KATHY'S HALLOWEEN PARTY DRINK

I JUST CAME UP WIH THIS WHILE STANDING AT THE DRINKS TABLE. IT TASTES EXACTLY LIKE BUTTERPECAN ICE CREAM.

KATHY'S BUTTER PECAN DREAM
1 SHOT MALIBU COCONUT RUM
1 SHOT BUTTER SHOTS
1/2 CAN SPRITE OR 7-UP
ICE

ITS FANTASTIC!

KATHY'S STRAWBERRY ROSE

1 SHOT TEQUILA ROSE
1 SHOT BUTTERSHOTS
1/2 CAN SPRITE OR 7 UP
ICE

VERY GOOD!

HALLOWEEN PARTY 2009

AND THE WINNER IS.........

Today was my drawing for The Garden Cat Cottage Giveaway...

 The Lucky winner is Gloria From Blue Sage Press . Check out Gloria's wonderful site.
BlueSagePress.Com


I am so excited this is my 200th post. It went by so quickly. So in celebration I am doing my first ever giveaway. I am giving away a hardback copy of "Puttin on the G.R.I.T.S A Guide to Southern Entertaining". Enter to win by posting a comment at the end of this post. I will draw a winner on Oct.30.

From the heartfelt love in Grandma’s dumplings at a family gathering to the stomping good fun at a hoedown, Puttin’ on the Grits teaches us how to be a gracious, warm,and entertaining host—the Southern way. Whether you’re organizing the pot luck for a last-minute Super Bowl party, planning a Thanksgiving family feast, or just need an excuse to get together with your girlfriends, Puttin’ on the Grits has tips and ideas to help with everything from the grocery list and decorating tips, to getting that stubborn last guest out the door with a smile. Whether popping a cork or cracking open a six-pack, every hostess can now be the belle of the ball

KATHY'S TIPSY CAKES $25-HOLIDAY LIQUORE CAKES

TIPSY CAKES

FOR THE HOLIDAYS ...

ORDER NOW!!!!!

CALL KATHY AT 935-5026

EACH CAKE IS ONLY MADE WHEN ORDERED ,

THEY NEED A GOOD DAY TO SOAK IN THE LIQUORE

SO PLEASE ORDER 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE.

APPLEJACK BRANDY CAKE

THIS IS A SUPER MOIST AND RICH CAKE

ITS MADE WITH APPLEJACK BRANDY , VANILLA

PEAK SEASON WASHINGTON APPLES, RAISINS

AND TOPPED WITH TOASTED WALNUTS

AND GLAZED WITH A SUGARY RUM SAUCE

$25

RUM EGGNOG CAKE

THIS IS A LUCIOUS CAKE MADE WITH PUDDING,

REAL EGGNOG, A GENEROUS HELPING

OF RUM AND GARNISHED WITH NUTMEG & GINGER.

$25

CHOCOLATE RUM EGGNOG CAKE

THIS IS FANTASTIC , THE BLEND OF FLAVORS

IS ABSOLUTE HEAVEN.

MADE WITH HERSHEYS CHOCOLATE, VANILLA,

BUTTER REAL EGGNOG,NUTMEG AND GINGER

BACARDI RUM AND PUDDING.

GLAZED IN A BUTTERY RUM SAUCE

$25

LUSCIOUS LEMON VODKA CAKE

THIS CAKE IS LOADED WITH LEMON FLAVOR.

MADE WITH LEMON PUDDING,

LEMON ZEST AND LEMON VODKA

AND GARNISHED WITH COCONUT.

SOAKED IN LEMONCELLO

$25

LEMON WHISKEY WALNUT CAKE

THIS CAKE IS MADE WITH PUDDING SO ITS

INCREDIBLY MOIST A GENEROUS

AMOUNT OF WHISKEY, LEMON ZEST AND WALNUTS.

GLAZED IN A BUTTERY WHISKEY SAUCE

$25

TORTUGA RUM CAKE

THIS GOLDEN PUDDING CAKE IS RICH AND BUTTERY

MADE WITH A WONDERUL GOLDEN RUM,

VANILLA AND WALNUTS

GLAZED IN A BUTTERY RUM SAUCE

$25

AMARETTO PISTACHIO CAKE

DIVINE CAKE MADE WITH A PISTACHIO, ORANGE ZEST,

VODKA AND LUSCIOUS AMARETTO

GLAZED WITH A BUTTERY ORANGE AMARETTO SAUCE

$25

CAKES CAN BE SHIPPED ANYWHERE IN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES FOR $12.95

LOCAL DELIVERY $5.00

*FREE IF MORE THAN 2 CAKES ARE ORDERED

CAKES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FOR PICK UP

RUSSIAN FRIENDSHIP TEA

Russian Friendship Tea
2 cups instant orange drink (like Tang)

1/2 cup sweetened iced tea mix powder

1 envelope sweetened lemonade mix

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Combine all ingredients well and store in an airtight container. To use, fill a mug with boiling water and stir in 2-3 teaspoons of mix, to taste.

PUMPKIN RISOTTO RECIPE

Pumpkin Risotto
For the pumpkin risotto

570ml/1 pint vegetable or chicken stock

1 small onion, chopped

12 fresh sage leaves, chopped finely

2 tbsp olive oil

6oz arborio (risotto) rice

250g/9oz pumpkin or butternut squash, diced small

50g/2oz butter

salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the crispy sage

12-16 fresh sage leaves

2 tbsp sunflower oil

For serving

piece fresh parmesan, or vegetarian

parmesan-style grating cheese
Method
1. Heat the stock until almost boiling and then keep over a very low heat. In a separate heavy-based saucepan sweat the onion in the oil until soft but not browned. Add the chopped sage and cook for a couple more minutes.
2. Add the rice and mix well for a few seconds to coat the grains with oil, then pour in one-third of the stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook until almost all the stock is absorbed. Add the pumpkin or squash and a little more stock, and continue to simmer gently until the stock is absorbed.
3. From then on add more stock a little at a time, until the pumpkin is soft and the rice nicely al dente. You may not need all the stock, but the texture should be loose and creamy.
4. When the risotto is almost ready, heat the sunflower oil in a small pan and quickly fry the sage leaves until crispy - it takes a matter of seconds.
5. Stir the butter into the risotto, and season well with salt and pepper. Divide into four servings and throw a few crispy sage leaves over each portion. Bring the cheese and a grater to the table for your guests to serve themselves.

Bread Pudding Pumpkin Recipe

Bread Pudding Pumpkin Recipe

Ingredients

2 medium pie pumpkins (about 3 pounds each)
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 cups cubed crustless day-old bread
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup raisins
Directions
Wash pumpkins; cut off tops and discard. Scoop out seeds and loose fibers (save seeds for another use if desired). In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg. Stir in the bread cubes, pineapple, walnuts and raisins. Spoon into pumpkin shells.
Place on a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Loosely cover tops with foil. Bake at 350° for 1-1/4 hours. Uncover; bake 15-30 minutes longer or until pumpkin is soft and a knife inserted near the center of bread pudding comes out clean. To serve, scoop bread pudding and cooked pumpkin into dessert dishes. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Amaretto Iced Coffee Recipe

Amaretto Iced Coffee
Ingredients:
3 cups coffee, cold
2 cups vanilla ice cream
1 cup milk
1/4 cup Amaretto
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
Crushed ice
Preparation:Combine everything except ice in a blender and whip until smooth. Fill glasses half full with crushed ice, and fill the rest with coffee mixture. Serves around 6 people

Amaretto Alexander Recipe

Amaretto Alexander Recipe

Yield:
10 servings

Ingredients:
12 oz
Amaretto liqueur

1 pt
Half-and-half

6 oz
White creme de cacao

1 1/2 qt
Vanilla ice cream

Instructions:
Preparation : Combine amaretto, creme de cacao, and half-and-half in blender. Put a scoop of ice cream in each sherbet glass and the remainder in blender; blend well. Pour into sherbet glasses and serve. Serves 10.

Amaretto Spinach Salad Recipe

Amaretto Spinach Salad Recipe

Amaretto liqueur lends almond flavor to a red wine bacon vinaigrette dressing for fresh or wilted spinach salad. It is quite easy to make and is packed with flavor.
Prep Time: :10
Cook Time: :15
Ingredients:
2 pounds spinach (4 bunches)
1 pound bacon, diced
1/2 cup salad oil
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup lemon juice
4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 cup Disaronno® Originale Amaretto
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 small red onion, sliced
Preparation:
Wash spinach. Remove large stems and tear into bite-size pieces. Store in plastic bags in refrigerator until ready to use. To make dressing:Place bacon in a large skillet. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until bacon is crisp and all fat is rendered. Remove bacon, reserve 1/8 cup bacon fat, discard rest. Return bacon fat to skillet and add oil, garlic, wine vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, Amaretto, salt, and pepper. Simmer until blended. When ready to serve, place spinach, mushrooms, red onion, and reserved bacon in large salad bowl. If you like a wilted salad, pour the dressing over very hot; if not, let cool a bit before serving; toss well. Yield: 8 servings

Love is patient, love is kind. . . .
— I Corinthians 13:4 (NAS)

A Time to Think

The man who makes no mistakes

does not usually make anything. - Theodore Roosevelt

To Act

Forgive those who have crossed you,

because your forgiveness

is your most important contribution

to the healing of the world.

To Pray

Lord, today I need

the healing power

of Your forgiveness.

Corn and Crabmeat Soup Recipe

Corn and Crabmeat Soup

1 lb lump crab meat
1/4 c butter
2 c chicken stock
1c yellow corn
1/4c flour
2 c half and half
1/2tsp garlic powder
1/2tsp salt
2 tsp pepper

Melt butter in saucepan. Add flour and blend well. add Chicken stock, stirring constantly. Cook until thick and smooth. stir in cream, crabmat and corn and seasonings. Cook over low heart for about 45 mins to 1 hr.
*Canned or frozen corn can be used

ANCHOR OF HOPE

This hope we have as an anchor

of the soul, both sure and

steadfast, which entereth into

that within the veil.

Hebrews 6:19

WHAT A WONDERFUL SURPRISE!

What a lovely surprise! The mailman came up the walk with a package, We coud not imagine who it was from . A very special surprise ift from our dear friends in Russia Elena and Ksenia and Viktor. Thank you so much for these .

I also want to share a prayer with the family for a loved one of theirs who passed away yesterday afer a lengthy illness.

Rest in Peace Viktors Mom.

Fall Lunar Equinox

My neighbor called a little while ago and said that her broom was standing on its own in the middle of the room due to the Lunar Equinox. She told me to get my broom and try it. It worked, This is my broom standing on its own.

Myths, Facts and Fables.....
One effect of equinoctial periods is the temporary disruption of communications satellites. For all geostationary satellites, there are a few days near the equinox when the sun goes directly behind the satellite relative to Earth (i.e. within the beamwidth of the groundstation antenna) for a short period each day. The Sun's immense power and broad radiation spectrum overload the Earth station's reception circuits with noise and, depending on antenna size and other factors, temporarily disrupt or degrade the circuit. The duration of those effects varies but can range from a few minutes to an hour. (For a given frequency band, a larger antenna has a narrower beamwidth, hence experiences shorter duration "Sun outage" windows).
A modern urban legend[clarification needed] claims that on the March equinox day (some may also include the September equinox day rather than leaving it out), one can balance an egg on its point.[7][8] However, one can balance an egg on its point any day of the year...if one has enough patience.[9]
Although the word equinox is often understood to mean "equal [day and] night," as is noted elsewhere, this is not strictly true. For most locations on earth, there are two distinct identifiable days per year when the length of day and night are closest to being equal; those days are commonly referred to as the "equiluxes" to distinguish them from the equinoxes. Equinoxes are points in time, but equiluxes are days. By convention, equiluxes are the days where sunrise and sunset are closest to being exactly 12 hours apart. This way, you can refer to a single date as being the equilux, when in reality, it spans from sunset on one day to sunset the next, sunrise on one to sunrise the next or lunchtime on one day to lunchtime on the next.
What is true about the equinoxes is that two observers at the same distance north and south of the equator will experience nights of equal length.
The equilux counts times when some direct sunlight could be visible, rather than all hours of usable daylight (which is any time when there is enough natural light to do outdoor activities without needing artificial light). This is due to twilight; a particular type of twilight which is officially defined as civil twilight. This amount of twilight can result in more than 12 hours of usable daylight up to a few weeks before the spring equinox, and up to a few weeks after the fall equinox.
In a contrary vein, the daylight which is useful for illuminating houses and buildings during the daytime and is needed to produce the full psychological benefit of daylight, is shorter than the nominal time between sunrise and sunset. So in that sense, "useful" daylight is present for 12 hours only after the vernal equinox and before the autumnal equinox, because the intensity of light near sunrise and sunset, even with the sun slightly above the horizon, is considerably less than when the sun is high in the sky.
It is perhaps valuable for people in the Americas and Asia to know that the equinoxes listed as occurring on March 21, which occurred frequently in the 20th century and which will occur occasionally in the 21st century, are presented as such using UTC, which is at least four hours in advance of any clock in the Americas and as much as twelve hours behind Asian clocks. Thus, there will be no spring equinox later than March 20 in the Americas in the coming century.

LOOKING FORWARD TO HALLOWEEN

Edgar Allen Poe 200th Anniversary Funeral

BALTIMORE – For Edgar Allan Poe, 2009 has been a better year than 1849. After dozens of events in several cities to mark the 200th anniversary of his birth, he's about to get the grand funeral that a writer of his stature should have received when he died.
One hundred sixty years ago, the beleaguered, impoverished Poe was found, delirious and in distress outside a Baltimore tavern. He was never coherent enough to explain what had befallen him since leaving Richmond, Va., a week earlier. He spent four days in a hospital before he died at age 40.
Poe's cousin, Neilson Poe, never announced his death publicly. Fewer than 10 people attended the hasty funeral for one of the 19th century's greatest writers. And the injustices piled on. Poe's tombstone was destroyed before it could be installed, when a train derailed and crashed into a stonecutter's yard. Rufus Griswold, a Poe enemy, published a libelous obituary that damaged Poe's reputation for decades.
But on Sunday, Poe's funeral will get an elaborate do-over, with two services expected to draw about 350 people each — the most a former church next to his grave can hold. Actors portraying Poe's contemporaries and other long-dead writers and artists will pay their respects, reading eulogies adapted from their writings about Poe.
"We are following the proper etiquette for funerals. We want to make it as realistic as possible," said Jeff Jerome, curator of the Poe House and Museum.
Advance tickets are sold out, although Jerome will make some seats available at the door to ensure packed houses. Fans are traveling from as far away as Vietnam.
The funeral is arguably the splashiest of a year's worth of events honoring the 200th anniversary of Poe's birth. Along with Baltimore — where he spent some of his leanest years in the mid-1830s — Poe lived in or has strong connections to Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Richmond.
With the funeral angle covered, the Edgar Allan Poe Museum in Richmond staged a re-enactment last weekend of his death. Those with a more academic interest in Poe can attend the Poe Studies Association's annual conference from Thursday through Sunday in Philadelphia.
Visitors in Baltimore for the funeral can enjoy a new exhibit at the Baltimore Museum of Art, "Edgar Allan Poe: A Baltimore Icon," which includes chilling illustrations to "The Raven" by Edouard Manet.

Baltimore has a decided advantage over the other cities that lay claim to Poe, notes BMA director Doreen Bolger. "We have the body," she said.
This week, that's true in more ways than one. Jerome said he's gotten calls from people who thought he was going to exhume Poe's remains and rebury them.
"When they dug up Poe's body in 1875 to move it, it was mostly skeletal remains," Jerome said. "I've seen remains of people who've been in the ground since that time period, and there's hardly anything left."
Instead, Jerome commissioned local special-effects artist Eric Supensky to create an eerily lifelike — or deathlike — mock-up of Poe's corpse.
"I got chills," Jerome said Monday upon seeing the body for the first time. "This is going to freak people out."
The body will lie in state for 12 hours Wednesday at the Poe House, a tiny rowhome in a gritty section of west Baltimore. Visitors are invited to pay their respects.
Following the viewing will be an all-night vigil at Poe's grave at Westminster Burying Ground. Anyone who attends will have the opportunity to deliver a tribute.
On Sunday morning, a horse-drawn carriage will transport the replica of Poe's body from his former home to the graveyard for the funeral.
Actor John Astin, best known as Gomez Addams on TV's "The Addams Family," will serve as master of ceremonies.
"It's sort of a way of saying, 'Well, Eddie, your first funeral wasn't a very good one, but we're going to try to make it up to you, because we have so much respect for you,'" said Astin, who toured as Poe for years in a one-man show.
The service won't be a total lovefest, however. The first eulogy will come from none other than Griswold.
"People are asking me, 'Jeff, why are you inviting him? He hated Poe!'" Jerome said. "The reason is, most of these people defended Poe in response to what he said about Poe's life, so we can't have this service without having old Rufus sitting in the front row, spewing forth his hatred."
Eulogies will follow from actors portraying, among others, Sarah Helen Whitman, a minor poet whom Poe courted after his wife's death, and Walt Whitman, who attended the dedication of Poe's new gravestone in 1875 but didn't feel well enough to speak. Writers and artists influenced by Poe, including Arthur Conan Doyle and Alfred Hitchcock, will also be represented.
Jerome expects to cry — one reason he won't be speaking. Even his rivals are impressed with the scale of the tribute.
"Annoyed as I am with Baltimore sometimes, I have to give them credit," said Philadelphia-based Poe scholar Edward Pettit, who argues his city was of greater importance to Poe's life and literary career. "Baltimore has done an awful lot to maintain the legacy of Poe over the last 100-some years."

GOD BLESS THE MARINE CORPS LEAGUE

JOE VICKERY OF THE GALVESTON DETACHMENT OF THE MARINE CORPS LEAGUE PROVIDED US WITH THIS BEAUTIFUL CERTIFICATE AND PIN IN HONOR OF RICKS SERVICE IN THE USMC.

RICK'S NAME APPEARS ON THE FALLEN MARINES LIST ON THE WEBSITE: MCLGALVESTON.COM

Richard "Rick" Martin's Memorial Service

ORDER OF SERVICE

OPENING SONG: AVE MARIA (PAVAROTTI AND THE 3 TENORS)

GREETING: READING OF THE MEMORIAL INFO, SENTIMENTS

AND THE POEM I WROTE, "REST IN PEACE DEAR FRIEND"

PRAYER: ST. JOSEPH'S PRAYER

EULOGY: EACH PERSON TOLD A STORY ABOUT RICK

PRAYER: ACT OF LOVE

SONG: CHRIS ISAAK- SOMEBODYS CRYIN

POEM: MISS ME BUT LET ME GO

PRAYER: OUR FATHER

ENDING SONG: AMAZING GRACE (SCOTTISH BAGPIPES)

MEMORIAL DINNER

ALMA LIGHTING THE DIVINE HEART OF JESUS

CANDLE AS AVE MARIA PLAYED

THE BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS FROM GAYLES GARDEN, HOLY CANDLES, WHITE ROSES TIED WITH BLACK RIBBON IN MEMORY OF RICK BROUGHT BY ALMA, MARINE CORP LEAUGUE CERTIFICATE AND PIN.

DIVINE HEART OF JESUS

GAYLES FLOWERS

KATHY AND ALMA ACKNOWLEDGING RICKS MARINE CORPS

SERVICE AND GIVING THANKS TO THE

MARINE CORPS LEAGUE FOR THIS HONOR.

THE ENTRY TABLE WITH MARINE CORPS LEAGUE CERTIFICATE, PIN , GUEST SHEET AND MEMORIAL FOLDERS

CENTERPIECE

RIBBON FESTOONED CHAIR BACKS
GREG MAKING CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL

GUESTS FOR THE MEMORIAL AND MEMORIAL DINNER

MISS ME BUT LET ME GO POEM

MISS ME BUT LET ME GO

When I come to the end of the road,

and the sun has set for me

I want no rites in a gloom-filled room,

why cry for a soul set free?

Miss me a little but not too long

and not with your head bowed low.

Remember the love that we once shared

miss me but let me go.

For this is a journey that we all must take

and each must go alone

It’s all a part of the Master’s plan

a step on the road to home.

When you are lonely and sick at heart,

Go to the friends we know,

And bury your sorrow in doing good deeds,

Miss me, but let me go.

Mother Theresa's Novena 1952

Mother Theresa's 1952 Novena

Our Father Who art in heaven,

hallowed be Thy name,

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven,

give us this day our daily bread and

forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who

trespass against us and lead us not in to temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

Amen.



GOD WANTED ME TO TELL YOU, It shall be well with you this coming year.No matter how much your enemies try this year, they will not succeed..You have been destined to make it and you shall surely achieve all your goals this year. For the remainder of 2009, all your agonies will be diverted and victory and prosperity will be incoming in abundance.

Today God has confirmed the end of your sufferings, sorrows and pain because. He has taken away the hardships and given you JOY. He will never let you down. I knocked at heaven's door this morning, God asked me..My child! What can I do for you? And I said,'Father, please protect and bless the person reading this message..... 'This is a Novena from Mother Theresa that started in 1952.

Puttin on the Grits Recipe

In honor of my 200th Blog Post Giveaway The book Puttin on the Grits will be given to a lucky winner.

Enjoy this Grits recipe while we wait for the drawing on Oct.30,2009

*

*

*

Spicy Cheddar Grits
Serves 4-6 people
Ingredients
4 cups grits
½ cup onions, diced
8 slices of bacon
4 garlic cloves, manicured
4 shallots, manicured
3 tablespoons jalapenos, deseeded and diced
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 lb. butter (reserve 4 tablespoons to sauté vegetables)
8 cups chicken stock
1 ½ cups cream
Kosher salt
Directions
Bring chicken stock to a boil. Whisk in grits. Once grits are cooked, fold in butter, cream and cheese.
In a sauté pan, add reserved butter and render bacon, then sweat onions, garlic, shallots and jalapenos. Then fold into your grits. Season with salt to taste.

Memorial Prayer Service for Rick Martin

A Memorial Prayer Service

will be held for Rick Martin

at 2:00 pm

at Borondo Pines

October 3,2009

He will be sadly missed by his friends and neighbors.

REST IN PEACE RICK MARTIN 10-1-2009

REST IN PEACE MY DEAR FRIEND.

YOUR SUFFERING IS NO MORE.

I WILL MISS YOUR SMILE,

FRIENDSHIP AND KIND HEART.

YOU ARE IN MY PRAYERS

AND IN MY HEART.