The Masons

No, not the secret society Masons.


I'm talking about a totally different society - one of Mason jar lovers.


I belong to that society.  I looooove me some Masons.


I love how useful they are.  You can use them for everything from drinking glasses, to storing nails or buttons, to their original use...canning.

I haven't become a full-fledged canner yet.  I've done some quick pickling, but nothing requiring hot water baths and sterilizing.  I do have Todd's mom's canning equipment which she gave me along with box after box of Mason and other canning jars.  Until the time comes that I fill all those jars with veggies and jams I will continue to use them for their many other uses.


For example, we'll be using TONS of Mason jars for the wedding.  Filling them with flowers and candles and maybe, hopefully, some cute little doughnut holes for dipping in coffee.  


We use Mason jars to drink from.  We have a few stashed in our cabinets.


We've also taken to using a Mason jar for to-go cups for iced coffee!  It's so handy!  The lid screws tightly on and voila!  No spilled coffee in your car...

And just look at how pretty and interesting they are!  Todd recently came back from Wisconsin with a couple more boxes of Mason jars from his parents' cellar.  


These are ollllllld Masons.  With lots of history and personality...

I love the really big ones.  They're so different with their size!  And I think the blue ones are so darn purdy...

Take a look at what this one says, "Strong Shoulders."  It just seems to perfectly describe what a Mason jar is all about...

Todd's dad found this one.  1858!  A quick Google search revealed that Masons were invented and patented by John Landis Mason, a Philadelphia tinsmith in...1858!!
  

Neither Todd or I have seen one with this kind of pattern before...

These photos are just for fun.  I like seeing what Photoshop can do...

Random stuff

It has been a long, long time since I've posted.

I have good reason(s) - I was working Cheyenne Frontier Days again!  Plus my parents were here so my dad could film a fishing show with Todd who was asked to be on Ford's Fishing Frontiers; we have a garage sale planned for this weekend; we've finished our pre-marriage class; etc.

Today, I have nothing but randomness to offer.

First random thought:  I love these pants.  Desperately love them.  They're skinny glitter pants which sounds all wrong - and probably rightly should be - but there is something about them that is so right!

I do not belong in these pants for several reasons, two of which are pretty much tied: I do not have a waif-like model body; and I live in Wyoming where I'm pretty sure glitter skinny pants will get you a few strange looks.  The final reason is I will never be able to afford Alexander Wang-designed clothing and a knock off would just look...bad.  haha

*****

I went to the mall today to hit up Walden Books that is owned by Borders which is going out of business.  Jonna told me they were having massive sales and I wanted to see if they had the book, The Help.  I've wanted to read this book for a while, and with the movie coming out the book has now moved to the top of my reading list. I typically do not like to see movies based on books without reading the book first. 

Anyway, as I was walking in through Target an old man with oxygen tubes stopped me in the parking lot.  "Wellllll...don't you look nice!"  he said to me.  "You're just all dressed up!  You look so nice!" he continued to say as I laughed and said thanks, thinking, so this is what happens when you go in public showered and not in work out clothes.  "It makes me want to pinch you!"

Wait - what?

Nevermind.  I'm not offended.  I have a way of attracting (dirty?) old men.  

I did laugh and say, "Oh...no you don't!"  

He shuffled away and I walked into the mall.

*****

While in the mall I couldn't help but notice the teeny-bopper stores had some really cute clothes.  I am not above shopping teeny-bopper stores.  In fact, I rather love it.  But you have to be picky.  Not every teeny-bopper look is going to fit my older-than-teeny-bopper age.  

After buying my book, I slipped into Vanity to check out some of the cute-looking clothes I spotted.  I mistakenly thought they'd be decently priced.  Turns out, teeny-bopper clothes can be expensive!  (Unless it's my beloved H&M or Forever21, of course).  There were a couple things I liked, but couldn't justify spending $30 on a breezy little tank top with our wedding expenses growing.  I got this cute cardi for under $15 on the super duper sale rack.

It's ruched up the back, which is different, and has droopy little pockets.  I'm happy...

*****

I had lunch today with a girl friend at the 3 Crowns golf course restaurant.  I was very excited because I had never been!  I do not play golf and have no desire to either, but the place is very pretty with a nice menu and great outdoor seating!

We had a glass of wine and the Southwest salad on the deck which overlooked the course.  It was more than I would normally pay for lunch, but I would go back.  The food was good, the atmosphere was nice, and the service was amazing - which is something you don't always get around here.  

*****  

I took virtually no photos during Frontier Days.  It's kind of sad, but I was so busy taking media around or doing social media that I just didn't add the camera to the stuff I was already hauling around.

I did take this during slack, however.  

I like the photo because everyone - rider, horse, cow - are all arced the same way.  

I want to show off my new Frontier Days jewelry from this year, but I don't have a photo of that yet.  That will be a post for the future!

And that concludes my random thoughts for today!  

Out of control?

There's something I've gradually become rather obsessed with over the last couple of years...

Magazines.

I've always carried a few subscriptions - Cooking Light, Shape, InStyle, and Lucky, but lately, I've been picking up all kinds of new magazines, reconsidering my long-time subscriptions to some, and considering new subscriptions to others.

Todd recognizes the growing, um, interest.  When I casually mentioned last week that I need to start going through some of the old piles I have, he smiled and said, "Yes.  You do."  

It's not like I'm a hoarder and have a million back issues stashed in towers around the house.  But I do have several small piles, neatly kept, that I need to go through.  

I can't help it!  There are so many interesting magazines out there on every subject imaginable.  I like thumbing through a lot of different ones, some for the photos, some for the articles.  Usually, my interests are in fashion, cooking, and health.  Lately, it's grown to include gardening, farming and raising chickens.  Yes, seriously.

The pile by the bed.  This includes a tourism guide to Casper, Wyo., two Cook's Illustrated cooking magazines (a subscription I am seriously considering), Flea Market Style, Rachael Ray (she will be arriving in my mailbox soon), Marie Claire (one I'm going to drop), and a Mother Earth News...

I picked up a ton of bridal magazines right after we got engaged and still have a couple.  This pile also includes some True West copies, a National Geographic, a Wyoming Wildlife issue, Cottages and Cabins, Where Women Cook, and a High Roads and some History Channel issues I picked up two years ago from the Governor's Tourism Conference...

Ah, yes, a 5280.  There are a few of those in here, along with a Washingtonian left by Linds C. after her visit in March, a couple old Cooking Lights and a copy of Mary Janes Farm (one I considered but decided I was annoyed with after a while.  The title also bugs me.  What's up with no apostrophe anywhere in "Janes"?  It just doesn't make sense.)

For the record, not all magazines around here are mine!  Note the Game Warden International issue at front.  There's also a Fine Homebuilding copy in here as well as Consumer Reports,  Handloader, Quartermaster and Bugle - none of which are mine.  There are also a few National Geographics, a Wyoming Library Roundup, more True Wests and MORE 5280s(!), a New Yorker, a couple Backpackers, and an Audubon issue...

Oh my, what do we have here?  History Channel, 5280 (I didn't realize how many of these I still had lying around!), The Atlantic, Country Decorating Flea Market Style, Via, High Roads, Encompass (the last three are from the Governor's Tourism Conference), Good Housekeeping, and Journey Western, Westways, Budget Travel, Coastal Living and a Yellowstone Journal - all from that darn conference...

And don't forget the collection by the toilet: Lucky (one I think I'm going to drop), Fine Homebuilding, Shape, Cooking Light, Hobby Farms (the chicken issue), The Family Handyman, Wood, Bugle, American Cowboy, Woodwork, Wyoming Wildlife, and IHEA (International Hunter Education Association, and Wisconsin Natural Resources).  Obviously many of these are not mine...

What does this boil down to?

A. I need to get rid of all the magazines from the Governor's Tourism Conference.

B. Todd needs to whittle down a few issues himself.

C. I need to FINALLY flip through the remaining 5280s and get them out the door.

D. I need to firm up the magazine subscriptions I want (Cooking Light, InStyle, Rachael Ray, Cook's Illustrated, and Shape) and those I don't (Lucky and Marie Claire).

And maybe I should throw some books in there periodically...just a thought.  

Somewhere over the rainbow

Check out this rainbow!  It was so bright and...solid! 

Todd even yelled at the neighbors through their window to come out and see how neat it was.  I think they were in the middle of dinner...

Up close...

I love a good rainbow!

Lost!

LOST!

My Trailheads running hat!

Last seen: In my coat pocket as Todd and I were grocery shopping on Sunday.

I have looked everywhere (except the laundry basket) for my beloved hat and it's nowhere to be found.  I am very upset about this.  This hat is PERFECT for long(er)-haired ladies who want to enjoy the outdoors and still stay warm - without the ponytail bump caused by other, ordinary hats.   

Oh, Hat, wherever you are hiding, please come back!

Brainstorming

Done: I've decided to change my blog and am super excited about the decision and my upcoming move to Wordpress.

Not done: I can't decide what to name the new space and consequently the URL.

I want the premise of it to change a bit. A friend said it should incorporate the two new loves in my life - Todd and Rigby - and I wholeheartedly agree.

So, I need to figure out a name that rolls love, life, and everyday living into one.

Until then, I'll keep writing here.

Oh, and I'm taking suggestions!

Considering...

I'm thinking about changing up the blog. I feel like it's kind of dark and...tired. And the idea of being a former D.C.ite - which is still true - is now almost two years behind me.

AND (this is the thing that's bugged me the most for a long time now) the URL needs changing. It needed changing a year ago when I didn't land in Colorado like I thought I would.

The idea of migrating all my stuff to a different URL is a little overwhelming though. Unless someone has a quick and dirty way to get 'er done. I would love to hear about that!

So, do I change it?

Suggestions?

Hmmm...

Today's letter is "P"

Remember on Sesame Street how there was always a letter of the day and everything on the show centered around that letter?

Today, my letter was "P".

We're pretty well snowed in. I believe we have about 9-inches of snow out there - and don't think the wind isn't blowing!

Because it was so wintery out, Todd didn't have to go out in the field. So, we spent the day working on the house.

We were so tired ("P"athetic?) Friday night that we went to bed around 9:30 p.m., so this morning, being all rested up 'n all, we were up and at 'em at 5 a.m.!

The morning started with letting the "P"uppy out, which is typical of every morning now.

Then, being in the mood to make a snowy-morning-breakfast I made some blueberry "P"ancakes.


Let me tell you something about the blueberries I've discovered - they're from the frozen food section at Wal-Mart. Yep. WallyWorld has it's own line (Great Value) of frozen fruit that is amazing! Just the fruit too - no sugar, anything like that. I've been stocking up on their peaches, blackberries and blueberries for months now. And, being Wal-Mart, the price is quite good. A bag of fruit isn't over $3.

Here's what they look like so you know what you're looking for. Ok, blueberries and blackberries don't start with "P", but "P"eaches do!


Here's Todd reading the morning "P"aper... "P"lease excuse our mess. The house is getting there...!


Speaking of getting there, we made some real headway on the house today. Our biggest accomplishments were getting the basement nearly put together, and pretty much all our "P"ictures and "P"hotos on the walls.

We also took Rigby to the "P"ark. Poor "P"uppy, we didn't take him for a walk on Friday, so we let him out at the "P"ark on our way home from errands yesterday (using Todd's new "P"ickup, of course!).

The last "P"? "P"ork.

A few days ago I went through my recipes and pulled out the ones I wanted to make over the next few days. Dinner tonight was Spice-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin from Cooking Light. It was a new recipe and, holy cow (or maybe I should say holy "P"ig!), it's a keeper!!

Let's talk about "P"ork tenderloin for a sec: I love it. I love eating it. I love making it. I love how simple it is to make and how it can still make a really elegant main dish...I sound like Martha Stewart now, I know.

Anyway, this tenderloin recipe does NOT disappoint. I highly recommend it!

Here's the "P"ork on our new buffet. So, the buffet...isn't it awesome?! I found it on Craigslist at some sketchy "antique" store in Ault, Colo. The lady only wanted $35 for it. It needs a little work, but Todd makes furniture, so someday it will get refinished. Until then, I freaking love it - and the painting above it. That was one of the things we got from the last owners...


Totally unrelated to "P"-day is this photo...

This is the little outside table we inherited from the "P"revious owners. Doesn't the table all covered in snow kind of remind you of a giant cake stand? Like, if you lifted that big, snowy lid you'd find an enormous, "P"retty cake underneath? :)

Ok, maybe that was "P" related.

Change of direction

Something has really stood out to me recently: The way folks give directions here.

On the East Coast, where there are precious few mountains to serve as a reference, everything is about lefts and rights. The only time I consistently used cardinal directions was in giving an address because D.C., is built in quadrants: NW, SW, NE, SE. Same addresses can be found in several quadrants, so specifying is usually necessary.

In the West, however, people say things like, "Go east down such-and-such street, then go north on this-and-that street and you should see it on the west side of the road."

It makes sense to me, but it took a bit to get readjusted to this way of direction giving. Correctly positioning myself on map to get a route in my head just took a moment longer.

I'm pretty used to it now and find myself using a blend of the two. Regardless, I don't think I'll get lost either way.

Wyoming Gothic

This weekend I'll be participating in HOBY, or the Hugh O'Brien Youth leadership camp for high school students.

My office runs the Wyoming program and somehow I went from casual volunteer to pretty much running the show.

My title is Big Mama, something I'm not sure what I think of. There's also a Big Daddy, who is my friend Brandon.

We had to have our picture taken for the program and this is what we decided on...

It cracks me up!!

Wyoming Gothic

Hodge podge

No real theme to today's post. Just some random thoughts and observations...

Random thought:

I wanted to do something to keep track of all the visitors I've had since settling in to my Cheyenne home. I didn't want to keep a formal "guest book" because that just seems weird and stuffy. I decided on cowboy boots instead. Any time out-of-town visitors come through I have them sign a boot, and when they're all filled up I'll use them as bookends! Nifty, huh?

The problem was, I concocted this idea after I'd already had several visitors - mostly from D.C. I sent the boot back with Elly, who was in the state a while back for work, with the important goal of getting it signed. She presented the boot to me when she was in Wyoming a couple months ago.

I LOVE it!!!

Random thought/observation:

I love, love this truck. I really want an old truck. I always have. And a Jeep Wrangler. Those are the two vehicles I want to someday own. There are several old trucks around here, but I passed this one downtown on my way back from coffee at City News and was impressed by its beautiful condition. I wish I had it in me to be a car thief. Of course I'm not. But at times like this I wish I could be...

Random observation:

Due to some annoying, ongoing construction on the street RIGHT in front of our office many of us don't have access to our parking lot. Instead we have to park in the garage a couple blocks away. I know...who ever complains about free garage parking?? But the construction blocks our direct route from the garage to the office, forcing us to walk completely out of the way.

The route takes us in front of the Wrangler cowboy clothing store. Today, I looked up at the building and for the first time ever noticed this...

Um...creepy!

Twitterholic?

Last night I drove to Laramie, Wyo., for Wyoming's first "tweetup" - a face-to-face meeting of people who are on twitter.

What is that?

Twitter is another one of those crazy social media outlets out there. It's being used by businesses and individuals to find customers and communities who are talking about the same thing they are.

I'm on for my office and my own personal enjoyment.

The tweetup was really fun. Twitterers from Laramie and Cheyenne were there from college students and above. We had good conversation and it was fun meeting new people.

I love doing stuff like that and I want to host one in Cheyenne sometime soon!

National Corndog Day

Happy National Corndog Day!

You didn't know it was today??

Me either...until Wednesday when I got invited to an official Corndog Day party here in town. Official meaning it is sponsored by the National Corndog Day folks - whoever they are.

I missed the party though because I was in Ft. Collins, Colo., for another party: My friend April's daughter's birthday party at Chuck-E-Cheese! What a place...!

So, I got home a little late to go to the NCD party, but that was ok. My friend Luke and I went to a movie instead - and I have been longing to go to a movie.

Have you seen Coraline? It's cool, has a good, imaginative storyline, but it's creeeeeepy! Lots of dolls in there which I am not a fan of! This is definitely not a kid movie, so if you have kids I wouldn't suggest this one.

Hmmm...How did I go from breaded hotdogs on sticks to singing giant mice and animated movies with dolls?

I swear I haven't been drinking.

Happy Corndog Day to all and to all a Corndog Day night!

(I swear.)

Pioneer hygiene

I ran out of toothpaste this morning.

I was in Laramie, getting ready for Linds H.'s baby shower and I used the very last drop of my Crest Whitening with Scope - which I am a devoted consumer of beyond any other brand out there.

"Don't forget to get more when you get into Cheyenne," I told myself.

I forgot.

Unfortunately, I didn't realize this until about 30 minutes ago when I was on the phone with my mom. This was at about 8:15 p.m. with me already in my PJs and no desire to go back out. (I agree, PJs at 8:15 p.m. is pretty lame, but I am really tired after not sleeping well last night!)

Anyway.

Without skipping a beat, my mom asked if I had any baking soda.

I do, and as unappealing as it sounded to concoct my own toothpaste out of baking soda, I wondered to myself how I had never thought to do this before.

I mean, I don't frequently run out of toothpaste or anything, but on the occasions I have I usually just brush my teeth with mouthwash and go immediately to the store the next morning. Using baking soda had never crossed my mind.

I decided to use mouthwash to mix it up instead of plain ol' water - maybe it would be more like real toothpaste and less...gross.

It was a good idea. There is a reason I am not an Arm & Hammer or Tom's natural toothpaste kind of gal.

It sucks.

But I made do, like I imagine pioneer women of the past did, and brushed it up.

Tomorrow it's back to Crest Whitening with Scope. All the way.

One year...

I just got home from Omaha, Neb., from my nephew Judd's first birthday party (and my sister Kelly's upcoming birthday!).

Exactly one year ago last week I was in Omaha for Judd's birth. I was driving through with my U-Haul and was just in time for the big event.

Then...

and now...

Two little bears...

I'm in Omaha, Neb., for my youngest nephew's first birthday party.

The two older boys normally sleep with my sister Stacey and brother-in-law, so she offered their beds to me and my other sister Kelly.

This morning, as I was lying in bed, I heard the door open...

"Aunt Kelly is sleeping in MY bed," said Owen.

"Aunt Kimmie is sleeping in MY bed," said Raymond.

I started to laugh under the covers.

A favorite thing...

I really love tea, and the one I am super lovin' right now is Bigelow's blueberry harvest. OMG. It is so delicious and...blueberry-y.

And look what I'm drinking it from girls! The travel mug Cindy and Linds C. made for me as one of my going away gifts. I drink from it all the time!

Let the sun shine...

I have discovered, after being home sick all day lying in my bed, that this is the last place someone should be around the 2 p.m. hour.

This is precisely when the sun shines bright and directly on your face.

Lesson learned.

West Meets East and Vice Versa

My old junior high/high school friend from the West, who now lives on the East Coast (and who I've been reunited with via facebook) has two blogs I have started reading and really like:

A Happy Knitter and Mama Eats Her Peas.

This happy knitter/mama was one of my first friends when my family moved to Colorado right before I started seventh grade, and who again was one of my first friends on facebook. We were rather inseperable there for a while, and I'm glad we're back in touch!

Check out her Happy Knitter site ASAP... She has a give away going on for some really cute scarves, hats and...a bikini!

Road Kill - Something Squirrley Going On

I would like to share an observation I realize is rather odd:

There are lots of dead squirrels in Cheyenne.

Don't get the wrong idea - it's not like piles of dead squirrels are just lying on the sidewalks. It's that they just don't seem to be able to make it across the street. Ever.

I never really noticed this to be an issue in D.C., where with so much traffic you'd think it might be. Here, however, I noticed probably no less than one squished squirrel a day last week alone.

And yes, I know I have now solidified any speculation that there are less things here to occupy my time...