SCOTTSBURG TRIP TO SORT MOTHER'S STUFF

Mother, Lucy Rogers, moved into assisted living in June or there abouts, and is enjoying the good life at The Hampton Oaks in Scottsburg, Indiana. She is 92 and enjoys having someone cook for her and look in on her and really enjoys her many visitors. She said she wanted her furniture and antiques collected over the past 70 years to go to us and to our daughters. We arranged for ABF to spot a trailer in Scottsburg and we packed, loaded and bulkheaded the treasures and they were delivered a few days later to Norfolk, Nebraska. This was so much easier than renting a truck an driving all the way to Norfolk. Well, we are all enjoying our "new" treasures and the house has been listed for sale. Here are some pictures of our packing session.

LEMON POPPY SEED BREAD

This is a great easy recipe taken from the pages of the Taste of Home Cake Mix Creations cook book (a book of east deserts that start with a mix). INGREDIENTS: 1 pkg (18-1/4 oz) white cake mix, 1 pkg (3.4 oz) instant lemon pudding mix, 1 cup warm water, 4 eggs, 1/2 cup canola oil, and 4 tsp of poppy seeds. PROCEDURE: In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, water, eggs and oil. Beat on low for 30 seconds; beat on medium for 2 minutes. Fold in poppy seeds. Pour into two greased 9-in. x 5- in. x 3-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks. YIELD: 2 loaves (16 slices each). Depends on how pick a slice you cut for yourselves. Enjoy! BRIAN

FRUITY CHICKEN SALAD

I found this recipe in the September/October issue of Nebraska Life Magazine. The recipe from Dorothy Rieke from Julian NE and is GREAT. I made it tonight and it is YUMMY!

INGREDIENTS: 2 large chicken breasts cooked, cut into bite size pieces and cooled. 1 can (8 oz.) of mandarin oranges, drained. 1 cup of pineapple chunks, drained (save 1 tsp juice). 1 large eating apple, cored and diced just before serving. 1/4 cup of slivered almonds, toasted. I added the apples with the rest of the ingredients and did not toast the almond slivers. DRESSING: 2/3 cup mayonnaise, 1/3 cup whipped topping, 1 tsp grated orange peel, and 1 tsp of pineapple juice.

DIRECTIONS: In a large mixing bowl, mix dressing ingredients and fold into well-drained fruits, almonds and chicken. Chill. Wait to serve before adding apples. As I said, I don't think this is a big deal. Serves 8. Well, Rose Ann and I ate about half of it and we used 3 chicken breasts. ENJOY!

BAKED DIJON CHICKEN

This is a great, simple recipe that is really good.

INGREDIENTS: Nonstick spray, 3-4 tbs. of Dijon mustard, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup of evaporated fat free milk, 1/4 cup of plain, dry bread crumbs, and 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves. I needed more of the Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs to get the 4 breasts coated.

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Spray 13 x 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Combine evaporated milk and mustard in a shallow bowl. Combine bread crumbs and cheese in a separate shallow bowl. Dip chicken in the milk mixture, coating both sides, then into the bread crumb mixture. Place in prepared dish and bake for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is golden brown and no longer pink inside. We baked ours for 15 minutes and the chicken was done, but maybe not brown and crispy enough. Your call. It was very good. Enjoy! BRIAN

FAMILY VACATION ON OUTER BANKS NC

We just returned from a wonderful family vacation in North Carolina on the Outer Banks.  We all drove the many miles there, but the road trip was great driving through the mountains to get there.  We rented a wonderful large home and just had a GREAT week creating memories.  Here are a couple of pictures from our trip.  

SARA CHECKS EMAIL AT NORFOLK

I thought this was a good picture of Sara at our computer when she was here this week.  Our "office" is not real tiddy.  Ha.  

RIBS AND SAUERKRAUT RECIPE

Sauerkraut  & onions join the classic apple-and-pork combo for a sweet-salty sensation.  This is a great tasting recipe for your crock pot.  

COOK:  Low 6 hours, High 3 hours.  6-8 servings.  

INGREDIENTS:  1  14-oz can sauerkraut, drained;  1 large sweet onion, sliced (about 2 cups);  2 medium tart cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced (2 cups);  2 lbs. boneless pork country-style ribs;  1 cup apple juice.  (I had no apple juice so I used a cup of white wine and it was good.)  

PROCEDURE:  In a 4 or 4-1/2 quart slow cooker place kraut, onion and apples.  Top with ribs.  Pour apple juice or wine over all.  Cover and cook.  Serve with a slotted spoon.  ENJOY!  We did.   P.S.  I used ribs on the bone and they were good.  In fact, I have heard that cooking meat on the bone is more flavorful.  

DAVID PROTZMAN JULY 2009

I caught David still enough to take this good picture of him with his awesome curly hair.  Someday he will not like those curls, but we sure do now.  

FUN TIME IN NORFOLK WITH PARACHUTE THING

I thought these pictures were good of some of our grandkids enjoying laying on a very colorful parachute we got the last time we were in Nashville with the Shives.  We will take it with us to the Outer Banks for our family week in August.  We have this great house rented near Nags Head, NC.  We plan to have some great pictures from NC to post after our vacation trip.  On the parachute are Gertie Peterson, Ben, Matt and Esther Protzman.  

MORE PICTURES FROM GAIL & MARILYN'S PARTY

I thought I would share a few more pictures from this special day we shared with Gail and Marilyn on Sunday.  Enjoy.  Grandson, Matt, gave them a chalice from the Vatican.  That was a nice surprise.  A couple of their favorite Priests, Fr. Printy and Fr. Richared, concelebrated Mass for them.  It was a grand day.  

ANNIVERSARY MASS & PARTY FOR THE KOCHS

Sunday we were privileged to attend a 50th Wedding Anniversary Mass and party for Gail and Marilyn Koch down at Jerry & Mary Jo Navara's home South of Omaha.  We had a great time as we always do when we are with the Koch family.  Here are a few pictures you might enjoy from the day.  

MY LATEST WATERCOLOR PAINTING

I just had another painting from a class by a local artist, Randal Anderson.  This one was of floral picture.  I took some liberties with mine, printing out a picture of the flower from the Nebraska Botanical Society.  The flower is native to the grasslands of Nebraska and is called the Penstemon and is very pretty.  Anyway, it is quite different from the picture of Randal's painting.

QUICK & EASY LEMON CHICKEN & RICE

This is another easy and quite good recipe.  

INGREDIENTS:  1/2 cup Italian dressing.  1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips.  1 cup chicken broth.  1 cup small broccoli florets.  1 red pepper, cut into strips.  1 cup thinly sliced carrots.  2 cups Minute brown rice, uncooked.  1 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning.  2 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese.  

DIRECTIONS:  (1)  Heat dressing in large skillet on med-high heat.  Add chicken.  Cook and stir 1 minute.  (2)  Add broth, broccoli, red pepper and carrots.  Bring to a boil.  (3)  Stir in rice.  Return to a boil.  Reduce heat to low.  Cover.  Simmer 5 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Let stand 5 minutes.  Stir in lemon pepper seasoning.  Sprinkle with cheese.  I added some chopped pecans with the broth, etc. just because we had some and that was good.  This is good and tastes just as good reheated later.  

ENJOY. 

BERRY EASY COBBLER

This simple recipe is yummy.  This is good warm or cold, with or without ice cream.  

INGREDIENTS:  1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1-1/2 tsp baking powder, 3/4 cup milk, 1/3 cup butter melted, 2 cups fresh blueberries, 1/3 cup sugar for the topping. 

DIRECTIONS:  1.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and baking powder.  Add milk and melted butter.  Stir until just combined.  2.  Spread batter in a greased 8 x 8 x 2 baking dish (2 quart square).  Scatter blueberries evening over batter.  Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1/3 cup sugar.  3.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake portion near the center comes out clean.  4.  Serve warm with ice cream or frozen  yogurt, if you like.  Makes 10 servings.  

MOTHER ROGERS SETTLES INTO ASSISTED LIVING

I made a quick trip to Indiana to help my mother, Lucy, move into an assisted living room at a very nice place, The Hampton Oaks.  We moved some of her pictures and furniture, her TV, a couple of lamps and got her a new lift chair.  She is happy there, and so are we.  

GRANDMA LUCY AT ALUMNI BANQUET 2009

Mother sent me a picture of her and Edith at the Banquet where they got the honor of being the oldest grads there.  Representing their class of 1933, this is their 76th year anniversary.  I bet in those 76 years they have not missed may of these annual Scottsburg Alumni Banquets.  I think they both look pretty darned good.  I hope I look that good when I am 92.  

GRANDDAUGHTER GERTIE PETERSON

I drove up to Vermillion to deliver a "lefty" ball glove to Gertie and watch her play her first T-Ball game.  I got a really good picture of her in the dugout.  

MEALTIME PRAYER SUGGESTION

I am reading a good, little book "The Whispers of Angels" by Annette Smith and in one of the short stories her father finishes every mealtime prayer with "Father, we pray that each day will find us, in some way, a blessing to our fellowman."  I think this is a very good prayer.  Let's all go out and be a blessing to someone today.  

INDIANA AND TENNESSEE VACATION

We had a great time on our 10 days drive through Indiana to see our mothers and some of Rose Ann's sisters and brothers and then on to Nashville to see Beth, Ben, Jude, Lucy, Ezra and Annie.  Here are a couple of pictures of our trip.

DAVID'S CURLY HAIR

I finally got a good picture showing David's curls.  Rose Ann says this is the way I sleep sometimes.  

MY MOST RECENT PAINTING

This is a painting of my Grandpa Gray's old shed.  I worked from a picture I took out there his past summer.  I am going to give the painting to Grandma Lucy who is currently living at the Hampton Oaks retirement community in Scottsburg in their transitional care wing.  She is liking it so far and we are going to encourage her to move into their assisted living wing rather than go home.  She is 92, alone, not eating well and not exercising at home.  The time has come, as they say, to make the big move.  BRIAN

GRANDMA ROSIE & DAVID

It seems the only time I can get a focused picture of David is when he is asleep.  When he is awake he is always on the move.  I was trying to show what curly hair he now has.  He has grown up so much since many of you have seen him.  We are kid sitting today.  Abby and Tricia are at a tea party and Ben and Roger are at a father & son retreat.  Matt had a soccer game this morning and Tricia was the substitute coach.  They won 8-0 and Matt got the first goal.  YEA!

NEW WATERCOLOR PAINTING BY ME

I finished my watercolor classes and now have done my first project on my own and here it is.  It is a painting of an old oil lamp belonging to Phyllis Williams, a friend from Missouri.  One of our son-in-laws, Doug Peterson, has an artist background as his dad, Max, is an artist.  He made some suggestions to highlight the chimney, but I had already framed the picture.  I have shown the original photo, the finished painting and the framed pix.  I could not get the black background to work, so I softened up the background.  

BRIAN & NICK MAKE FISH FRY ONION RINGS

Nick and I became the "Onion Ring Guys" this year at the Knights of Columbus annual fish fry during Lent.  The Norfolk Daily News photographer came last week and said we might get our picture in the paper.  We did!  

SOCCER TIME IN NASHVILLE FOR THE SHIVES

Beth sent us some really cute pictures of their new soccer kids.  Spring has sprung!  I hope they are still playing soccer when we visit in May.  Beth says Lucy really loves soccer.  In fact, she is the only little girl on her team that gets it.  Ha.  At one point she was the only one left on the field as the other left crying or just tired of running.  It appears Lucy is a natural.  You go girl!

GRANDMA ROSIE AND MAGGIE

We had a nice visit by Sara, Maggie, Gray and Gertie this weekend and I got a great picture of Rose Ann and Maggie.

ANOTHER PICTURE FROM PHYLLIS

This is another good picture from Phyllis and her goat ranch.  I thought this was a very good night picture.  Enjoy.

GOATS AND SNOW IN MISSOURI

My friend, Phyllis, raises goats and takes GREAT pictures.  Here is one.

MIRACLE ON THE HUDSON

I thought this was so good that I want to share it with you.

GRANDKIDS NEW PJS

Doug and Sara got a much better picture of the Rogers grandkids wearing their new pajamas. 

DAVID IS WALKING

We had the Protzman kids over for the afternoon Saturday and I got some pictures and this is a pretty good one of David.  

SMILING ANNIE SHIVE

Beth and Ben just sent this great picture of Annie.  

NORFOLK'S LATEST BLIZZARD

I snapped this picture as our little blizzard roared outside.  We got about 1-1/2" of snow, but had winds of 19 to 30 mph with a top gust of 57 mph.  We had lots of white-outs.  

GRAY PLAYS WITH DAVID

Sara sent this picture from our Christmas in Norfolk.  Gray was really great playing with David and holding Annie.  

ANNIE SHIVE

Beth and Ben sent this picture of Annie in her new chair.  What a neat chair and it looks like Annie loves it.  She is getting so grown up.  

ANOTHER CHRISTMAS IN NORFOLK

We tried to get a good picture of our grandkids with their Christmas PJs on and this is the best picture I got.  We just barely got Abby and Annie in it up at the top, left.