Breakfast. . .

The best part of waking up. . .
On Crooked Creek is Colombian coffee in your cup!!!

"Mr. Ed's" favorite breakfast,
on any given day, is coffee and toast.

Me, not so much.

However, every once in a while
I make French Toast for our breakfast.

While "Mr. Ed" prefers Maple Praline Syrup. . .
I prefer Black Raspberry Jam with a dusting of Powdered Sugar!

Toss in a 'bit of bacon' for "Mr. Ed"
and some freshly prepared fruit for me. . .

and I'd say On Crooked Creek,  
we have a "perfect" way to start our day. . .
breakfast!



Until next time. . .

* * * * * * * FYI * * * * * * *
Mary is out of town for this week's
Thursday's Inspirations, but will return
the week of May 30th! See you all then!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

On Crooked Creek will be joining

www.dearlittleredhouse.blogspot.com

Mary @ Little Red House 

for Thursday's Inspirations!

Be sure to visit

for you’ll come away

filled with amazing inspirations!

spring. . .

The possibility of a Season might come to mind for many, 
especially after this unSeasonable Spring for 2013.

But for me, 
since 1967 during my first visit,
Bennett Spring State Park at Lebanon, Missouri
is forever etched into my heart, mind and soul.

31
     And he said unto them,
     Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place,
     and rest a while; for there were many coming and going,
     and they had no leisure so much as to eat.
                                                  Mark 6:31

So~o~o. . .
each Autumn "Mr. Ed" and I heed the Scriptures
and literally come apart and rest a while.
Over the past two decades, our desert place has been 
an Annual Trout Fishing Trip to Bennett Spring State Park.

This annual homeage we take On Crooked Creek
is the retreat that helps to bond us closer together 
as man and wife. . .
and draws us into a deeper relationship with our Lord.

Away from the coming and going of our everyday lives,
we are afforded the leisure time 
to listen and hear His direction for us.
The beauty of Bennett Spring State Park 
is certainly no desert place~quite the contrary.

What better place to inwardly 
and outwardly experience God's handiwork?

spring. . .


Until next time. . .

On Crooked Creek will be joining

www.dearlittleredhouse.blogspot.com

Mary @ Little Red House 

for Thursday's Inspirations!

Be sure to visit

for you’ll come away

filled with amazing inspirations!

Tree. . .

Unfortunately, 
On Crooked Creek had an over~abundance of trees 
when we arrived here on this side of the Prairie 11 years ago.

The unfortunate part is most of the trees were Cedar.
I'm highly allergic to all evergreens. . .
especially Cedar!!!

One exception to the Cedar trees,
this Ornamental Plum Tree has to be my favorite!

This feminine, petite tree
resides at the edge of the Fairy Garden
and just North of the back deck On Crooked Creek.

Once the blossoms have disappeared for the Season,
rich purple hued leaves stay until Autumn each year.

A final soft pink blossom,
protected by a new branch,
clings fast as the winds threaten here On Crooked Creek.

Until next time. . .

On Crooked Creek will be joining

www.dearlittleredhouse.blogspot.com

Mary @ Little Red House for

Thursday's Inspiration!

Be sure to visit for inspiration 

and some excellent photography 

from the Land of Blog!

Sky. . .

Kansas skies, 
On Crooked Creek, are the bluest during the Summer months!

As a child, 
I remember lying on my back upon the warm ground
and watching the clouds softly floating overhead.

The hopeless romantic in me
would envision a dragonslayer drawing his sword
as he saved his Princess from what might have been a fiery fate.

Othertimes, 
I would float softly along with the calm winds
and find myself on a butterfly winged boat 
similar to that in the film, Puff The Magic Dragon.


As I grow older here on the Prairie,
I watch the Kansas skies,
for warning signs of our ever changing weather.



These photos were taken prior to my first blog post, July 2010!


Until next time. . .

On Crooked Creek will be joining 

www.dearlittleredhouse.blogspot.com

Mary @ Little Red House 

for Thursday's Inspirations!

Be sure to visit

for you’ll come away

filled with amazing inspirations!

Bread. . .

Bread. . .
is the one food I can not go without!

And, dear ones, this banana nut bread 
has truly gone straight to my taste buds!!!

A true vision of loveliness. . .
this is a light, heavenly taste of sweetness 
that surpasses any I've ever tasted!!!

The most difficult part of this recipe
is waiting for the bread to cool before slicing!!!

While living in the Colorado Springs area,
I taught at Widefield Recreation Center Pre~School!
One of my students mothers shared her Grandmother's 
homemade Banana Nut Bread recipe with me. . .
and it is truly the b e s t nut bread e v e r!!!

Banana Nut Bread:

2 1/2 cups all~purpose flour
1 cup sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

1 egg
3 tablespoons salad oil
3/4 cup milk
1 cup mashed ripe bananas

1 cup finely chopped nuts (pecans)

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour 9" X 5" X 3" loaf pan or

two 8 1/2" X 4 1/2" X 2 1/2" loaf pans.

Measure all the dry ingredients into a large bowl, set aside.

In a medium size bowl, peel and slice the bananas.

Using a fork, mash the bananas.

Add the remaining wet ingredients.

With an electric mixer, beat on medium speed about 1 minute.

Fold in the finely chopped nuts.

Pour into pan(s).

Bake 55 to 65 minutes or

until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean.

Remove from pan;

cool thoroughly before slicing!

I chose to make one loaf of banana nut bread. . .

and six banana nut bread muffins!

"Give us this day our daily bread". . .

Until next time. . .

On Crooked Creek will be joining

www.dearlittlehouse.blogspot.com

Mary @ Little Red House for

Thursday's Inspirations!

Be sure to visit

for you’ll come away

filled with amazing inspirations!

Don't Fence Me In!

When you bring "Farmer Boy"
from rural~to~urban Prairie,
you'd expect to hear him say. . .
"Don't  fence  me  in"!

Arriving On Crooked Creek,
"Mr. Ed" had many adjustments to make.
One of those . . .fences!

Privacy fences are common 
in the majority of housing areas in our growing urban town.

The fences to our North and South are original to our property 
and were a joint agreement with the homeowners.

The East and West fences belong solely to "Mr. Ed" and I.
Due to their disrepair, they have been completely replaced.

I have grown quite fond 
of the original fences On Crooked Creek!
In time, they too, will have to be replaced.

But for the time being,
we'll continue to enjoy their charm and character they provide
this "Farmer Boy" and I On Crooked Creek!

* * * * * * * FYI * * * * * * *
These photos were taken in 2010.
My first Spring taking photos with
my Canon point~and~shoot camera.
My first blog post is dated 08/26/2010!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Until next time. . .

On Crooked Creek will be joining

www.dearlittleredhouse.blogspot.com

Mary @ Little Red House for

Thursday's Inspiration!

Be sure to visit

for you’ll come away

filled with amazing inspiration!

Round. . .

Round . . .

cylindrical . . .

plump . . .

complete . . .

encircle . . .

encompass . . .

finished . . .

Mother Nature allowed a calm, 
relatively warm Spring day for photographing out~of~doors!
This week's assignment for Mary's Thursday's Inspiration
. . . Round!

For my subject matter,
On Crooked Creek,
I chose three round objects of interest!!!

The first is a vintage sand stone ~ grinding / sharpening stone.
The second is an aging, deteriorating tree stump.
The third are sweet gum seeds from the tree during the Winter.


Until next time. . .

On Crooked Creek will be joining

www.dearlittleredhouse.blogspot.com

Mary @ Little Red House for

Thursday's Inspiration!

Be sure to visit

for you’ll come away

filled with amazing inspiration!

Green. . .

I've always embraced my Irish heritage!
I l o v e to dance,
                        play a clarinet,
                                                and sing!


My favorite meal is corn beef and cabbage!

I prefer this green leafy vegetable cooked!

Boiled, baked. . .even fried!
But raw, as in Slaw. . .not so much!

On Crooked Creek,
corned beef and cabbage will definitely 
be on the menu!

Perhaps some Irish soda bread, as well!
. . .and yes! 
These feet will be dancing a bit of an Irish jig!!!



Until next time. . .

* * * * * * * FYI * * * * * * *
For this weeks entry,
I chose two photos with natural light
and two photos with artificial light!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

On Crooked Creek will be joining

www.dearlittleredhouse.blogspot.com

Mary @ Little Red House for

Thursday's Inspiration!

Be sure to visit

for you’ll come away

filled with amazing inspiration!

Books. . .

"Don't judge a book by its cover"

unless, of course, its primary purpose is for home decor!

Copyright 1952.  By Cowles Magazines, Inc.

Inside the cover of The Private Dining Room by Ogden Nash

is the inscription

Richard Laswell

May 7, 1958

(Book of the Month Club)

The metaphorical phrase simply implies. . .

"You shouldn't prejudge the worth or value of something,

by its outward appearance alone".

Indeed!

Thumbing through the pages,

I happened upon this vintage photo on page 61!

Forever lost within the pages of the book.

No inscription, only Rembrandt Studio 

embossed at the bottom edge of the photo.  

Purchased at a Consignment Shop,

the books were  $5.00 each.
However with a going out~of~business $ale,
I purchased the set at 30% off!


Perhaps in the future I'll chose to follow the English idiom. . .

or. . .not!


Until next time. . .

On Crooked Creek will be joining

www.dearlittleredhouse.blogspot.com

Mary @ LittleRed House for

Thursday's Inspirations!

Be sure to visit

for you’ll come away

filled with inspiration!

* * * * * * * FYI * * * * * * *

My main purpose to join 

Thursday's Inspirations

was to improve my photography skills. 

This week, after encouragement from 

Patty @ Lemon Lane Cottage, I went into the settings. 

I found where to turn off the flash!!!

It is my hope to continue learning and improving

my photography skills!!!

A heartfelt thanks to Mary @ Little Red House

and Patty @ Lemon Lane Cottage!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *