Simple Home Living: 5/24/09

Saturday, May 30, 2009

My How They Grow

I stole this picture from my daughter's blog....I can't stand it. They grow to fast. Way to fast!

Julia at Hooked on Houses is hostessing a Hooked on Fridays for bloggers to celebrate those things that make them smile. Like Julia, I'm nuts about houses, architect, design, style and color. And, I LOVE to photograph those places and space where people live.

Last summer, I had the privilege of spending time in Europe - England, Spain and France. Here's my little collection of those homes where real people live.

Which one draws you most? For more fun spaces and houses to visit hop on over to Julia's.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

My Favorite Pancake Recipe

I love making food that makes my family feel good and breakfast is a perfect time to serve feel good comfort food like a big bowl of Steel Cut Oats with blueberries or my favorite ~ buttermilk pancakes with peaches.

Breakfast is such an important meal of the day because it's the one that has the potential to start the day off right. There's something good that happens when the senses of morning come alive with freshly ground brewed coffee along with signs that the griddle is heating up for my favorite buttermilk pancakes. It not only stirs the physical senses but the heart ones too - it says, "Someone cares for me."

At least once a week I make a double batch of my favorite buttermilk pancake recipe. I've tried many different ones, and always come back to this one that one of my daughters found in Martha Stewart's Comfort Food Recipe Cook Book.

In case you want to make some comfort food and see a big smile on your families face - here's Martha's recipe from her Comfort Food Cookbook.

Martha's Buttermilk Pancake Recipe

Whisk together:

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3 Tbl. sugar

Combine:

2 eggs lightly beaten

3 cups buttermilk

Tbl. + 1/2 t. unsalted - melted butter. ( I tend to use either salted or unsalted.)

Then, combine the dry and the wet ingredients. This is key: don't whisk the batter until it's smooth - leave lumps and un-moistened dry stuff.

Add a thin covering of butter to your pan. This batter makes about 9 6" pancakes. I always double this as left over batter refrigerates well for a few days.

What's your favorite comfort food? Read this: The Power of the Table.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

How to Identify a Census Field Representative

I hate being scammed and taken advantage of and in these days, it's even more important to be on guard as to how to protect yourself. My good friend, Maria, forwarded this info to me today. Read it, pass it along and make sure you are aware!

How to Identify a Census Field Representative

If you are visited by someone from the United States Census Bureau, here are some RECOGNITION TIPS to assure the validity of the field representative:

· Must present an ID Badge which contains: photograph of field representative, Department of Commerce watermark, and expiration date.

· Will provide you with supervisor contact information and/or the regional office phone number for verification, if asked.

· Will provide you with a letter from the director of the Census Bureau on U.S. Census Bureau letterhead.

· May be carrying a laptop and/or bag with a Census Bureau logo.”

“Is this person a Census Bureau employee?
If a Census Bureau employee is at your door, he or she will

1. Show you their Census Bureau identification badge,

2. Tell you the name of the survey for which your participation is needed

3. Provide a copy of the notification letter you received or should have received, in the mail describing the survey.

The field representative will also tell you approximately how long the survey will take to complete, why the information you provide is important, and how the Census Bureau protects the confidentiality of your answers.

Depending on the survey, a field representative or enumerator may carry a laptop or hand-held computer bearing the insignia of the Census Bureau. Some of our surveys no longer use paper questionnaires and the field representative will enter your responses directly into the computer. This allows us to process information more quickly and improves the quality of the statistics we produce.

If a Census Bureau employee has called you and you would like to verify that the person calling is indeed a Census Bureau employee you may confirm this by using the telephone center number listed on the Contact the National Processing Center page.”