Outlaw Country

If you guys want to check out some awesome music and videos, visit Sirius XM Outlaw Country's Facebook page. WARNING: It's chock full of goodies, and you will probably waste hours of your life looking at this page. It is seriously one of the only radio stations I listen too, and you should give it a try. It has everything from Lucinda Williams to Johnny Cash to Bob Dylan. The best part is that none of these singers wear sequined jeans and do a hip-hop routine on stage, singing about gettin' drunk in a truck bed. It's REAL country / folk ;)

Life Saver!

Last night was absolutely CRAZY; Definitely not something you'd  expect to happen in the country.


Kevin was super busy at work and didn't leave until around 9:30 P.M. I was waiting up for him, reading The Gravedigger's Daughter, by Joyce Carol Oates (I cannot put it down!), when I looked out and saw an ambulance coming down our usually deserted road. I became very scared, thinking Kevin had gotten tired and run off the road.


His response when I called him was not what I expected.


"I'm performing CPR, I'm o.k. I'l be home when the ambulance gets here."


I got the full story when he got home, and after hearing it, I really want to learn C.P.R.


He was driving home, down the forlorn, wooded road that leads to our house, when he saw a BMW parked in the middle of the road. He slowed down, thinking it was just broken down, and prepared to drive around it. However, he noticed the driver's door was open. Then, he looked down and saw a young man laying on the ground, having a seizure.


The driver had a friend with him, who was standing near him, but had not yet called 911. Kevin, who is a certified CPR instructor through his work, immediately dialed for an ambulance, and gave his phone to the friend.


He then ran over the the seizing man, and found only a faint pulse. The man was not breathing.


Kevin started compressions, and administered CPR to the man, who went into three fits of shallow breaths and seizures before regaining normal breathing. During this time, another man pulled over, and Kevin had him feel for the downed man's pulse.


After about ten minutes, two ambulances arrived, and took over. The EMT told Kevin the young man would have probably went into a coma if CPR had not been administered.


Kevin was really shaken up when he got home, and said he operated on full adrenaline. Prior to this, he had never actually administered CPR to a real patient, so it was a damn good thing he remembered what to do in this emergency. He probably saved this young man's life, it's just amazing he was there at exactly the right time and place.


Only in the boonies...

Gotta Getta Goat!

Kevin's birthday is coming up, and I want to surprise him with a baby goat! He had goats when he was little, and I think he's going to be so excited when he wakes up and finds the little guy waiting in his truck, with a big bow tied around his neck. (He better not eat it!) I found a bottle baby that was born on St. Patty's Day, and I am going to pick him up after class on April 2nd. I'll be sure to get pictures for y'all!

Best Banana Bread EVER (cream -cheese lovers must look!)

The other day my dad gifted me with a bunch of brown bananas, and I could not have been more delighted. I love baking, and made the mistake of bringing a few of my creations to work to share with my dad. Now, I can't walk in the door without hearing,

"What did you bring today?"

I've created a monster! 

I knew the gift was really a hint that he wanted banana bread, so I looked for the best recipe I could find. I thought cream-cheese would be a delicious addition, and luckily there was a recipe that incorporated this delicacy. (I'm obsessed)

You can find the recipe, here, at AllRecipes.com.

I did make a few changes, listed below:

1.) No nuts...instead of putting crushed nuts on top, which I am not a huge fan of, I sprinkled on brown sugar and cinnamon

2.) Replace half of the butter with 1/4 cup of yogurt. I used Stonyfield's organic french vanilla, which not only cut calories, but added a tad of vanilla flavor. (Use banana yogurt for more banana flavor!)

3.) Replace about 1/4 c of white sugar with brown sugar. I just prefer the taste of brown sugar, so I decided to do this. I'd really like to replace all the sugar with honey, but I didn't have enough, and didn't feel like running to the store at 11:30 at night, when the baking urge hit.

I made two loaves, one for Kevin and me, and one for my parents, and I don't think either lasted 30 minutes. I've always had trouble keeping banana bread moist, since I don't like to cook with oils or shortening. The cream cheese was the perfect ingredient, and the result was  moist, not too sweet, and absolutely delicious. 

Hope y'all try it!

Country Wisdom and Know-How

Howdy, y'all! I have something new for you...a book review! This is the greatest collection of country-living information that I have ever seen, and is a must-read for anyone who is even vaguely interested in country life. It has DIY instructions on everything from gardening, to building chicken coops, to canning, to raising livestock and orphaned wildlife. Seriously, it is like a survival guide for living in the boonies. Y'all should run on down to your local Tractor Supply store and buy it right now! Or, it can be found at Amazon right here.
Go buy yourself a copy, brew up a big ol' pitcher of ice-tea, find a cozy spot of sunshine, and start reading! 

Redneck Beverage Holder

Yahhhh buddy! The ultimate gardening accessory

It's Time to Garden!

Thanks to the fantastic weather, we were able to get the garden all plowed, and (almost) fertilized, yesterday. Boy am I sore, but soo excited for some fresh veggies. 

Happiness = Sunshine + Dirt 

Happy Friday :)

Whatcha Lookin' At?

Rabies Alert

I pride myself in being a pretty brave person, but I have one phobia...rabies. When I was little, I would get panic attacks if I even heard the word. I still get the chills, but have learned to curb my fears a little. This is a weird phobia, since I love animals so much, and have never had contact with a rabid animal. (I am pounding my fist on wood right now!)


This is why I was terrified when I read that Western Pa. has been issued a rabies alert! In the past couple weeks, two people have been attacked by a rabid fox, a rabid raccoon made its way into a fenced-in yard, and a rabid skunk caused a herd of goats to be quarantined for six months. Even though most of my readers don't live in the woods like me, where we see these animals on an almost daily basis, town folk must still be very cautious. You can read about these recent cases at TribLive.


Here are some ways to protect you and your pets:


-NEVER approach a wild or feral mammal. If you see one who is injured or needs help, contact a professional such as the game commission or humane society. (I don't follow this rule, but do as I say, not as I do! )


-Know the signs of rabies: excessive salivation, inability to swallow, fear of water, staggering gait, eating dirt,wood, or other non food items, fear of light, aggressiveness, seizures, wild animal acting tame, nocturnal animals who are active during the day, severe agitation (these are most of them)


-If you see an animal exhibiting any of these behaviors, call your local police department, game commission, or animal control office. DO NOT approach the animal. If you kill the animal, do not shoot it in its head, since the brain will need to be sent to a lab to verify that the animal was rabid. 


-It is state law that all dogs and cats be vaccinated for rabies! I am not a fan of over-vaccinating, due to an increased cancer risk, however I do not mess around with rabies shots. They are crucial. If your pet is bitten by a wild animal, and you cannot show proof s/he was vaccinated, s/he must either be killed or quarantined for six months. Even house pets must be vaccinated, since a rabid animal such as a bat could enter your house without you even being aware. Rabies vaccines are good for either 1 or 3 years, so keep careful records. Usually pets being vaccinated for the first time are the only ones to receive the 1-year shot.


-If you are bitten by a wild or strange animal, immediately wash out the wound with soap and water, and go to the hospital ASAP. Call your local game commission or animal control warden, and report the case. Post-exposure vaccinations need to be started the same day a person was bitten for them to be effective. This is not something to mess around with. Rabies is always fatal once symptoms appear.




Ok, I am approaching a panic attack from writing that, but I'm sacrificing my sanity to warn you guys! Please take it to heart.
-

Singing and Sushi

Singing  and sushi?  I have always been obsessed with singing, and have only been obsessed with sushi for the past five or six years. I really don’t see what they have in common, other than the fact that they really highlight my obsessive personality, to a point of near embarrassment. I can’t get enough of either, and really don’t think I’ll ever get over my attachment to them. They seem crucial to my survival.

I can’t remember being an age where my parents haven’t had to tell me to “please shut up for just a minute!” I’ve been singing ever since I popped out, and I even annoy myself sometimes. Thank goodness I’ve been told I have a good voice. I’ve done a lot of open mics for singer/songwriters, earned plenty of free drinks and even cash at karaoke, and have had the chance to sing at several places in Nashville, which was pretty cool. Although I don’t recall eating sushi there, I did see several sushi restaurants, which is surprising on Lower Broadway Street. Oh yah! In the movie Pure Country Two (A horrible follow-up to Pure Country) the main character moved to Nashville to become a singer, and worked at a sushi joint. Ok, the two are coming together now.

                Mmmm…sushi, sashimi, soy sauce, rice, chopsticks, Miso soup; just typing these words is causing my stomach to roar! Sushi is another thing I cannot get enough of, and I could seriously eat it for every meal; eel rolls are my favorite. Don’t ask me the Japanese names, though! I also love raw squid  sashimi…it is so damn good. I guess eating all this sushi is probably good for my voice, since I always drink hot tea when dining at Japanese restaurants. As long as its decaf, it can really soothe your vocal chords. I’ve been obsessed with plenty of other things in my life, lately it’s been miniature pigs, and I’m sure I’ll be obsessed with many more, however I could not live without singing and sushi.

The Peeps Have Arrived!

It's official, y'all; the peeps have begun to arrive at Tractor Supply! I am beyond excited, and even though Kevin and I were extremely jet lagged on Sunday, I made him take me to go look at them. They don't have them all in, but oh the ones they do are adorable. One of my greatest ambitions in life is to own my own egg chickens, and my dream is about to become true. 

Us vs. building a chicken coop is really the only obstacle in my way. Well, that and the fact that Kevin keeps insisting he is going to eat them when they are older. (He is NOT..I repeat NOT going to eat my  hens. I'm already picking out names, and once they are named, they become members of our family ;) )

I have always had a love affair with chickens. When I was little, I went into Tractor Supply, and saw a very small chick that was being attacked by the other chicks. They were obviously not her peeps (haha...you can laugh at my lame joke). The people at the store gave her to me, and I took her home and nursed her to health. I named her Pippin. She lived in my room for awhile, and then outside and in my basement.  She'd perch on my shoulder like a parrot, and was very affectionate. She was always in poor health though, and she only lived a few years. My poor parents put up with this, even though chickens are clearly not inside pets. 

Let the chicken coop building begin!

Spring Has Sprung

Thank goodness Kevin and I were greeted by this sight upon our return from Maui. I swear if there had been a foot of snow, or even a slight frost, we were ready to turn right back around and immerse ourselves in Island Time once again. Has anyone else seen flowers or robins?