You know you want a Crooked Acres holiday postcard. YOU KNOW YOU DO. You better hurry up! (And yes, of course I’m happy to send cards to other countries!) Send your name and mailing address to hollydays@gmail.com .
I’ll take names and addresses until December 20th.
If you’d like to send me a card as well (never ever required, but always appreciated – I don’t keep track of who does and doesn’t send a card, I promise!), send it to: Robyn Anderson, PO Box 461, Athens, AL 35612 USA.
Glenda mentioned in my comments yesterday that she’d tried – and really liked The Pioneer Woman’s Restaurant Style Salsa, which reminded me of something I’ve been meaning to mention to y’all.
Back in the late part of Summer/ early Fall, I made and canned a big batch of this salsa, right here. And yes, I used canned tomatoes and not fresh tomatoes, because despite the 6,000 tomato plants I planted in the garden this summer, I never ended up with enough tomatoes to use to make salsa.
I made salsa using that recipe, using canned tomatoes, and when everything but the hot peppers had been added, I divided the salsa into two, and I made a batch of “hot” using, I think, habanero peppers. And in the other half I may have added one or two jalapenos. Then I labeled the habanero batch as “hot” and the jalapeno batch as “mild” and I canned them.
And Fred pronounced it the best salsa I’ve ever made. He said it’s so good that even though the mild stuff is, well, mild and although he usually turns his nose up at mild stuff, he’s been eating the mild salsa because he says even the mild version is awesome as hell.
So in case you’re looking for an easy and tasty salsa to make and can, thereyago.
Yesterday, I glanced in my Search Meter to see what people had been searching on recently, and found that there had been several recent searches where people were clearly looking for the link where I got the cat hammocks.
They’re technically called “Ham-Micks”, and you can get ’em here.
They’re a big hit with our cats – we’ve got three of them, one in the computer room, one in the front room, and one in my bedroom, and they all get a lot of use. Cats of all sizes (from Patty Peppers to Elwood) use and love them. We highly recommend the Ham-Micks!
Other searches were for “cat pee cleaner” – you’re probably looking for Nose Offense or you’re looking for the make-it-yourself stuff, which is 16 oz. hydrogen peroxide, 1 T baking soda, 1 tsp dishwashing liquid, mix it up, soak the offending item with the mixture, and let it dry.
“Cat fountain” – we use and like the Cat Mate, but I am looking at this Cat-It fountain because it’s so inexpensive and has really good reviews and I can never be satisfied with what I already have (and to be honest, the cats are kind of ignoring the Cat Mate lately for some reason.)
“Outside Momma theme song”. Well, if I MUST share it!
That video has been viewed about 600 times, and probably 575 of those were mine. Cracks me up EVERY TIME.
“Diabetus.” Yes, Kara strongly resembles Wilford Brimley. The older she gets, the more she looks like him.
The Sons are coming around, slowly but surely. They’re less flinchy, and now when I walk into the room and sit down on the floor, they come over and sit near me and look up at me. They even let me pet them, though they’re not sure whether they like it or not. Tig’s the holdout and prefers to watch from a distance, but I can feel his resolve cracking when he sees Clay flop over onto his back for a belly rub.
Considering coming over for some petting.
The little tailless behinds are just the cutest things ever.
Gorgeous.
“Hey! Lady! You come here and pet me!”
Jax in the sun. (Gorgeous.)
Tig, keeping an eye on me from afar.
Gorgeous. I probably hadn’t mentioned that.
Charlie Peppers will snuggle with anyone or anything. In a pinch, some socks make a perfectly fine body pillow for the boy.
Don’t you just love his sweet little face?
Elwood the grump.
Grumpy, grumpy, grumpy.
You don’t see a lot of cats with double chins.
Ellie-bellz.
Previously
2010: Somewhere, Roger Ebert is covering his eyes in horror.
2009: No entry.
2008: No entry.
2007: The vet tech said that Stinkerbelle was a beautiful cat, and I could see Fred’s ego swell to twice its size.
2006: I think we’re making progress.
2005: It’s hard to resist a chunky little orange kitty.
2004: (I’m not that much of an asshole. But it sure is fun to imagine!)
2003: Yet another meme.
2002: But I’ll say this – if your kitten is suffering from anal leakage, y’all, TAKE IT TO THE VET.
2001: No entry.
2000: “Why does it smell lemony fresh down here?”
1999: Martha Stewart would take one look at my tree and sob loudly, I’m sure.
Robyn-
I am interested in learning how to can. Do you have any suggestion about what is needed and how to learn how to do it safely?
Jax says: “Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful.”
(Sorry, couldn’t resist…something about the photos of Jax reminded me of that annoying commercial years ago with the gorgeous actress and that line!)
OOH if I didn’t already have 4 cats I’d drive all the way to Alabama and pick up one of those tailless sons……
Love your kittens… sigh. Wish hubby was not allergic so I could squeeze and love some of my own. By the way you used to mention books you’ve read – wanted to add a suggestion to your “To Be Read” pile. It’s called Graveminder, by Melissa Marr – and although I NEVER read paranormal/living dead stuff this is a serious contender for my re-read pile. Very well done, very unique premise and story world(s). Recommend highly for you.
HEH. I am NOT a skimmah… just realized you have a Goodreads link and a long list of covers to the right. I hardly ever look at your sidebars on the site
I am so transfixed by your entries in the center. 
Thanks for the link to the Chickens in the Road Salsa – I searched her site yesterday and found three recipes, so I was going to ask you which one it was, and VOILA, you are a mind reader.
I made the Pioneer Woman salsa, and foolishly thought, “This is a big batch, I will use 2 jalapenos.” Well, they were pretty strong jalapenos, which meant that I was the only one willing to eat the salsa, because my husband breaks out in a sweat at the sight of a jalapeno. Next time maybe I will divide the batch in half.
There could be a real advantage to the whole tailess thing. Elphaba likes to sit on the back of the couch and swat me in the head or face with her tail sometimes, especially if I am reading or watching TV and ignoring her. Do any of your cats ever do that, Robyn? She’s a fat kitty too but no double chin. She has a major pooch on her lower abdomen that sways side to side when she runs or walks.
I predict that Jax won’t even make it to PetSmart before he’s snatched up by someone who’s fallen under his spell. GOD, he’s so pretty (much like Charlie Hunnam himself).
AMEN TO THAT, SISTER. I think Charlie Hunnam wears too many clothes in the show, personally.
Do you think Elwood might reactivate the Crooked Acres Department Of Het? No one will ever replace Mister Boogers, but I do miss being hetted at (on?) by a cat. Elwood looks like he’s got it figured out.
And why haven’t you mentioned how gorgeous Jax is?? (If you don’t post tomorrow, we’ll know that Corbie killed and ate you in a fit of jealous rage. “I’M the gorgeous one, dammit!”)
my daughter and I had quite a bit of fun playing “outside mama” on our roku so we could hear it on the big t.v. in the living room. Then we used our iphone to record your talking tom on to our talking tom app and he sang it for us an octave higher. Yes! It was amusing. I just played it here on my computer right now and our cat came running to find out wtf “that” was lol. Anyway, thanks for the cheap laughs
shame!
elwood said,
“it’s the damn collar pushing up FUR woman! FUR! humphhh!”
as he licks his paw and pouts at robyn
:0) all the fur babies are gorgeous… and we must support the rotund wobbles so they will not be offended :0)
Tell me, tell me, did I win one of the cat books? I’m sure I did but you just can’t find my email address. Would it help to tell you I sent you a Holiday card? Would it help to tell you that I have your post card right on the frig next to my cat Snickers picture.
Ok, so guess I didn’t win, boo hoo!
I should have announced the winners in a post instead of on the page where people entered I guess, huh?
Tammy F. and Kathryn won this time around. Better luck next time (hopefully there’ll be a next time!)