7.31.2015

weekly roundup of #100happydays!

day 40:
...another beautiful sunset.....
day 41:
..trying to get this stress weight off! Already shaving time off my route! Whoop!!

day 42:
Me and daddy's baby..... Rose is such a sweetheart. 
day 43:
...visitors out at the farm...
day 44:
the 'Sweet Stuff Sunday" dessert..... I called this one 'caramel cream dream cake'.....
day 45:
We went to see this on opening night and although I was a little leery of how funny this could be, I was laughing nonstop. Sooooo good!!!  
day 46:

I feel a little road trip coming soon....... Hello bbq, Jack White, & all the sweetness of Nashville...
day 47:
The moon this morning..... ahhhhhh.... how awesome??


7.30.2015

want/ need/ hear/ read

want:
I want a vacay to Nashville sooooon...... 



need:
We need some sort of amazing storage unit for our records like these shelves. Someone made these and this pic was posted on a forum HERE, so if anyone out there finds building plans for somethibg similar, hook a girl up!!

hear:
In my daydreaming of Nashville, and wanting to visit Third Man Records, of course this song is totally appropriate....
read: 
" After being kicked out of her apartment in Brooklyn in 1992, and unable to afford rent anywhere near her school, young art student Ash Thayer found herself with few options. Luckily she was welcomed as a guest into See Skwat.

New York City in the ‘90s saw the streets of the Lower East Side overun with derelict buildings, junkies huddled in dark corners, and dealers packing guns. People in desperate need of housing, worn down from waiting for years in line on the low-income housing lists, had been moving in and fixing up city-abandoned buildings since the mid-80s in the LES.

Squatters took over entire buildings, but these structures were barely habitable. They were overrun with vermin, lacking plumbing, electricity, and even walls, floors, and a roof. Punks and outcasts joined the squatter movement and tackled an epic rebuilding project to create homes for themselves."

Click on any of the images below to purchase your own copy....
http://www.amazon.com/Kill-City-Lower-Squatters-1992-2000/dp/1576877345

http://www.amazon.com/Kill-City-Lower-Squatters-1992-2000/dp/1576877345

http://www.amazon.com/Kill-City-Lower-Squatters-1992-2000/dp/1576877345

http://www.amazon.com/Kill-City-Lower-Squatters-1992-2000/dp/1576877345


7.29.2015

spontaneous date night... and LOTS of laughing.



When I got home from work today, Christian suggested we go see a movie. The new Vacation. I have to admit that I was a little pissed when I heard there was a new one - I mean WHY remake something that was perfect. A classic. Well, after I heard that it was not a remake, but a new take on the ol' family vacation with Russ' family, I warmed up to the idea pretty quickly and we headed out to the new Ovation Theater where you can be served food and drinks right at your seat! The theater was pretty empty Wow! Yeah... we splurged.... Anyway, this movie had me rollin'! Here is an unrated clip for the people that are not sensitive to language and a little sexual innuendo from one of my boyfriends, Chris Hemsworth... Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, and the Family Truckster all make an appearance as well! 

7.26.2015

The Best Cake Everrrrr: Caramel Cream Dream Cake....

I was determined to make a sweet today since it had been almost a month since my last 'Sweet Stuff Sunday' post..... Problem is, I did not want to leave the house, and I decided to create something out of the ingredients I had at the moment..... The most creamy, dreamy, caramellllly cake was born. It is a thin, creamy dense cake with homemade caramel made from the goat's milk on top. It was a bit time consuming, but well worth the effort. This recipe was just enough for Christian and myself and our friend, Lauren... She actually helped me come up with the name! If you want to make enough for more than 4 or 5 people, I would suggest doubling the recipe and using a larger dish to bake it in. They key is to have a thin dense cake, so where I used an 8"x 8", you could use a deep cookie sheet I would think because the cake is thin... I am going to give this recipe another go soon and see about a larger batch. You may just have to use two 8"x 8".... The caramel alone takes about an hour to make, so just warning you this is not a dessert you can just pop in the oven and check on in 20 min ;)  ...

The ingredients I had on hand:

raw goat milk
GF flour
sugar
confectioners sugar
only 1 stick of butter (end of the month slim pickin's at our house! )
salt
baking powder
baking soda
vanilla extract
and only I only had ONE egg left!!

First pour 2 Cups milk (I used raw goat milk) into a saucepan. Add about a tsp of vanilla extract.  I would say the milk and vanilla should only take up half or less of the depth of the pan. 
Add 1/2 Cup granulated sugar and heat to a boil while stirring.
Once the mixture comes to a boil, remove from heat and add a pinch of salt and a 1/4 tsp baking soda. The baking soda will immediately make the mixture froth which is why you need a deep saucepan...
Return to a low/med heat so that the mixture is slightly bubbly and make sure to stir every 5-7 minutes to keep it from scorching. 
During this time, preheat the oven to 400.
Continue to stir until mixture turns a golden brown then continually stir until it is thick enough to coat the spoon. Then remove from heat and start preparing your cake.

For the cake, whisk 1/2 Cup flour, and 1 tsp baking powder together in a small bowl. 
Melt one stick of butter slightly and mix in 1/2 Cup powdered sugar in a medium bowl. 
Add 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 egg, and  1/4 C milk and whisk until all is blended together, then add flour mixture and beat with a handheld mixer just until all is mixed.
Butter your dish so that the cake doesn't stick,  then pour in your batter and bake 15 - 17 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when tested. 

While cake is still hot, poke holes in it with a knife, pour caramel over the top, and let cool for about an hour. 

Ohhhhhhhhh. Emmmmmm. Geeeeeeeee. This was the most delicious thing I've ever whipped up on a whim!!!









7.25.2015

Saturday Snapshots...

This morning I decided to make the most of the day by getting out and taking as many photos as possible for my Etsy inventory. I am in dire need of fencing supplies for Rose's field, so I have got to get busy listing all my stuff! Of course, since I am my own stylist, photographer, and model, it takes a bit to just get the photos for ONE listing.... I managed to get five new things posted today!! After the morning shoot, I spent time in the field with the animals and then headed out in the evening to hang with my brother and get in a few rounds of target practice before heading home and spending the rest of the evening with my redhead watching bad tv....

Here is a peek into the day: