Some Chapter Headings:
Work Wear
Work to Play
School Events
Summer Holiday
Underwear

I liked:
The book is full of wardrobe ideas! For example, the same pair of brown trousers is recommended 3 different ways: with a tailored shirt and long cardigan for a casual job interview, with a long coat and a Kelly bag for a smart work outfit, and with a great coat to wear to a school play. Plus, that tailored shirt would also work great with jean-style cords.

My dislikes:
Not really any, as it was exactly what I expected.

Conclusion:This certainly isn’t a book I’d rave over. However, as I’m planning the garments I’ll make for fall and winter, it does have some inspiring ideas.

Would I buy it for myself? No. And I wouldn’t buy it for a beginner either. However, it is a reference I’d borrow from the library or bum from a friend.

I love church cookbooks. When you can’t find a favorite childhood recipe anywhere else, it will always be in a local church cookbook. And the smaller the church–the better the cookbook.

Someone brought Charlie Browns (a wonderful chocolate-peanut butter oatmeal no-bake cookie) to Grandma’s on July 4. I have wanted them ever since. So, tonight I hunted up the recipe. It wasn’t to be found in my tried-and-true Betty Crocker cookbook. It wasn’t in the local junior league cookbooks. It wasn’t even in my mom’s church’s cookbook. I finally found it in my grandmother’s church cookbook. (This church might have 100 members, but they’ve got some great recipes.)

Here’s the recipe for Charlie Browns (Thanks to Mrs. Rogers of Beulah Baptist Church.):

1 stick butter
1/2 cup milk
2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups oatmeal
1 teaspoon vanilla

Bring butter, milk, sugar, and cocoa to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter, oatmeal, and vanilla. (At this point, I let it cool for a few minutes (7 or so). ) Scoop it out in tablespoons onto wax paper and allow to cool and harden.

Enjoy!

Well, maybe not anything. But close. This time–I put up homemade grape juice!

We’ve lived in the same house since the beginning of 2000. When we bought the house, one of the descriptions (and certainly not the one that sold us on it) said, “Lots of Fruit Trees.” What they meant–an apple tree, a pear tree, a plum tree, strawberry plants, a grape vine, and a black walnut tree.

Over the years, we’ve only gotten an apple or two a year because the squirrels beat us to them. Until last year, a neighbor harvested the pears. Last year, I claimed them and put up 11 quarts of pears. The strawberry plants and plum tree didn’t make it. The black walnut tree continues to bring forth nuts in abundances. And the grapevine–well, herein lies my story.

The first few years, the grapevine produced plenty of lovely, tart, Concord grapes. But, I had no desire to make jelly, so I just let the birds and squirrels enjoy them. Last year, I noticed that the grapevine didn’t look so hot. This year, when I looked at the little structure where the vines should I been, I didn’t see a grapevine. (Okay, it’s important to know that the grapevine is on the other side of our half-acre lot and I don’t actually walk over there often.) Thus, I concluded that the grapevine died.

Imagine my surprise when the hubby walked in the house with a bucket full of grapes Sunday night! Here’s the conversation:

Him: “I thought you might want to do something with these.”
Me: “What are those?”
Him: “Grapes.” (like I should have known)
Me: “From where?????”
Him: “Out front.” (again, like I should have known)
Me: “That grapevine is dead. Where’d those come from?”
Him: “That grapevine isn’t dead. There are tons of bunches of grapes out there.” (Obviously, I should have known this.)
Me: “Where????”

So, he leads me outside and tells me to look up. Look up? Yes, the grapevine has snaked itself from the ground, up the fence into the mimosa tree above. And, you really can’t see the vine from the driveway. And, yes, there were tons of grapes hanging above my head. My reply to him, “Well, are you going to pick the rest of them?”

So, I pulled out my trusty canning book (which I recommend to anyone thinking of canning) and got to work. Here’s the short and sweet.

1. Wash the grapes.
2. Crush the grapes.
3. Add a little water.
4. Cook the grapes and water at 190 degrees for 10 minutes.
5. Strain juice. (Not as easy as it sounds and my hands have been red for 2 days!)
6. Let it sit overnight in the fridge to settle.
7. Ladle out the juice, leaving the sediment at the bottom.
8. Add sugar.
9. Heat to 190 degrees again.
10. Cool.
11. I added water to the concentrate until we liked the flavor.
12. Freeze.

Of course, it took a little longer than all this. In fact, it took at lot longer. About 4 hours! And the pay-off. 4 quarts of juice. Let’s see that comes to 2 quarts in 2 hours, which at $5.85 an hour comes to $23.40 a gallon. And I thought gas was expensive!!!!

PR’s next Mini-Wardrobe Contest starts August 1! I’ve been thinking about my entry for a while, but I thought it started in October. I’m not ready!!!!!

That said, here are the rules:

1. 4 pieces, 3 of which must be different types of garments
2. 3 different colors in the wardrobe
3. they must combine to make -4 distinct, different outfits

Ugh! That’s exactly what I did in May–and others did not! (Yes, I’m whining. Now I’m done.)

Anyway, now it’s almost August and I need to get in gear. I had been thinking about using this contest as a way to expand the hubby’s closet. I’m leaning toward:

1. A pair of casual pants
2. A long-sleeve button-up shirt
3. A short-sleeve tee shirt
4. A fleece pull-over

I think that adds up to:

1. Pants + button-up
2. Pants + tee shirt
3. Pants + tee shirt + unbuttoned button-up
4. Pants + fleece pull-over

I just need to confirm that the different shirts will count as different types of garments and choose some patterns and fabrics.