse and can't wait to hear how Taylor likes it!  The little mouse and her teddy fit inside a Altoids Mint tin.  The pattern was very easy to follow and had plenty of written and picture directions.  The only snag I ran into was when I cut out the mattress for the mouse's bed, only to discover it was too small for my tin!  Low and behold, Canadian Altoid tins are bigger than American ones!  Who'da thunk!!  It was easy enough to enlarge the mattress and blanket pieces though, and I made the pillow a wee bit bigger too.  I also added wee whiskers to my mouse.  It is so cute!!  I just love it!  Now I'm waiting for some other opportunity to make another one for someone!  Thanks, Larissa, for this sweet pattern!

Note the 50 grams!

Chocolate Wacky Cake-Super Easy!!

After re-introducing the Chocolate Cake in a Mug recipe to my kids, they have been making them for themselves quite often!  That brought to mind another fun cake recipe I used to make regularly, but haven't made for quite some time!  A Wacky Cake!  This is a cake that turns out great and is not too sweet.  It saves on dishes as it is mixed all in the cake pan!  Here's what you need to get it done!

Oil, baking powder, baking soda, flour, sugar, salt, cocoa,

vanilla, vinegar and water. plus a 9 x 13 inch cake pan.

Into the cake pan, (ungreased), put all of the dry ingredients.

Stir is all up with a fork....

...until it looks like this!

Now, make 3 holes or dips in the dry  mixture.

Put one of the 3 wet ingredients into each of the holes.

My oil overflowed it's hole, so I made a new one for the vanilla.

Next, pour the warm water over the whole works.

Stir it up until it is all evenly mixed and there are no lumps of dry stuff anywhere.

Pop it into a 350 F. oven for about 25 minutes. 

It's done when a toothpick poked in the middle comes out clean.

Baked!  I sprinkle chocolate chips over the top and let them soften, then spread them around instead of icing. You can ice this, eat it with whipped topping, ice cream or just all by itself. It's a nice moist cake.

And that's about it...well, except for the eating part. I'm pretty sure you can figure that part out for yourself! 

Here is the recipe:

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup cocoa

2 tsp. vanilla

2 Tbsp. vinegar

1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. oil (or melted margarine)

2 cups warm water

chocolate chips (optional)

I'd love to know what you think. Did your family enjoy this cake?  Did you find it as easy to make as I do? Let me know in the comments below and don't forget to 'like' and 'share'!

The Death of a Dishwasher

Okay...it's not dead...yet.  But it sure is making a lot of noise!  Each day, the beast is filled with the days dirty dishes, and then, either first thing in the morning, or last thing at night it is set running.  It's never been a great machine.  We bought it at our local Sears catalogue store after we moved into the Shack.  There was a machine in the Mickey Moused kitchen which the previous owners said wasn't much good...but we never expected it to spew water out the sides of the door when we ran it!!  We had wondered why there was a stick in the kitchen!  It was used to wedge between the island and the dishwasher door to keep it closed tight!

So, our first improvement in the Shack had been a new dishwasher.  Of course, not anywhere near the 'top of the line' model.  Not even close!  It was probably the cheapest one they sold.  And like they say -"You get what you pay for".  The dishes have to be rinsed off completely before being loaded in, and there is usually a few that need to be scrubbed and re-washed.  Annoying, yes, but...you learn to deal with these inconveniences.

Now, I'm faced with a choice.  Do I start looking for a new dishwasher, something of a better quality.  Or...and here is the crux of the matter...do I forgo the edict of society and do without one?  

It's not doing the dishes that is a problem for me...it's more having a place to stash them after they are used and before they are washed that I like.  I hate a sink full of dirty dishes cluttering up my kitchen!  It's so nice to be able to rinse them off and stick them in the dishwasher til later.

 

It would also be nice to be able to use the space the dishwasher takes up for another cupboard.  My kitchen is small and having another storage space would be wonderful!  When we installed the new kitchen we chose to use an Ikea one (love it!) and it can easily be added to.  So, I could potentially add big drawers or shelves in the space. 'Sigh'...what to do?

I'm not sure how long I'll have to ponder this dilemma.  The D.W. is really loud!  It's making the most frightful squeals and whirs. But, it's still doing the same substandard job of the dishes.  It could go on like this for some time, or it could pack it in tomorrow.  Who knows?

I guess I'll deal with it when it happens.  Now, what is that noise coming from the laundry room?  Could it be the washing machine is on the slow decline as well?  Do these things always happen in 3s??!!

Easy Frittata!- Recipe

Today I discovered a huge pile of eggs hidden in my chicken house! There must have been at least 50 of them! Those sneaky hens had figured out how to get behind the big bale of wood chips I use on the floor of the hen house and have been laying eggs there for who knows how long! I've been away for over 2 weeks and Trev has been doing the egg collecting. He wouldn't have realized if there was a shortage each day. And who knows how many of the girls were participating in the 'hide your egg' game.

  q

We had some really cold weather (-22C) while I was gone and eggs left in that kind of temperature freeze solid if they aren't collected fairly soon after being laid. Then the shells crack and the egg is not fit to sell, although I do use them for the family in baking. I carefully went through this huge pile, sorting out the cracked from the not cracked. The cracked all went into the burning barrel, and I ended up with 28 good eggs. Not knowing how long they had been there, even though it was cold enough to keep them fresh, I don't like to sell them. This meant I had an overabundance of eggs to use. So, on the menu tonight was a Frittata!
Frittata is an Italian egg dish very much like an omelette, but way easier. You can incorporate all kinds of leftover foods into it. Today, I cleaned out my fridge and had found a green pepper and a tomatoe that needed to be used. In the freezer I found a hunk of some kind of sausage which had come unwrapped and rather than re-wrapping it, I defrosted it. Also, we always have frozen spinach and cheese on hand, which are great additions to a frittata. You could add frozen veggies (thawed) alternate meats (chicken, roast meat, ground meat, seafood), onions, cooked potatoes, any veggie you think sounds good, and any kind of cheese you like!
Here are my directions for an easy dinner (or breakfast or lunch!)
First, I put my largest cast iron skillet on the lowest flame ( I cook with propane). You want your frittata to cook for about 10 minutes, so you need to keep the heat as low as possible. I added oil to the pan and let it sit while I prepped the ingredients.

Here are my ingredients...

6 eggs, cheese, green pepper, tomatoes and some garlic sausage.

Add caption

Chop up your  veggies and meat, grate the cheese and toss it all into a bowl.  Add the eggs.  I usually add about a 1/2 cup of milk for 3 eggs, so here I added about a cup.  Add a dash of salt and grate in some fresh pepper...Stir it all together until the eggs are well mixed in.
Now pour it into your hot pan.

Let it cook, covered (I used tin foil as I don't have a pot lid large enough for this pan) for at least 10 minutes.
You want it to set ( become firm).  When it has reached this stage, take it off the stove top and pop it into the oven under the broiler for a few minutes.  This will set the top and brown it nicely.  Slice it as you would a pie and serve with toast, hashbrowns, salad...what have you!

Serve!

Salad on the go!!

I found this on Newlyweds blog awhile ago, and pinned it in Pinterest with the plan to use it and share it here.  So, here I am.... sharing it....next I'll be using it!  This is such a healthy and money saving idea.  And it's pretty too!  You can pretty much figure out how to do this just by looking at the picture, but head over to Newlyweds blog to see her tutorial and get her yummy dressing recipe! Also visit Fat Girl Trapped in a Skinny Body where Newlywed got her idea.  You can also Google 'salad in a jar' for more great ideas!!  You'll be the envy of the lunch room with this one!

An Afternoon at the Park

Being on Vancouver Island at this time of year is a nice break from the snow at home at the Little Shack. Unfortunately, the weather is not always cooperative.  We've been here for over 2 weeks, and have only had 2 sunny days and they were windy and bitter cold.  After a week of rotten weather, including 'island snow' we finally got a nice day and were all eager to get outdoors and enjoy the sun.  We (my youngest daughter, Alley, my youngest son, Zac, my 3 year old granddaughter, Taylor and myself!) headed down to a lovely park that sits on a spit, so were able to enjoy the ocean views and the park at the same time.

Taylor loves to swing!

Weeee!

Under-duck!

Such a sweetie!

1-2-3 jump!

Climbing!

Down to the beach.

Chasing birds=fun!

Wildlife viewing dock.

Cats Vs. Furniture (Clipping Cat's Claws)

I know I'm not alone in this problem...furniture being shredded by our feline friends.
Last year, the kids and I found 4 abandoned kittens at our mailbox.  We ended up having them in our home, along with our 2 other cats, for several months before having them spayed and finding homes for 2 of them. We kept 2, one of which has since sadly disappeared.  As much as I love my kitties (we have 3 in total now) they can be hard on the upholstered furniture.  My leather love seat took a huge beating.  The kittens decided it was a wonderful place to play and scrambled all over it until they were exhausted and then fell asleep on it.  I covered it with a quilt, but this was just something for them to burrow under so they could fight each other through it!  Crazy cats!  The love seat was 2nd hand, but in 'like new' shape and I was so thrilled to have found it.  Now it is covered in scratches and snags.  Sigh...

The day I got my head smashed by ice (my concussion) we had been to town and bought another 2nd hand couch from the Sally Anne. It's in beautiful condition, as if it has never been owned, let alone used!  I'm anxious to protect my 'new' couch from cat attacks!  Our 2 older cats are fine and use the scratching post, but the remaining kitten, Sweet Pea, has to be chased off of it every now and then.  Time to take action before Sweet Pea gets the upper hand!
At the moment, I'm staying at my daughter's, who took in one of the abandoned kittens.  I am trying to dissuade this kitten, now all grown up, from wrecking my daughter's furniture.  She received 2 lovely arm chairs from my son in law for Christmas this year, and Tigger has already clawed up the fronts of the arms a bit.  Their TV room loveseat has had the back corners thrashed already!  Feeling slightly responsible for this, I went to a locally owned pet store and bought some cat repellent to spray on the furniture and a pair of cat nail clippers.  

The spray, called Shou, should put Tigger off wanting to scratch the chairs,
and some catnip rubbed on her scratching post will make it more interesting.

You can see the specially designed cutting edges
 that easily snip off the tip off the claw.
This particular set has a guide attached so you don't snip off to much

Having these on hand will also help both your cat (a treat!) and you (guilt!)

In the above photo you can see where you should cut and where you want to avoid cutting.  Cutting into the quick will hurt your cat and probably make it bleed, but it's not the end of the world if you do, and eventually, your cat will forgive you. Do this job when your cat is relaxed, like when it is napping quietly on your lap!

 To expose the claw, gently press down on the top of the foot at the base of the claw.  Quickly snip off the end.  Try to do this quickly as cats really don't like having their feet pulled on.  You may have to do a couple claws, take a break, and then try again.  It all depends on your cat.  A towel wrapped around the cat can help protect you from scratches.  You'll have to try it to find out just how cooperative your own cat is.  You'll only need to do the front feet, by the way.
If you haven't the patience to clip your cats claws yourself, you can have it done at the vets or a groomers.  But, saving money is a good incentive to try it yourself first!
Here is another alternative to clipping your cat claws...Soft Paws!!  Go check out this product, even if you don't have a cat!  They are like nail extensions for cats!  Really a neat idea and fun too.  Lots of great kitty pictures on their site, all sporting colourful claws!

*Just a note on declawing....DON'T!  It is inhumane and cruel. In many countries it is actually illegal. Click here to find out more about why you should not declaw a cat.  Think of it as having all of your fingers amputated at the last joint. Not a pretty picture.

Well, I'm off to snip a few more of Tigger's claws.  She was not too upset with me, but we're taking it slow as this is her first time.