Weather Wednesday

Hello Wingers,   The weather here in Granbury hasn't changed much this week, except the "hot" summer days of north Texas is just about upon us. You know the weather is getting hotter as it was 80 degrees at 10pm and you get up the next morning and it is already 75 degrees and not a cloud in the sky.   My daughter Georgia, her husband Brian and their children, Lily, Darcy, Reagan and Joshua came over last Saturday and went swimming in the apartment swimming pool. This is a real treat for the grandchildren to come over and go swimming in grandpa's pool. Grandpa makes a lot of "points with them and they really have a great time.   The people who mow the grass here at the apartment complex come every Thursday, rain or shine. The apartment management, keeps the lawn sprinkler system running every night, so the grass really looks green and grows fast. They draft water out of Lake Granbury, so I expect they don't have to pay very much for it since it doesn't come through the city's water system. The problem with getting water out of the lake is that, the lake is about 8 feet below the normal level. so I would guess that the regular watering may have to stop in the near future.   I guess the ducks and geese have left Lake Granbury for a better home base, as I haven't seen very many around here this year. Mary and I have hung up a couple of lighthouse style birdhouses out on the patio. A couple of wrens have come, worked on building a nest in both of them and then left. They come back every so often, check them out and leave again - don't know what is going on .   I hope the weather has been good at your house, and you have been able to get out, get some exercise, or do whatever makes you happy.   Until next time.   Paul

Tasty Tuesday

BLACKBERRY COBBLER:

-1/2 CUP SOFT MARGARINE
- 1 CUP MILK
- 1 CUP SUGAR
- 2 CUPS SIFTED FLOUR
- 4 TSP BAKING POWDER
- 1/2 TSP SALT

IN A 2 QUART CASSEROLE DISH, CREAM TOGETHER MARGARINE, SUGAR AND
MILK. ADD FLOUR, BAKING POWDER AND SALT. THEN MIX WELL.

IN A BOWL, MIX 1 PINT ( 2 CUPS) BLACKBERRIES, 1 CUP SUGAR, 1 CUP
WATER & 1/2 TSP ALMOND FLAVOR EXTRACT AND MIX WELL.

POUR FRUIT MIXTURE OVER BATTER. DO NOT MIX THE BATTER AND FRUIT
TOGETHER. BAKE @ 375 DEGREES FOR 1 HOUR. THE BATTER WILL COME UP
OVER THE FRUIT MIXTURE WHICH MAKES A REALLY DELICIOUS SAUCE!!!!!!

Submitted by Paul Hickenbottom

Weather Wednesday

Here's an update from Darlene Boyden on the weather in her neck of the woods:

Rainy day in Pennsylvania...so it's a day to do inside jobs...first year for garden and the deer and rabbits needless to say have enjoyed it more then we have...infact all of it but the onions....lol..but at least we were able to get up this morning and put our feet on the floor and stand up and take a deep breath and say it's a wonderful day...

Tasty Tuesday

Watergate Salad

1 small package of pistachio instant pudding mix

1/2 Cup crushed pineapple

1 1/2 Cups miniature marshmellows

1 Cup pecan pieces

8 oz. Cool Whip

 

In a medium size bowl, mix all of the ingredients well. Cover bowl and place in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours.

Submitted by Paul Hickenbottom

Weather Wednesday

Hello Wingers,   Well the weather in my part of the world has been just about as expected - hot and dry. I'm not going to complain very loudly, as what we have had, has been the "pits".   The water level here in Lake Granbury is very low. I can see islands out in the middle of the lake that I have never seen before. The city of Granbury hasn't started water rationing yet, but other cities around Dallas and Fort Worth already have put the restriction in place.   As I've told you before, there has been 50-75 ducks and geese living here at Lake Granbury, but this year they aren't here - I don't know where they are.   I hope and pray that the weather is good in your area, and you are able to get out and enjoy yourself. How many of you have a garden - I don't, I go to the produce markets and get my vegetables.   Don't forget to give your vehicles a good once over before summer gets here, and you want to take a trip. Breaking down out in the middle of "no where" is not the time to find out something should have been changed before you left home.    Mary and I are looking forward to seeing you and yours at the reunion. Please mark your calendar and reserve the dates, so you won't miss it.   Until next time.   Paul

Tasty Tuesday

This pie is so lovely.  It is sweet- but not too sweet, with the perfect flavors of custard and coconut.  The cool thing is that the all-purpose baking mix (better known as Bisquick) in the dish helps the pie create its own crust.  

Amazing Coconut Pie

2 cups milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose baking mix
4 eggs
1/4 cup (half a stick) butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/3 cups Baker's Angel Flake Coconut (sweetened)


Place milk, sugar, baking mix, eggs, butter and vanilla in blender; cover.  Blend on LOW speed for 3 minutes.  pour into a greased 9-inch pie plate.  Sprinkle with coconut.

Submitted by Pam Chapman

Weather Wednesday

Hello Wingers,

Well to say this past month's weather has been something else, would be putting it mildly.

In the past month, Mary and I have been to Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Arkansas, Louisiana and back home to Texas.

On our trip up to Iowa, we drove through Moore, Oklahoma (before the tornado) and later we spent the night in Wichita, Kansas. That night we had a black sky, high winds, hard rain and hail. To say we were nervous was an understatement. We couldn't wait to get started the next day. We we arrived in Altoona, Iowa, we were greeted with more bad weather. We began to wonder if we should have stayed home. 

As you all probably remember, about 2 days after we left Texas, Granbury, Texas was hit with a tornado - 50-60 homes destroyed and 6 people killed and numerous people injured.

After our visit to Iowa, we left and drove to Independence, Missouri and visited the Truman, Library, and then on to Carthage, Missouri to visit Precious Moments, and then through Joplin, Missouri (almost 2 years to the day from when they were hit by the tornado that nearly destroyed the town). 

We then continued on to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to spend the night. We planned to go downtown the next morning and see the memorial park where the explosion occurred several years ago. That night the local weather man made us to understand that the weather over in the Wichita Falls, Texas area (where we planned to go next) wasn't the best and was going to get worse - we decided to forget about visiting Oklahoma City and "tuck tail" and get on I-35 south and go just as fast as we could back to Granbury. As we traveled back home we went right through Moore, Oklahoma again - 2 days later, the tornado went right through where we had traveled.

As I write this article, Mary and I are watching the Weather Channel and seeing where storms and tornados have again hit Oklahoma and some of your areas. We hope and pray that you and yours came through these storms and tornados without injury and/or damage to your property.

Linda Carter several days ago sent me an email in which she said to me:

Paul, I would go in front of you, or ride with you, but I'm not going behind you, as destruction seems to follow you around. 

All I can say is Mary and I are very blessed.

We would like to hear reports about all of this weather that has occurred in your area. There are fires, floods, and tornadoes all over the United States and it isn't all just happening in the Midwest.

Until next time.

Paul

Tasty Tuesday

King Ranch Chicken

1 stick of margarine

1 small onion, chopped

3 cans of Swanson White Chicken

1 can of cheddar cheese soup

1 can of cream of celery soup

1 can of chicken soup

1 soup can of milk

4 cups Monterrey jack cheese

1 – 12 oz. bag of tortilla chips, crushed

In a 5-6 quart Dutch kettle, melt the margarine and sauté the onion till translucent. Mix the next 5 ingredients together with the onions. Add the crushed chips to the mixture and mix well. Pour mixture into a 13x9x2 baking dish. Top with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until bubbly & the cheese starts to brown.

Submitted by Paul Hickenbottom