"Marty"

This summer we noticed an especially tame little brown squirrel who would shinny down the fence in the backyard to quench his/her thirst at the bird bath.
This wasn't a shy squirrel, and didn't seem to mind that we were sitting on the deck or patio at the time. Mary gave him (assuming it is a "he") the name Martin, which we have shortened to Marty.

Now that the corn has matured and is nearly ready for harvest, I have been reaping a small harvest from across the street to treat Marty.

Last Sunday Katie and I were sitting on the patio in front of our house watching Marty nibble on the ear of corn that I had placed near the big tree outside the living room window. Katie was fascinated by this friendly little creature and could move to within 4 - 5 feet from him before he scurried up the tree, only to come right back down when she moved away.

I hope Katie sees this picture so she can see Marty is still gnawing away, every day, at the dinner table.

I made cinnamon rolls this morning and we had Joyce and Dick join us for coffee. After a nice visit our plans for the yard include mowing and spreading the last treatment for the lawn. It looks like the weather is going to change by tomorrow so we better take advantage of the nice days that we have left.

The Doll Quilts

Two down and one to go.

It is Tuesday. We had a great weekend with the Carlson's. Katie and Izzie came on Thursday and spent a couple of nights with Grandma and Grandpa. We had lots of fun but they do keep us busy. We know why the Carlson's are so ready for bed at night.

We picked up the girls in Ogden on Thursday and came home and had dinner and then a little dragging up of toys from the basement and then off to bed they went. Both of them slept very well. Friday morning we got up around 7AM. Watched a few cartoons, ate a little breakfast, wished it wasn't raining so we could be outside and dragged a few more toys up from the basement. They are loving the Fisher Price playsets that we have left from when Dan and Cindy were small. Grandpa was pretty sick with a bad cold and so spent a lot of the day in bed. The girls and I did manage to get a walk to the post office in before the afternoon was over. I told Katie that I hoped we would make it before it closed. That little Izzie took a lot of side trips. lol

Saturday morning Katie and Grandma baked a Dutch Apple Bundt Cake. It was outstanding. Can I say YUMMY!!!? I am posting the recipe here so I remember it for a later date.



Bundt Dutch Apple Cake

INGREDIENTS
3 apples - peeled, cored and cut into thin wedges
5 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup fresh orange juice

DIRECTIONS
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. In a medium bowl, combine the apples, 5 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
2.Sift together the flour and baking powder; set aside. In a large bowl, mix together the eggs and sugar. Stir in the oil, vanilla and orange juice, mixing until blended. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the orange juice mixture. Stir just until combined.
3.Layer batter and apple mixture in the prepared pan, beginning and ending with the batter. Bake in the preheated oven for 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

Cindy and Craig arrived around 4PM and we grilled chicken and had a delicious dinner followed by some of that great cake.





Sunday morning we got up and went to Mass and then off to Mineral City for a breakfast treat by the Carlson's. The men then took the girls home for naps and Cindy and I shopped at Target for a couple of hours. It was really a fun weekend but come Monday morning we did not have any ambition so we just kind of played lazy and did not do much.

Today I am making crock pot lasagna. We are also looking forward to the big visit from the cousins this weekend and Cruisin to the Woods.