It's Been Fun

Yesterday morning my sister Susan

left for home.

Unfortunately she had to leave a couple of

days earlier than expected

as the people she had gotten a ride 

with decided to leave on Sunday

instead of Tuesday.

Oh well...it was a wonderful visit

and we got lots of visiting in

and even found time for a 

day-trip!

We're grateful for any time we can

spend together.

~~~~~~~~

I'm afraid I put my back out on Saturday

so I'm not able to sit here at the desk for

very long but I wanted to get a few pictures

posted for you. 

This is Olly enjoying his 'Aunty Susan'.

He's got a tough life doesn't he ;)

Sue enjoyed Olly as much as he enjoyed

his belly rub.

More photo's coming once I can sit longer

at the desk. 

Did any of you feel the earthquakes last week?

We sure did.

I hope your weekend was a good one!

Having Fun!

Sue is on the right

Time sure flies when you're having fun.

My sister Susan and I are enjoying every

moment together.

We've visited the local parks this past weekend

and enjoyed the last of the fall colors.

My Sister In Law Donna came with us

and we had a wonderful time.

Remember this house? 

If we get time I'm going to see if we can get

a tour of the inside of this beauty

while Sue is here.

We still have a week to enjoy her

company so we've got lots 

more yacking and exploring to do.

I just hope we don't loose our voices ;-)

Have a wonderful week!

Pasta Primavera With Italian Turkey Sausage

This is a recipe that I took with me up to British Columbia this summer when we visited my family.

We had had a wonderful day of tubing down the river and swimming and sitting on the beach.

When we got home we got busy and made this recipe for the gang. Everyone loved it. So I thought I'd share it with you.

Pasta Primavera With Italian Turkey Sausage

2 cups uncooked pasta

1 LB Italian Turkey Sausage

4 cloves garlic

1/2 onion chopped

2 small zucchini chopped

2 small yellow squash chopped

6 Roma tomatoes chopped

20 fresh basil leaves

2 tsp chicken boullion or 2 chicken broth cubes

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 Cup grated parmesan cheese

1) Bring lg pot of water to boil. Cook pasta El Dente. Drain.

2) Cook onions and galic in small amount of olive oil. Add sausage and cook till done. Drain (I just start cooking the meat and then throw the onions and garlic in)

3) Add squash, tomatoes, basil, pepper, boullion or cubes. Stir well 

Cook covered for about 15 minutes then remove lid. Cook uncovered until squash is tender but not over-cooked. (about 15 min. more)

Remove from heat and add parmesan cheese.

Stir.

Enjoy!

Use your own judgment on when your squash is done as it may take more or less time. We added more squash to this recipe and we doubled it for our crowd. It's an easy one to play with and add things to and it's really good warmed up the next day. If there's any leftovers that is!

It's a great way to use up your squash and tomatoes and basil if you have a garden!

Me steaming up my daughters kitchen

Beach hair day...don't look too close as we just got back from the beach!

Youngest daughter Caity helping.

Lots of laughs

Nearly ready for the cheese

Caity's adding the cheese

Smells SO good

CHEERS!

This is Growers Apple Cider and I can only get it when we go up to BC.

It's SO GOOD!

I hope you enjoy this recipe. It's SO easy and fast and certainly helps you keep up with your garden veggies.

Have a wonderful day!

Maura :)

Goats Flowers and Being A Tourist

While we were up in British Columbia visiting my family we did a lot of fun things. On this day we decided to visit a tourist attraction that wasn't there when my kids were little. Good thing or we would have been begged to stop there every trip to the city!

It looks as though the owners moved in an antique barn and then just built onto it as the business grew. This is in a beautiful open valley between the mountains and right along side of the highway that runs through the Okanagan Valley. The place is filled with beautiful flowers and antique wagons and the smell of homemade goodies.

Years ago it started out as just a tiny fruit stand. Now they have a nice goat petting area (very clean and neat) with places to wash up after visiting the critters and a tall bridge that the goats can climb up. The older and wiser ones know that if they wait up there eventually someone will pay for some tastey morsels...put them in the cup and then crank them up to where they are waiting. I don't know why but I never did get a picture of that!

There are 3 buildings that you can wander around in that are filled with neat things...a bit touristy but quite different too.

The best part is the food area...oh my!

There was homemade pies and sausage and cheese and baked goods that you can take out and eat in the shade. Homemade apple cider and icecream was very tempting too.

I wish I had gotten pictures of the food but there were way too many people to get a good shot not to mention the fact that my hands were full of food and other goodies as I stood in line....forever!

We ate our fresh made sausage rolls outside and enjoyed the beautiful day. There were over 300 forest fires in BC at the time but this was the first day we had seen any smoke. It got so bad that you couldn't see the mountains at all but after a couple of hours of rain it cleared up and stayed that way for the rest of our vacation.

The flowers were beautiful and HUGE.

I guess it was all that goat manure!

They had some wonderful displays of antiques. You know...I just realized now that I never did check to see if some of those items were for sale.

I guess I figured since we flew up that there wasn't any use in checking anyway.

If you look closely at these last pictures you'll see it was a little smokey this day.

Tractors and nummy sausage rolls was all it took to keep our little Kash happy.

A good time was had by all.

I hope you have a wonderful day!

Maura :)

My Daughters Mountain Home

It seems most men notice the Jeep before they notice the house

 

Our vacation in British Columbia is always a wonderful time but this year it was extra special.

Our daughter and her husband lived for many years on the lake so we would rent a travel trailer to set up on their site. Finally we bought a 5th wheel and hauled that up there and then a slide in camper.

Last year we stayed in their little antique travel trailer.

But this year was different.

They finally started building a home on land they bought on the side of a mountain above a small town.

Our son in law is a building contractor so last winter on his days off and after work started building their home with my daughters help. 

They did most of the work themselves...with a 2 year old on site every day along with my youngest daughter and her boyfriend. Making matters worse Angie caught her fingers (both hands) in the garage door and broke a couple of them but couldn't take time off as they had deadlines to meet! Poor girl.

By the time we got up there on Aug 13 they were nearly done and only had some finishing work to do mostly outside.

They have done a wonderful job and it is a beautiful home.

I know how much WE Bloggers LOVE houses and decorating so I thought I'd show you a few pictures. They had only been living in the house 4 days before we arrived so they aren't finished decorating.

I hope you enjoy!

Poured and polished concrete counter tops

Our youngest daughter Caity posing...she and her boyfriend from Australia helped when they could.

It is an open floor plan and has windows everywhere bringing in lots of natural light

Angie stained every one of the boards in the ceiling...the color was too dark so she ran them through a planer and re-stained them...with those sore fingers!

We stayed in the 5th wheel next to the house.

I love this door at the side of the house!

Looking across the kitchen island (which is HUGE and the hub of the home) to the veiw across the valley.

The hammock where we spent some wonderful time

The dining room that is wide open to the kitchen. They'll need a larger table one day.

This light fixture is so different. See that little table under the mirror? I told them they can NEVER get rid of it or if they do I WANT IT!

My son in law was very creative with the ceiling on the porch. Poor Angie had to seal every one of the boards before they went up.

Angie Kash Me and Caity enjoying the hammock

Angie making us breakfast while my DH enjoys the morning sun pouring in

The open floor plan and a better idea of how large the island is.

This island is one peice of poured concrete they did themselves with the help of my oldest son and his wife and Caity and her boyfriend.

A view of the side of the house

Their view out the front of the house as the sun sets on the cliffs

It cools off in the evenings there so my son in law lit the fire for us this night.

I can just imagine how beautiful it will be having a roaring fire inside and the beautiful snow falling outside.

I hope you have enjoyed a little tour of their home. My daughter told me the other day that they are nearly done the siding and other fancy work outside on the house so I will post a picture when they're ready.

I hope you are having a nice Friday...and enjoy your weekend!

Maura :)