Heaven has a new Angel

I am sad to say little Ben lost his battle with cancer tonight.  I wanted to update those who were following the blog I shared.  Thank you for all who prayed for him and please continue to pray for peace for his family.  http://bensauer.blogspot.com/

 

Blaze of Glory…..by Bon Jovi

 

 

Seeing this sunset while walking in from the barn instantly made me start to sing “Blaze of Glory” by Bon Jovi.  I had to come in and play it on youtube.  The storm parted for a few minutes and this was the most beautiful picture.  It is now pouring rain, thundering and lightening, so glad I had my cell phone to capture this.

 

4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

That’s correct—4 INGREDIENTS!!  1 cup peanut butter / 1 cup sugar / 1 egg / 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Typical scene…my daughter runs in from school and says “mom, I forgot for the National Elementary Honor Society talent show tomorrow I need to make peanut butter cookies for the bake sale”.  So let’s see, we have voice lessons, hockey, barn chores, dinner, homework and somewhere we have to fit in making cookies now.  Plus I was out of eggs but luckily there were 3 in the coop!!

This is from a link I shared a while back called 33 Genius Three Ingredient Recipes ( http://www.buzzfeed.com/rachelysanders/genius-three-ingredient-recipes )

We added chocolate chips so it was 4 ingredients.  We also doubled the recipe. I was very skeptical as I make a mean peanut butter cookie but use many more ingredients, take more time and use a few more dishes.  This recipe was genius for me tonight!!!  Mine are not gluten free and BONUS…these are!!

The recipe is under the link above.  Great recipe, easy, hassle free, fast and mighty darn tasty!!!

I rolled the cookies into “walnut” size balls and my daughter pressed them for the criss cross.  This made 59 cookies total.  We baked them for exactly 12 minutes each.

Grandpa Giambra

My grandfather, Charles Giambra.  He was full blooded Italian, a big burly man with huge arms. I spent many nights sleeping over at my grandparents house and would hear him get up at 4:30 a.m. getting his tin lunch and thermos packed and shaving in the bathroom upstairs next to the bedrooms my aunt and I used to sleep in before heading off to work.  He always came home smelling like dirt and oil.  He had many jobs working the concrete business.  He helped in building the bridges that span our Island and would tell me long stories about the heights he dangled from, the men who traveled in and out of town to work odd jobs, and the hard work they did. Most of the men did not know how to swim and their pride would not let them wear life jackets.  

My grandmother always made supper so when he would get home it would be ready.  Being Italian of course there was the Thursday gravy night with the sauce, braciola, and homemade pasta.  After you finished that you would have your salad.  Salad was always served after the meal before coffee and dessert.  My grandfather loved his food and would slurp the sauce while he ate.  I still hear that noise in my head sometimes while making our sauce.  He taught me many things about food and not wasting it.  One of his favorite things to do was eat the bone marrow out of the bones.  He explained how nutritious it was and how it kept a man and child growing and strong.

That is me on Grandpa’s lap probably 37 years ago. I hated pictures but he always made us take them. You can see his burly hand on my shoulder

Grandpa was bald by the time I knew him and my aunt would always take me to bingo when I stayed over.  Grandpa would tell me to rub his bald head for luck and by gosh I would usually win.  I remember the first time it happened and I was upset they would not give me the money I won because I did not understand you had to be over 18 years of age to collect winnings.  Grandma’s brothers worked at the bingo hall and always doted on me.  I had 3 siblings, but I was by far the one who spent the most time with my grandparents and aunt who could never have children.  I loved going there and spent most of my summers with them when not in school because I was the only child and did not have to share with my sister or brothers.

Grandpa’s birthday is May 21st and while he’s been gone for quite some time, I still smell the dirt and oil smell when I see a concrete truck drive by.  I have his old fireman’s hat in my attic to hand down to my children some day.  When making my gravy I remember his words about not too much garlic but enough to flavor it.  When my son slurps his sauce, I am reminded of the great times of my childhood spent in their home.

How good those days were!!

Comanche

Comanche is now remembered as the only surviving member of LTC George A. Custer’s immediate command at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. He has always been a symbol of the role of the U.S. Cavalry in the taming of the great plains during the era of  western expansion. When he died in 1891 his remains were preserved for eternity. Comanche now resides in the Dyche Natural History Museum on the campus of the University of Kansas at Lawrence. He resides in a specially designed humidity-controlled glass enclosure. 

Footnote: Comanche was reputed to be the only survivor of the Little Bighorn, but quite a few Seventh Cavalry mounts survived, probably more than one hundred, and there was even a yellow bulldog

**I am not sure such a regal animal would have wanted to be preserved in the manner he is.  I would think he would rather be one with the earth**  Just my opinion