Friday, September 29, 2017

Hobo Dinners: A Fun, Fall Recipe for Outdoor Living ~ And Life



Hello friends~
How are you today?
Really. 
I ask because I care.

Sometimes life can be so busy and we get distracted.
I want to take a moment and say thank you to those who 
take the time to ask how I am
and then truly listen.

I am thankful for the good listeners in
my life. And honestly, there aren't many.
But it's ok. I can learn from that.
I can turn it around and work at 
being a better listener. 

There's usually a way to take something
negative and make it positive!

Keep on the Sunny Side.
Just a short note on my life.

My sister and niece are flying in from Ohio 
on Tuesday.  We are busy packing up 
my youngest daughter who turns 21 today!
She's such a sweet person.

This evening, she, myself and two of her sisters
are going out to celebrate her and have a fun time 
with dinner and a movie~

More about another time.

**********
Today, I wanted to share this
fun recipe that's perfect for fall fires or camping!
HOBO dinners!

Here are some cooling on 
the rocks around the fire. The aromas
just float all through the Gypsy Camp.

Have you ever had them?
They are SO fun for kids.


HOBO DINNERS

Prepare a bed of coals.
Charcoal briquets may even work.
I've always used an open fire.
It takes about 40 mins to an hour
to prepare a good bed of coals using the open fire.

***

*Three small burger patties
or 6-8 oz cut up chicken breast.
Season to taste
*One cup of sliced potatoes
*6-8 onion slices
*1/2 half cup of sliced carrots.

Layer them on two large pieces of heavy duty foil.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
You could even add a sprig of fresh Rosemary.
( I will next time!)

Seal them VERY well so the juices don't escape.

Lay them right on the coals. 
Leave them uncovered.
(Meaning don't heap the coals on them.)
Roast for about 30-35 mins.
Turning with metal tongs about 
halfway through the cook time.

Remove from coals and let cool for 
5-10 mins. They will still be steaming hot!
These truly are a treat.

A fun experience and fabulously delicious!

My one grand daughter doesn't like potatoes but she ate 
all of her HOBO cooked potatoes!
There's just something about all that goodness
of the flavor of all those juices blending together.

   ENJOY! :)
I hope you're able to try these sometime.
If you have any questions, feel free to email
me or leave a comment.

In honor of the Hobo dinners,
 here's a link to the song 
Gentle on my Mind  by Glen Campbell.

It's a song that I just learned and one of my favorites.
I was so sad to hear of his recent passing.
Have a wonderful weekend!
I'll be singing tomorrow
at The Foxfire's season's end Oktoberfest.
Friends fun and food...


How're you celebrating fall?

Thank you for your visit!
Hugs and blessings~
Tamara



Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Follow Me Down the Wild Path... Magical, Gypsy Camp and Gardens ~ PHOTOS GALORE!

Hello and welcome.
What a lovely day it is and I'm excited to get started with it!
Do you feel like that when you wake up?

SO much goodness awaits the day that you can hardly wait to
get on with it? Sometimes, I tremble with anticipation.
Truly.

Tonight we play music and it's always a joy to see our friends
 there and to share in some 
warm conversation. Bringing
happiness to those that come to dance and
 listen makes me happy, too!

I have plans today to have a gathering of herbs and flowers to dry.
I have found a lovely, old ladder to hang them from.

I'll share later :)

*********

And now, away we go down the path to one of my favorite places 
in my world. I have said so many times that I would live here if I could!
It's rough and wild.
Not a formal place at all but
it's full of adventure, magic
and BEAUTY~
A place where miracles happen.


 Wild animals visit
 and baby birds live here.
Bunnies hop across the paths.  
Elk and deer come 
to eat the pumpkins in the fall.
Little snakes and mantis' live in
the tall grasses.

And we do a lot of living here~
 I hope you enjoy your visit.
You might find Brutus nestled into the Catnip.
 There are two little gypsy princesses that 
come to visit often. It's 
one of their favorite places to explore.
 You can hear their  
laughter and merriment ringing 
through the trees.
It's such a work in progress~
as am I.

I wish to love more, be more kind and patient 
Keep thankfulness ever before me.

I want to bring more:

 Beauty to the world.
Inspiration
Creativity.
Honesty.
Authenticity.
And LOVE...
most of all.

{It seems to me that we can never
give up longing and wishing 
while we are thoroughly alive.
There are certain things that
we feel to be beautiful and good
and we must hunger after them.}
~George Eliot~
Long afternoons resting in the cool of the pines~
 Peeking into the faery world
as she tends her little garden.
  A quiet place to listen to our hearts...
I'm going to make everything around me 
BEAUTIFUL~
That will be my life.
Elise De Wolfe
 And a place to read...
To get lost in another world and to 
know people that we never met~

 It was SUCH a wonder watching this little one's egg...
It's a fledgling Mourning Dove.
What a little miracle to watch an egg bring life 
to this beautiful bird!

The Mama bird was ever so patient watching 
over her charge as we disturbed her careful work 
so many times.
We tried to stay clear but 
sometimes we'd forget.
If you look in the center, you can make out a nest. 
It's literally made from a hand full of sticks!
You can see right through the bottom of the nest.
And there was one egg. 
When it hatched out, we were able to watch it grow!
 And when it was time to fly the nest,
 it was a moment filled with awe and 
gratitude for me. I found the little one flitting around 
in the catnip. I was able to scoop up the bird and take it to 
a safer place far removed from the cats.

I checked the next morning and the sweet thing
 was still safe and sound tucked away on
 it's little branch in the tree. 
I love these experiences; they make life so rich.
Isn't life amazing filled with so much wonder?

NEVER LOSE YOUR WONDER, 
and keep ever-searching for the magic,
DEAR ONE~
I gather these treasures whenever I can. 
I store them in jars to enjoy their
beauty when it's cold and gray~
Even the dried petals are so special pretty to me.
I have several jars from different kinds of flowers.
 Brutus...
You'll find him in the oddest places!
It was NOT easy for him to get up there.
 My quirky and cute garden cat.
So much love~
I love the weeding, watering and moving
 among these garden places.
It brings such peace and has taught me so much!
I was NOT a patient gardener when I started years ago.
Oh my! Not at all.
 Morning light dancing in the Gypsy garden.
All good things are wild and free.
Henry David Thoreau
A rare appearance by Sir... 
or Burly.
A quiet, serious one.
 Fresh basil...
It's aroma is heavenly.
The Gypsy Camp protector...
 she is always ready. 
 Yes ...
and every now and then you see 
GYPSY resting near the fire... 
 And you can hear her strumming 
on her guitar or mandolin and singing ;) 
 To what mysterious place is this bridge leading?
Somebody is coming back from an adventure...
If only he could tell us what's on the other side!!
I suppose someday, we'll have to see for ourselves ;)
 Let your dreams soar! 
The sky is waiting for you.

(Gypsy cat photo bomb! haha!)
 A tiny bee working it's magic
in such a beautiful place!
Gypsy jewel colours!
 Found and gathered treasures.
What do you like to gather?
Really.. 
what delights your heart?
There are so many things to delight us..
aren't there?

Like the giggles of children...
A hug from a loved one...
Celebrating the accomplishments of others...
A lovely sunset...
A good book...
A daring adventure?

Whatever it is, I hope you find something
delightful in your day!
 This lovely, vintage pink pansy 
is going to be pressed
 so it's beauty will be preserved 
for a long time to come~
 Is your hope renewed when you see a rainbow?

Night is falling on our
  Gypsy Camp world.
and it's time for dinner...

We made HOBO DINNERS.

Have you ever had them?
They are SO fun for kids and easy to make.

That will be my next post.
Sometimes I come here in the evenings with my journal.

Here is a link to a short video to watch 
Django Rhinehart's early years.
You can listen to him playing his


I do so appreciate you coming by.
I'm so thankful for each of you that 
take the time to visit.
HUGS~

I hope I didn't bore you too much with all my photos
and stories of my enchanted Gypsy Camp and Garden.

Now it's time to start fall festivities! 
I have already added some fun things around outside and in.

Happy Fall! 
I'm not sure what the weather will hold for us this fall.

We had a freeze warning tonight and that's very early.
That's mountain living.
So my yard and Gypsy Camp gardens are spotted with
little ghost-like coverings.
 OH my!
I'm hoping to get a few more weeks 
of enjoyment from it all.

Wishing you lots of loveliness and peace.

And always, always thinking of and praying
for those that need our help and support.


Tamara
XO

linking up 

 Won't you join me?