Creating worlds with words.
Yesterday, I made not one, but TWO mistakes:
Today, I’m going to work on rectifying the latter of those mistakes — by FINALLY sitting down and planning a month’s worth of made-from-scratch meals, something that’s been on “the three tasks” lists for quite some time!
While getting caught up in my e-mail, I came across several quotes that I thought I’d share with you, including one that made me laugh. So… Without further ado, here they are (in no particular order):
“Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.”
~ Michael McGriffy ~
“Whether you succeed or not is irrelevant — there is no such thing. Making your unknown known is the important thing.”
~ Georgia O’Keeffe ~
“Focus less on winning, focus more on improving.”
~ James Clear ~
“The palest ink is better than the best memory.”
~ Chinese Proverb ~
“The shortest way to do many things is to do only one thing at a time.”
~ Mozart ~
So, there you have ’em: several quotes that I found to be inspirational. I especially liked the last two: the Chinese proverb since it validates my need to write things down AND Mozart’s reminder since it seems as though people have been trying to “multi-task” (and probably failing at it) for a VERY LONG TIME if Mozart was quoted for saying something like this.
Oh, and please leave a comment to let me know which quote you think made me laugh. If you’d like, please also leave me a comment with some of your favorite quotes since I like collecting quotes — almost as much as I like collecting postcards!
While perusing the many rows of offerings on Netflix, I came across a category that I hadn’t noticed before: “Watch it again”. So… I scrolled through the items in that row, and I realized that I have watched MANY things on Netflix — mostly while on the treadmill (to “keep my brain busy while my body exercises”), but also on “movie nights” (with and without the candy and popcorn), especially their “Leaving Soon” movies.
Since I don’t really have much else to write about today, I thought I’d share some of the items I saw in that (rather lengthy) “Watch it again” row, so here goes…
As I’m sure you can tell from this list, I have rather eclectic taste in what I’ve watched on Netflix! There is one constant though: I generally select what I want to watch based on the “log line” — the short description of it that’s beneath the trailer AND, of course, the trailer itself. If I find the “log line” (or the premise of the show), then I’ll watch it — just to find out how it’s handled in the actual show. Most of the time, I’ve enjoyed what shows I’ve watched based on these two criteria, but there have been a few that I just haven’t been able to finish.
On that note, I did, indeed, finish watching ALL of the above-listed shows — liking some more than others. I’d love to find out whether you’ve watched any of the shows on my list AND what you though of them. So… Please leave me a comment below!
This is my official “I have nothing worth writing about and/or no time to write it” vanity post. From now on, whenever my schedule is so busy that I don’t feel I have time to come up with something interesting in a timely manner, I’ll publish “Vanity Post #14” — my version of Chuck Lorre’s vanity card #111.
After I finished transcribing Merissa’s recipe for “homemade spreadable butter” (in vanity post #71) yesterday, I spotted another recipe that brought back memories. It was for “honey butter”, and I first experienced honey butter at a “sit down” restaurant. Even though I can’t remember that restaurant’s name, I DO remember that it was served with cornbread. Honey butter on cornbread was such a yummy combination that I thought I’d share recipes, so I can recreate that delicious combo again. So, without further ado, here are recipes for honey butter and cornbread — both also from littlehouseliving.com (one of my favorite Web sites):
“Whipped Honey Butter
Ingredients
Directions
Notes
This recipe for Honey Butter makes a small batch, so if you plan to use it to feed a larger family, you will want to double it. To store, I simply place it in a small container after whipping it and keep it in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it. Just take any leftover honey butter you have and scoop spoonfuls onto plastic wrap and wrap tightly. If you have enough leftover, you can roll it into a small log and wrap it tightly. Then just pull it out and allow it to thaw in the fridge or on the counter when you are ready to enjoy it!
Now that you’ve got your “honey butter”, you’re going to want something on which to put it, so here’s a basic recipe for cornbread — Buttermilk Cornbread:
Buttermilk Cornbread
Ingredients
Directions
Note
If you’re like me and don’t often have store-bought buttermilk or whey in your fridge, here what to do to get some buttermilk to use in this (and other) recipe(s):
Buttermilk Recipe
Ingredients
*
1 cup whole milk (NOT skim)
1 Tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar.
Directions
So, there you have it: recipes to recreate one of my favorite taste sensations: honey butter on cornbread. It’s such a yummy combination, so I hope you give it a try and then let me know what you thought of it as well as any memories you have of honey butter and/or cornbread. In the meantime… Bon appétit!
I’m sure you’re probably wondering why the topic of today’s vanity post is “homemade spreadable butter”, so I shall enlighten you. The primary reason is so that I won’t forget the ratios of the two (only two) main ingredients! I figure that if I write ’em down enough times I might FINALLY remember!
I’ve already written them in at least one — if not, two — “Holler Happenings” notebooks, but that apparently wasn’t enough because when I went to make another batch of “homemade spreadable butter” yesterday, I wasn’t sure about the measurement for the first ingredient. So… I figured that I’d post the recipe here on my Web site as yet another time to write ’em down. Hopefully, I won’t forget the next time I want to make a batch, but IF I do, then I’ll know where to look!
Anyway… Here’s the recipe for “Homemade Spreadable Butter” that I found on the littlehouseliving.com Web site:
“Homemade Spreadable Butter
Make your own spreadable butter with 2 simple ingredients!
Ingredients
Instructions
Storing DIY Spreadable Butter
Store the butter in a container (I use an old butter container!) in the fridge. It should stay soft and spreadable without having to take it out to soften.”
So, there you have it: a recipe for “Homemade Spreadable Butter”, AND I now know where to look in case I can’t remember that the recipe takes !/4 cup of olive oil — to go with one stick (1/2 cup) of butter! If you give this recipe a try, please leave me a comment below with your thoughts about it.
Today, I’m happy to report that I finished watching the very last episode of “Falling Skies”, a science fiction series that’s currently streaming on Netflix. Although the series originally aired from 2011 to 2015, I didn’t watch it back then, primarily because I’d decided NOT to watch any television. The main reason I watched it now is to have something to do while I’m on my treadmill. Watching keeps my mind occupied while my body is busy exercising. Anyway… I thought it was a good series — one that often kept me on the edges of the treadmill while I reacted to what was happening on the small screen of my “watcher”, especially during the rather gory parts. (If hostile aliens are involved, there’s sure to be gore!) So, yeah… I’d definitely recommend “Falling Skies” if you like anything with aliens.
By the way, I was going to title this vanity post something else, but I decided not to do so because I didn’t want to spoil the series in case you decided to watch it. As the current title of this post suggests, I now have a bit of a dilemma: What do I want to watch now? I’ve discovered that Netflix has A LOT to offer for one’s viewing pleasure. All I know is that I’d better hurry up and decide ‘cuz the treadmill will be calling my name later today! If you have any recommendations for something I should watch, please let me know in the comments, and I’ll then check to see if it’s currently available on Netflix. Looking forward to your suggestions about what to watch now AND your thoughts about this series if you’ve watched it — either while it was airing OR while it’s streaming on Netflix.
In my two previous vanity posts (#68 and #69), I presented the first two parts of August 2026’s “7th of the month” post. So… Today’s vanity post (#70) will finish this month’s “7th of the month” post by discussing the last category: Writing!
Sadly, my writing has seem to have fallen by the wayside much of this calendar year. I’ve often felt like the old lady in the commercials who says “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up.” Well… It feels as though I’ve fallen — off the “writing wagon” — and I can’t climb back up onto it! So… Back at the beginning of July, I decided that the best way for me to climb back up onto the “writing wagon” was to “take a page” from one of Chuck Lorre’s sitcom scripts by writing something similar to the “vanity cards” that he puts at the end of his sitcoms. I call mine “vanity posts”, and my goal with this is to publish one each day — every day. (We’ll see how that goes…) So, yeah… These vanity posts have pretty much been the extent of my writing this month — though I have tried to keep up with my other forms of writing:
This month, I also checked out the “National Days” Web site — looking for special days to celebrate, especially those related to food, so I can discover more recipes to feature in my “Tasty Tuesdays” posts, which will, more than likely, be featured in a vanity post — to keep my string of vanity posts (AND my writing) going strong!
The last thing worth noting in Part 3 of August 2026’s “7th of the month” post is that I, once again, participated in a writers postcard swap since I LOVE receiving postcards! Because I knew I was going to be participating in this swap AND that the price of stamps was going up (yet again!), I went to the local post office in town (after one of my “quilt-along” sessions) to purchase more “postcard stamps”. Well… The lady behind the counter thought I said “stamped postcards” and brought me a big pile of them! When I looked at them, I didn’t see any stamps, so I asked, “Are there stamps in here?” (referring to the big pile of what appeared to be index cards). “Oh! You wanted postcard stamps?” she asked as she was finishing up my purchase on the cash register. “Uh, yeah,” I replied. To make a long story short, I figured that it would be too much trouble for her to “cancel my order” (since I’d already been waiting quite a while) AND that I could probably use the stamped postcards one way or another. So… I purchased both “stamped postcards” and “postcard stamps” that day!
I ended up using the “stamped postcards” for the swap by photocopying a page from an adult coloring book that I had on hand, figuring that I’d send all of my postcard swap recipients a postcard that could relieve stress when the recipient took some time to color it. I haven’t heard back from anybody to tell me what they thought of this idea. Of course, I didn’t specifically ask for such feedback, so I’m hoping that everybody liked the idea. I had fun making ’em (despite a few “technical difficulties” — like the printer jamming), so I think I’m going to make some more coloring postcards to send to friends and family. In fact, I made a couple extra and included them in my son’s birthday box — as a not-so-subtle hint that he should write his mom more often! They were even self-addressed (AND I included a pen!), so he doesn’t really have an excuse for taking a few moments to color the card and send it back to me! Only time will tell if I receive ’em back or not…
Oh! Speaking of postcards… When I was going through the trailer, I found TWO suitcases FULL of POSTCARDS that Mom had collected throughout her life. Perhaps I’m following in Mom’s footsteps by collecting postcards!
So, yeah… I’m climbing back up onto the “writing wagon” by writing these daily “vanity posts”, which are now how I’m sharing the various kinds of posts that I have been publishing on this author Web site of mine — posts like my “7th of the month” posts and “Tasty Tuesdays” posts as well as other that I hope to be publishing soon. So, stay tuned for more “vanity posts” about a wide range of subjects! In the meantime… I hope YOU will take a moment or two out of your busy schedule to leave me a comment about what you think of these “vanity posts” or whatever else is on your mind, especially anything related to writing.
In yesterday’s vanity post (#68), I discussed “Holler Happenings“, which is the first part of August 2026’s “7th of the Month” post. In today’s vanity post (#69), I’ll be focused on events that fall within the category of “Personal”. So, buckle up ‘cuz it could be a wild ride!
Personal Events
Hello, again, from “my holler in Kentucky”! This month got off to a rocky start — literally! — when I went for a “wild ride” and ended up in a ditch with the “little, white roadster” nestled against a rock wall on my way straight home from a (frustrating) “quilt-along” session. Proof that I should NOT have changed my normal routine (of checking my P.O. Box after the “quilt-along” session) came when I FINALLY got home — HOURS later — when I received a phone call from my darlin’ daughter, who told me that her sister-in-law had finally sent me the fabric for the quilt she wants me to make for her son. I’m sure you can see the irony of the situation: Had I not changed my routine that day, I (1) would NOT have ended up in the ditch, and (2) I would have picked up the package before I got my daughter’s phone call. Anyway… The good news is that I was able to walk away from the vehicle AND there was only minor damage to the “little, white roadster”, which was due more to pulling it out of the ditch than the actual “slide” into the ditch. The bad news is that I’m now known as “Miss Wrecky” in the neighborhood.
As far as my quilting is concerned, I spent LOTs of time this month working on “Stars”, my current “quilt-along” project. I’ve been doing LOTS of “slicing and dicing” (as Sweet Thing calls the time I spend cutting out the needed pieces) AND sewing these pieces together again — in three different patterns: “light star” blocks, “modified log cabin” blocks, and “dark star” blocks. I’m happy to report that I’ve got all of the blocks made for four of the twelve rows needed for the quilt top. Hmmm… This means that I’m now one third of the way finished!
In addition to working on “Stars”, I’ve also been giving some thought to/ working on the quilt that my daughter’s sister-in-law wants me to make for her son. I now have a good idea about how I’m going to handle the quilt’s backing (use a technique that I learned during last month’s three-day quilting retreat), but I’m still trying to decide which pattern would be the most appropriate for the quilt’s intended recipient. Until I get that pattern finalized, I’ll be working on the quilt’s backing, which is actually a rather backwards way of making a quilt. But, hey! Once it’s completely finished, nobody will be able to tell that the back was made first. Anyway…
This month, that “favorite (and only) son of mine” celebrated a milestone birthday: He turned 35 years young! To honor this special occasion, I assembled — and mailed — him a “birthday box”, which contained everything he needed to throw himself a party along with a few other “goodies”. I’m happy to report that it reached its destination BEFORE my son’s birthday, which is actually another “milestone” itself. (I’m NOT like my mom with regards to birthday greetings; she was always able to get birthday cards mailed in time to reach their recipient ON or before their special day.) I’m trying to be more like her in this regard, and the EARLY arrival of my son’s birthday box proves that I can, indeed, do it. Just have to be vigilant when it comes to the calendar AND accurately calculate the amount of time the U.S.P.S. will take to deliver packages to their intended destinations, something Mom was REALLY good at doing!
Anyway… Here are a few more things that fall into the “Personal Events” category:
An on that note, I’m going to close today’s vanity post which contained Part 2 of this month’s “7th of the Month” post. Stay tuned for the third, and final, category in August 2026’s “7th of the Month” post, which will be coming tomorrow!
With today being the 7th day of August, it’s time for this month’s “7th of the month” post to be published, but I’m changing it up a bit. Since I’ve been publishing “vanity posts” on a daily basis, I’ve decided to publish August 2026’s “7th of the month” post in three separate “vanity posts” — one for each of the usual sections:
So… In today’s vanity post, I’ll be sharing information about what’s been happening here at “my holler in Kentucky”. Here goes…
Holler Happenings
Hello from “my holler in Kentucky”! I began this “month” (from 7 July through 6 August) brainstorming a multi-page list of projects I want to accomplish around the holler. Then, Sweet Thing and I decided which ones we’ll tackle first, and they are as follows:
I spent A LOT of time this month getting the trailer (which now has electricity, by the way) ready for relocating it to its new home. This meant going through all of the “stuff” (including some memorabilia from Mom) that had accumulated in it AND transferring said “stuff” to the annex (which also now has electricity) — wagon load by heavy wagon load! I’m happy to report that it’s almost ready to move. Just have to pump up its tires, clear out the spot which will be its new home, and the move it!
As far as my gardening is concerned, I took advantage of a GreenStalk sale and purchased enough components to have EIGHT 3-tier GreenStalk vertical planters. In addition, I purchased enough bags of potting soil to fill all eight vertical planters. Sadly, though, by the time I finally got all of these things, I lost the motivation to garden. Consequently,all I’ve been doing is (1) hand-watering the “garden babies” that I did manage to grow ( lots of potatoes (in both a GreenStalk vertical planter and six terra cotta pots); lots of onions (in a GreenStalk vertical planter and four “grow bags”); a GreenStalk planter full of strawberries, and two cucumber plants in one tier of a GreenStalk vertical planter.), and (2) wondering where I’m going to store all of the GreenStalk components and other gardening supplies.
So, there you have it: Part 1 of August 2026’s “7th of the month” post. Stay tuned for Parts 2 (Personal) and 3 (Writing) coming soon!