Recipe: Southern Bisquits

Cat Head Biscuits

3 ½ c. self rising flour
¼ c. oil
1 ¼ c. buttermilk
¼ c. melted butter
Pinch salt

Preheat oven 500 degrees.

Using a mixing bowl add flour then milk pour oil over milk. Take a table spoon and mix until well incorporated forming a ball. Pour dough onto a flat floured surface using paraffin paper light sprinkled with flour. Now sprinkle flour lightly over dough. Take hands and press out to 1 in. in thickness. Take a large biscuit cutter and cut out biscuits. Use excess dough by re forming into a ball and press out again cutting till all is used. Place onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake until light brown. When removed brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with a dab of salt. Serve hot. Enjoy.

Recipe: Never buy brownie mix again

Never buy boxed brownie mix again! Follow the recipe below and make brownies for approximately $0.30 a mix!

1 Cup Sugar              1/2 Cup All-Purpose Flour 

1/3 Cup Cocoa         1/4 tsp Salt                                 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
Put mix in plastic bags or mason jars.

(Write ingrediants to add at baking time, baking temperature, and time to bake on bag)

At Baking Time Add: 

2 Eggs                       1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil               1 teaspoon Vanilla.

Bake @ 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes in an 8x8 or 9x9 pan.

Video: Amazing Dog Tricks

Great video of a very talented dog.  This disproves anyone who claims animals are not intelligent.  I beleive that we were created to be in a harmonious relationship with all animal kind, so is unsurprising to find that animals have the capacity to communicate with humans and we with them.

Amazing Dog Tricks

Men now second class citizens

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/07/12/men-new-second-class-citizens/?intcmp=HPBucket

High School 1957 vs 2013

HIGH SCHOOL -- 1957 vs. 2013 - Sad, but true

Scenario 1:
Jack goes quail hunting before school and then pulls into the school parking lot with his shotgun in his truck's gun rack..
1957 - Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack's shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.
2013 - School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.

Scenario 2:
Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school.
1957 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.
2013 - Police called and SWAT team arrives -- they arrest both Johnny and Mark. They are both charged with assault and both expelled even though Johnny started it. They are also required to attend six weeks of anger management therapy.

Scenario 3:
Jeffrey will not be still in class, he disrupts other students.
1957 - Jeffrey sent to the Principal's office and given a good paddling by the Principal. He then returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.
2013 - Jeffrey is given huge doses of Ritalin. He becomes a zombie. He is then tested for ADD. The family gets extra money (SSI) from the government because Jeffrey has a disability.

Scenario 4:
Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.
1957 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college and becomes a successful businessman.
2013 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse, Billy is removed to foster care and joins a gang. The state psychologist is told by Billy's sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison.

Scenario 5:
Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.
1957 - Mark shares his aspirin with the Principal out on the smoking dock.
2013 - The police are called and Mark is expelled from school for drug violations. His car is then searched for drugs and weapons.

Scenario 6:
Pedro fails high school English.
1957 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English and goes to college.
2013 - Pedro's cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against the state school system and Pedro's English teacher. English is then banned from core curriculum. Pedro is given his diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot read & write English.

Scenario 7:
Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from the Fourth of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle and blows up a red ant bed.
1957 - Ants die.
2013 - ATF, Homeland Security and the FBI are all called. Johnny is charged with domestic terrorism. The FBI investigates his parents - and all siblings are removed from their home and all computers are confiscated.

Scenario 8:
Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary hugs him to comfort him.
1957 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2013 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.

This should hit every Facebook timeline to show how stupid we have become ! ! !

*******************************************************************************************
KFNote: I included the tag "bioethics" because this is how ethics are taught.  

Recipe: Peanutbutter Sheet Cake

Peanut Butter Sheet Cake

Ingredients
2 cups Sugar
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
2 cups Flour
1 teaspoon Salt
2 sticks Butter
1 cup Water
1 cup Peanut Butter
½ cups Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla
2 whole Eggs
1 stick Butter
½ cups Peanut Butter
6 teaspoons Milk
1 pound Powdered Sugar

Preparation Instructions
In a large bowl, mix together sugar, baking soda, flour and salt. Set aside.
Combine butter, water and peanut butter in saucepan and bring to boil. Pour over flour mixture.
Add milk, vanilla and eggs. Mix.
Pour in large cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. Bake at 400F degrees for 20 minutes.
Frosting:
Bring butter, peanut butter and milk to boil in saucepan. Add one pound of powdered sugar. Pour warmed frosting over cooled cake.

DIY: Icechest n Fan Airconditioner

Actually a pretty smart idea.

Recipe: CHOCOLATE PEANUT-BUTTER NO BAKE COOKIES

This recipe can easily be doubled to make a larger batch.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT-BUTTER NO BAKE COOKIES

Ingredients:
2 cups Sugar
4 tablespoons Hersheys Cocoa Powder
1 stick Butter
1/2 cup Milk
1 cup Peanut Butter (I like the chunky kind)
1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
3 cups Oatmeal
Waxed paper

Directions:
In a heavy saucepan bring to a boil, the sugar, cocoa, butter and milk.
Let boil for 1 minute then add peanut butter, vanilla and oatmeal.
On a sheet of waxed paper, drop mixture by the teaspoonfuls,
until cooled and hardened.

Recipe: Peanut Bread

Sweet Peanut Butter Bread
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
1 hour, 10 minutes
Yield: 1 loaf
Sweet, fluffy peanut butter bread!

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup salted butter, room temperature
½ cup sugar
¼ cup packed brown sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk
Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a standard-sized loaf pan and set it aside.
In a small bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together.
In a separate large mixing bowl beat butter and sugars on low speed 2 minutes, Beat in peanut butter then egg and vanilla, scraping down sides of bowl.
Add flour mixture and beat on low until combined, the batter will be very thick and crumbly. Pour in milk and beat on low until batter is smooth.
Add batter to loaf pan and evenly spread it out. Bake for 50 minutes or until the center springs back when pressed with a fingertip.
Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes, remove from pan and cool completely.

Bioethics: Maryland and Vermont DNR codes

Maryland and Vermont have joined Texas in taking away patient's right to decide life and death decisions.   A doctor can now legally write a DNR code on a patient's chart EVEN OVER THE OBJECTION OF THE PATIENT AND HIS FAMILY.  No court order is necessary.  If you are poor, you're dead.

http://www.lifenews.com/2013/06/20/vermont-and-maryland-have-legalized-dnr-orders-without-consent/

Bunny: Bunproofing with drainage tile

Bunproofing the bed supports with drainage tile today, the necessity of which is courtesy of Jack...

(from Capt. Jack's mom)

Wouldn't have thought of drainage tile but it looks very secure and the buns would not be able to bite through it.  A semi-permanent solution, especially since you wouldn't want to be checking under the bed all the time to see if it was still in place.  Great for back of chairs, desks, etc.

Billy Graham's Prayer at 95 yrs old

Billy Graham's Prayer at 95 yrs old

From a man the media has never been able to throw dirt on.....amazing!
He has certainly hit the "world" on the head!

Billy Graham's Prayer For Our Nation

THIS MAN SURE HAS A GOOD VIEW OF WHAT'S HAPPENING TO OUR COUNTRY!

'Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from sin and set us free. Amen!'

With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we once again can be called 'One nation under God!'
Think about this: If you forward this prayer to everyone on your e-mail list, in less than 30 days it would be heard by the world.

(It's worth a try!)
'One Nation Under God!'

Recipe: Chickpea Peanutbutter Chocolate Chip Cookie

NO FLOUR, NO OIL, NO WHITE SUGAR
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

**SHARE so it will save in your timeline**

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups canned* chickpeas, well-rinsed and patted dry with a paper towel
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (165 grams) natural peanut butter (can use PB2 from gym to make healthier, check your labels)
1/4 cup (80 grams) honey (agave would be amazing too!)
1 teaspoon baking powder**
a pinch of salt if your peanut butter doesn't have salt in it
1/2 cup (90 grams) chocolate chips

* My can was a 400 gram can, 240 grams without the water, and I used all but a few tablespoons

** If you need grain-free baking powder, you can use 1 part cream of tartar + 1 part baking soda + 2 parts arrowroot.

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350°F / 175°C.

Combine all the ingredients, except for the chocolate chips, in a food processor and process until very smooth. Make sure to scrape the sides and the top to get the little chunks of chickpeas and process again until they’re combined.

Put in the chocolate chips and stir it if you can, or pulse it once or twice. The mixture will be very thick and sticky.

With wet hands, form into 1 1/2″ balls. Place onto a piece of parchment paper. If you want them to look more like normal cookies, press down slightly on the balls. They don’t do much rising. Bake for about 10 minutes.

Yields about fourteen 1 1/2″ cookie dough balls.
*** Don't even try with regular peanut butter! They'll come out oily. You MUST use natural peanut butter. 

DIY: Grout Cleaner

Spring Cleaning Recipe for the Grout

7 cups water, 1/2 cup baking soda, 1/3 cup lemon juice and 1/4 cup vinegar - throw in a spray bottle and spray your floor, let it sit for a minute or two... then scrub

Rabbit Recipes: Bunny Treats, several recipes

Do you like to spoil your bunny? Try some of these recipes for bunny treats!

Carrot Cookies

1/2 cup dry oatmeal
1/2 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup carrot, grind finely
1/4 cup water

Put oatmeal, wheat flour, carrot, then water in the bowl. Mix until smooth and somewhat creamy. On a cookie sheet, get a spoon and scoop the mixture and create make individual little balls until there are no more in the bowl. Bake 350º for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Give around 1 or 2 treats to your rabbit and refrigerate the rest for later uses.

---

Bunny Biscuits

1 small carrot, pureed
1/2 banana, mashed until really creamy
1 tbsp honey
1/4 cup rabbit pellets, ground finely in a coffee grinder
1/4 cup ground oats, ground finely in a coffee grinder

Mix pureed carrot, banana and honey in a medium bowl. Add pellet powder and ground oats. Mix until blended. Knead in your hands for 1-2 minutes. Roll out the “dough” in 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick layers between sheets of plastic wrap. Cut into small cookies (about 3/4 inch across). Place cut shapes onto a parchment paper covered cookie sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for about 30 minutes (check to make sure they are not browning too much). Turn off the heat and let the cookies sit in the warm oven for an hour or so.

---

Honey Balls

Weetabix crushed 1/4 cup
Oats 1/4 cup
Honey
Rabbit pellets crushed 1/3 cup
Carrot cut in tiny pieces

Mix all ingredients into a bowl (except honey) once mixed add as much honey as you need to make the balls stick together.

---

Rabbit or Guinea Pig Treats

1 cup oat flour
1 cup cavy or rabbit pellets
2/3 cup vegetable broth or water
6 tablespoons olive or other vegetable oil
2 tablespoons honey

options to add: grated carrot or other veggies, sunflower seeds, parsley

Mix all ingedients until moist. Roll out and cut into shapes. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, until firm. Turn off oven and let treats cool slowly in the oven. Can be frozen.

---

Bunny Cookies

1 cup pellets crushed
1 cup flour (not self-rising kind)
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup Cheerios
1 banana, mashed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift the crushed pellets and flour together in a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl & stir well. Drop mixture onto a cookie sheet. Bake 15 to 18 minutes. Note: Baking them longer will make them harder!

Recipe: Fudge Brownie Pie

Fudge Brownie Pie

3/4 cup flour 
1 cup of regular sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 ounces butter, melted
2 large free range eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
2 handfuls of mini marshmallows

For the frosting:

2 ounces butter, melted (1/4 cup)
1 ounce cocoa powder, sifted (1/4 cup)
2 ounces evaporated milk (1/4 cup)
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted (8 ounces)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 inch spring form pan set aside.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Beat together the butter, eggs and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Stir in the toasted nuts. Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake on a middle shelf of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Immediately sprinkle the marshmallows on top and return to the oven for a few minutes to melt the marshmallows. Remove from the oven and carefully spread the chocolate frosting over top.

To make the chocolate frosting mix all ingredients together in a bowl, beating with an electric whisk until smooth and thick. Spread on the hot marshmallows. Let cool completely. Cut into wedges to serve.

DIY: Pan cleaner with Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide

FINALLY...HERE IT IS!
How to clean your cookie sheets--Kitchen "Miracle" Cleaner! You put about 1/4 cup of baking soda in a small glass bowl and squirt in hydrogen peroxide until it makes a nice paste. Then you rub it on the offending dirt/stain/grease...whatever! You can usually just use your fingers...but you can also use a small sponge as well.

Recipe: Healthy Cookies, no sugar

Recipe: Double Chocolate Coca Cola Cake

 can still remember my Mom pouring out a bottle of Coke to make this cake. It was our favorite. This cake is so moist and the icing is just irresistible. I hope you get a chance to make this one.

Double Chocolate Coca Cola Cake

1 cup Coca Cola (real thing, not diet)
1/2 cup oil
1 stick butter
3 Tablespoon cocoa
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Frosting:

1 stick butter
3 Tablespoon cocoa
6 Tablesppon of cream or milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 3/4 cups confectioner's sugar

In a saucepan, mix Coca Cola, oil, butter and cocoa and bring to a boil. In another bowl, combine the sugar, flour and salt. Pour the boiling Cola mixture over the flour mixture and beat well. Add the eggs, buttermilk, soda and vanilla and beat well. Pour mixture into a greased and floured 13 x 9 inch baking pan and bake at 350 degrees or 20 to 25 minutes. Remove pan. Cool for about 10 minutes before frosting.

Frosting: In a saucepan, combine the butter, cocoa, and milk. Heat until the butter melts. Beat in the remaining ingredients and spread on the cake while it's still warm. Enjoy!

Philosophy of why its good to be organized

7 Habits of Organized People

http://www.operationorganization-mn.com/2011/09/7-habits-of-highly-organized-people.html

Diet: 3 Day Military Diet

The link below is a 3 day plan advertised to help one lose 8-10lbs in a week.  I've seen this before, and given that it is a lean protein food plan, it probably does work.

http://blessedmommy.hubpages.com/hub/Lose-Up-To-10-Pounds-In-3-Days-On-The-3-Day-Diet

Recipe: Strawberries filled with banana cream

BANANA CREAM FILLED STRAWBERRIES 

~Healthy and sweet~

8 strawberries
2 oz. vanilla Greek yogurt
1/2 small banana
1 tablespoon sliced almonds.

DIY: Uses for Hydrogen Peroxide

(Copied from Facebook)

HYDROGEN PEROXIDE MAGIC!

Ever since I started using Hydrogen Peroxide to get rid of armpit stains, to clean cookie sheets, as a miracle cleaner in my kitchen and bathroom, and to make my own “ oxiclean”…I ALWAYS have at least one bottle of the stuff under my kitchen sink, under my bathroom sink, AND in the laundry room. This stuff is amazingly versatile!

But it wasn't until recently, after doing some IN DEPTH research on the subject, that I came to realize what a “miracle substance” hydrogen peroxide really is! It’s safe, it’s readily available, it’s cheap, and best of all, it WORKS! It works for a LOT of stuff!

Hydrogen peroxide should really be called oxygen water, since it is basically the same chemical makeup as water but with an extra oxygen atom (H2O2). Because of this it breaks down quickly and harmlessly into oxygen and water.

Some other interesting facts about hydrogen peroxide:

It is found in all living material.
Your white blood cells naturally produce hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to fight bacteria and infections.
Fruit and vegetables naturally produce hydrogen peroxide. This is one of the reasons why it is so healthy to eat fresh fruit and vegetables.
It is found in massive doses in the mother’s first milk, called colostrum, and is transferred to the baby to boost their immune system.
It is found in rainwater because some of the H20 in the atmosphere receives an additional oxygen atom from the ozone (O3) and this H2O2 makes plants grow faster.
Next to Apple Cider Vinegar, hydrogen peroxide ranks up there as one of the best household remedies.

Besides the obvious (cleansing wounds), did you know that it is probably the best remedy to dissolve ear wax? Brighten dingy floors? Add natural highlights to your hair? Improve your plants root systems? The list goes on and on!

There are SO many uses for this stuff that I've started replacing the cap on the hydrogen peroxide bottle with a sprayer because it’s easier and faster to use that way.

I have compiled a rather impressive list of uses for 3% hydrogen peroxide that I hope will have you as thrilled and bewildered as I was!

Wash vegetables and fruits with hydrogen peroxide to remove dirt and pesticides. Add 1/4 cup of H2O2 to a sink of cold water. After washing, rinse thoroughly with cool water.

In the dishwasher, add 2 oz. to your regular detergent for a sanitizing boost. Also, beef up your regular dish soap by adding roughly 2 ounces of 3% H2O2 to the bottle.

Use hydrogen peroxide as a mouthwash to freshen breath. It kills the bacteria that causes halitosis. Use a 50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water.

Use baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to make a paste for brushing teeth. Helps with early stages of gingivitis as it kills bacteria. Mixed with salt and baking soda, hydrogen peroxide works as a whitening toothpaste.

Soak your toothbrush in hydrogen peroxide between uses to keep it clean and prevent the transfer of germs. This is particularly helpful when you or someone in your family has a cold or the flu.

Clean your cutting board and countertop. Let everything bubble for a few minutes, then scrub and rinse clean. (I've been using it for this a LOT lately!)

Wipe out your refrigerator and dishwasher. Because it’s non-toxic, it’s great for cleaning places that store food and dishes.

Clean your sponges. Soak them for 10 minutes in a 50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and warm water in a shallow dish. Rinse the sponges thoroughly afterward.

Remove baked-on crud from pots and pans. Combine hydrogen peroxide with enough baking soda to make a paste, then rub onto the dirty pan and let it sit for a while. Come back later with a scrubby sponge and some warm water, and the baked-on stains will lift right off.

Whiten bathtub grout. First dry the tub thoroughly, then spray it liberally with hydrogen peroxide. Let it sit — it may bubble slightly — for a little while, then come back and scrub the grout with an old toothbrush. You may have to repeat the process a few times.

Clean the toilet bowl. Pour half a cup of hydrogen peroxide into the toilet bowl, let stand for 20 minutes, then scrub clean.

Remove stains from clothing, curtains, and tablecloths. Hydrogen peroxide can be used as a pre-treater for stains — just soak the stain for a little while in 3% hydrogen peroxide before tossing into the laundry. You can also add a cup of peroxide to a regular load of whites to boost brightness. It’s a green alternative to bleach, and works just as well.

Brighten dingy floors. Combine half a cup of hydrogen peroxide with one gallon of hot water, then go to town on your flooring. Because it’s so mild, it’s safe for any floor type, and there’s no need to rinse.

Clean kids’ toys and play areas. Hydrogen peroxide is a safe cleaner to use around kids, or anyone with respiratory problems, because it’s not a lung irritant. Spray toys, toy boxes, doorknobs, and anything else your kids touch on a regular basis.

Help out your plants. To ward off fungus, add a little hydrogen peroxide to your spray bottle the next time you’re spritzing plants.

Add natural highlights to your hair. Dilute the hydrogen peroxide so the solution is 50% peroxide and 50% water. Spray the solution on wet hair to create subtle, natural highlights.

According to alternative therapy practitioners, adding half a bottle of hydrogen peroxide to a warm bath can help detoxify the body. Some are skeptical of this claim, but a bath is always a nice way to relax and the addition of hydrogen peroxide will leave you – and the tub – squeaky clean!

Spray a solution of 1/2 cup water and 1 tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide on leftover salad, drain, cover and refrigerate. This will prevent wilting and better preserve your salad.

Sanitize your kids’ lunch boxes/bags.

Dab hydrogen peroxide on pimples or acne to help clear skin.

Hydrogen peroxide helps to sprout seeds for new plantings. Use a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution once a day and spritz the seed every time you re-moisten. You can also use a mixture of 1 part hydrogen peroxide to 32 parts water to improve your plants’ root system.

Remove yellowing from lace curtains or tablecloths. Fill a sink with cold water and a 2 cups of 3% hydrogen peroxide. Soak for at least an hour, rinse in cold water and air dry.

Use it to remove ear wax. Use a solution of 3% with olive or almond oil. Add a couple drops of oil first then H2O2. After a few minutes, tilt head to remove solution and wax.

Helps with foot fungus. Spray a 50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water on them (especially the toes) every night and let dry. Or try soaking your feet in a peroxide solution to help soften calluses and corns, and disinfect minor cuts.

Spray down the shower with hydrogen peroxide to kill bacteria and viruses.

Use 1 pint of 3% hydrogen peroxide to a gallon of water to clean humidifiers and steamers.

Wash shower curtains with hydrogen peroxide to remove mildew and soap scum. Place curtains in machine with a bath towel and your regular detergent. Add 1 cup full strength 3% hydrogen peroxide to the rinse cycle.

Use for towels that have become musty smelling. 1/2 cup Peroxide and 1/2 cup vinegar let stand for 15 minutes wash as normal. Gets rid of the smell.

Use hydrogen peroxide to control fungi present in aquariums. Don't worry, it won't hurt your fish. Use sparingly for this purpose.

De-skunking solution. Combine 1 quart 3% H2O2, 1/4 cup baking soda, 1 teaspoon Dawn dish detergent, 2 quarts warm water. 

Video: Sam the Squirrel

Sam the Squirrel

A friend of mine rescued a baby squirrel, and Sam has been living happily ever after with them as a pet.  My husband keeps telling me squirrels are too wild to become pets, but Sam seems to prove him wrong on this point.   I have to admit...I am more than a teensy bit jealous. :)

The video is on Facebook.

Bunspace bun: Teddy

One of the prettiest rabbits I have seen.  I love her fur.

Awww: Squirrel stretching for food

Bunny: Bunny Lawnmower

Cute: Man sings puppies to sleep (video)

So darn cute!

Recipe: Ice Cream Cake

Ingredients:

2 cups of your favorite ice cream, softened ( not frozen yogurt or light ice cream)
1 and 1/2 cups of self rising flour

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8×4 inch loaf pan.

Mix the ice cream and flour together in a bowl just until combined. Smooth it out so it looks even. Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

*you can add things such as candy bits, raisins, nuts, etc. Use your imagination 

Awww: Kitten playing with dog's ear

Awwww: Dog with ducklings

Another glimpse of what Eden was like.

Awwww: Kitten with turtle

DIY: Ways to kill Poison Ivy without chemicals

7 ways to get rid of Poison Ivy and Poison Oak without using harsh and toxic chemical sprays.  Listed in order of distance from and contact potential with plant.

1.  Graze a goat there.  Spanish and Angora goats are especially fond of poison ivy.

2.  Vinegar spray.  White vinegar will kill poison ivy, though it might take a few days to notice.  Fill your garden sprayer with straight, undiluted white vinegar and take aim at the poison ivy leaves and crowns. Try not to soak the ground, since it will result in inhospitable acidity in the soil. If you want, you can use calcitic lime to neutralize any vinegar in the soil afterwards.

3.  Salt, water, and natural soap spray.  Mix 1 gallon of water with 3 lbs of salt until well dissolved, add 1/4 cup of natural dish soap. Spray poison ivy leaves. This solution could also kill other plants in the area, so take care not to over do it.

4.  Gin Spray.  Mix 1 oz gin, 1 oz apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon baby shampoo, 1 quart water.  Spray onto leaves and crown during hot part of the day.  Should be dead by the next day.

5.  Burn the roots with boiling water.  A good option if you just have a few stubborn plants or vines in flowerbeds or near walkways.  Take your tea kettle full of boiling water and slowly drizzle on the very base of the plant.  This might take a few applications over a few days, but will eventually do the trick.

6.  Smother it.  Using cardboard (best option) or newspaper, cover the entire area with poison ivy, then cover the cardboard with straw, wood chips, or grass clippings to keep the cardboard in place.

7.  Pull it out.  The fastest and most effective (and most dangerous) way to get rid of it is by pulling, or chopping it out with a maddock.  Make sure if you chop it out that you get down about 8 inches and pull the vines and all out too. Fifteen percent of people are not allergic to poison ivy.  So unless you are one of the lucky few, wear gloves and wash thoroughly afterward!

Story: Taxi Ride - A lesson on patience and the importance of being kind

A NYC Taxi driver wrote:

I arrived at the address and honked the horn. After waiting a few minutes I honked again. Since this was going to be my last ride of my shift I thought about just driving away, but instead I put the car in park and walked up to the door and knocked. 'Just a minute', answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor.

After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 90's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940's movie.

By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets.

There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard
box filled with photos and glassware.

'Would you carry my bag out to the car?' she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman.

She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb.

She kept thanking me for my kindness. 'It's nothing', I told her. 'I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother to be treated.'

'Oh, you're such a good boy, she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address and then asked, 'Could you drive through downtown?'

'It's not the shortest way,' I answered quickly.

'Oh, I don't mind,' she said. 'I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice.'

I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. 'I don't have any family left,' she continued in a soft voice. 'The doctor says I don't have very long.' I quietly reached over and shut off the meter.

'What route would you like me to take?' I asked.

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator.

We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.

Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, 'I'm tired.Let's go now'. We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico.

Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move.  They must have been expecting her.

I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.

'How much do I owe you?' she asked, reaching into her purse.

'Nothing,' I said

'You have to make a living,' she answered.

'There are other passengers,' I responded.

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly.

'You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,' she said. 'Thank you.'

I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light.  Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life.

I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day,I could hardly talk.What if that woman had gotten an angry driver,or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away?

On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life.

We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments.

But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.

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Chronic Pain Quote

Recipe: Ooey Gooey Chocolate Cake

Ooey Gooey Chocolate Insanity Cake

For the cake
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour, plus 1 tablespoon divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon baking soda, divided
1/2 pound unsalted butter
1/4 cup sweetened cocoa powder (I used Ghirardelli ground chocolate)
1 cup water
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Prepare a 9x12 cake pan by buttering and flouring.  Set aside.

In a small cup add 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 tablespoon vinegar.  Set aside.

In a medium sized bowl combine 2 cups flour, sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and baking powder, stir with a whisk to combine.  Set aside.

In a small saucepan combine butter, cocoa and water.  Bring to a boil, then add to flour mixture.  Beat well.
  
Add 1 teaspoon of baking soda to milk mixture.  Set aside.  In a small bowl combine chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon of flour.  Set aside.

Add eggs to flour butter mixture.  Then add milk mixture and vanilla.  Beat well to combine.  Add chocolate chips to mixture and fold in.

Pour into prepared cake pan.  Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the center clean.

5 minutes before cake is done, prepare icing.

For icing
1/4 cup sweetened cocoa powder (I used Ghirardelli ground chocolate)
1/4 pound unsalted butter 
6 tablespoons milk
1 pound powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt 

Bring cocoa, butter and milk to a boil in a large saucepan.  Remove from heat and add powdered sugar, salt and vanilla, beat well with mixer.  Spread over hot cake.  Serve!