New site for posts http://ecoknots.weebly.com/susannes-blog

Knot your typical Nana: Hello,In order to simplify, I have moved my blog o...

Knot your typical Nana: Hello,In order to simplify, I have moved my blog o...: Hello, In order to simplify, I have moved my blog over to my website, so I will not be posting here. Come on over to ecoknots www/ecoknots.w...

Knot your typical Nana: Hello,In order to simplify, I have moved my blog o...

Knot your typical Nana: Hello,In order to simplify, I have moved my blog o...: Hello, In order to simplify, I have moved my blog over to my website, so I will not be posting here. Come on over to ecoknots www/ecoknots.w...

Hello, In order to simplify, I have moved my blog over to my website, so I will not be posting here. Come on over to ecoknots www/ecoknots.weebly.com. Also find me on facebook at www.facebook.com/ecoknots. See you there, Susanne aka Knot your typical nana

I was going to blame summer

Well, it's fall and I haven't posted since June. I was
going to blame it on summer, like I had a life, but really
I am just chicken. I wanted a blog for the challenge, but
the same old fears always surface. You know, no one
will like it or read it. People will laugh at me.
,

  





       Well, suck it..I WILL do this!

Truthfully, I have had writer's block. Also, I just don't want to look stupid. To help kick start me again, I searched for some help, and found some great resources. They are listed below:

http://socialtriggers.com/perfect-blog-post/

http://website101.com/social-media/how-write-blog-writing/

The best way for me to tackle something is just to do it, so this post is my first baby step. Stay tuned for more. Also check out my website www.ecoknots.weebly.com.
And like my facebook page www.facebook.com/ecoknots.

Take care and be kind,

Susanne aka knot your typical nana, ecoknots proprietor and blogger extraordinaire

Campfire cooking part 2

Ok, last time I cooked over a campfire, I might have (did) burned the biscuits. This time.....

Beautiful rainbow and nothing whatsoever to do with cooking, just wanted to share

Fire ring, check

Roaring fire, check. Now let's get started.

We get our steaks from a local meat locker-fresh and delicious!

Foil around potatoes, cast iron lid to hold in heat, seasoned steaks on grill

Okay, I cheated some, and used the propane stove to cook the corn. It is good grilled as well, but I wanted it this way.

 Are you hungry yet?

This seasoning we got from the butcher, it is Excalibur sweet and sassy garlic seasoning, made in USA (Illinois to be exact), and it is delicious!!!

I'm in heaven... Corn was tender and sweet, steak and potatoes done to perfection. 

Next time, I am trying biscuits again...really, I well, I'll share them in their golden perfection. Please come back again, subscribe, and comment. Share campfire cooking tips and recipes. I'd love to hear from you. 

Happy eating, camping, and campfire cooking. 

Take care, etc

Susanne

Sunny days are here, but it has been rainy the past few days. These are some projects I've done

A hanging basket for some of my husband's random stuff

Market bag anyone? I love farmer's markets this time of year. This bag holds lots!

Hanging on hook close to fridge, ready to be put away

Random picture of one of my grandsons (I am Nana, after all)

 Hanging, under-cabinet fruit basket

Work in progress....

This was actually my husband's project, webbing frayed on driver's side door so door could swing open and possibly break off. This would definitely be a problem.

A trip to the hardware store for some webbing, a few washers, and screws-and about $1.29 later,-problem is fixed.

I could have sworn that I took a picture of the socks I knitted for my grandson, but I can't find it. Oh well, this picture of my youngest grandson is better anyway!

Take care and be kind to each other

Susanne (Nana) Collins

Summer at Nana's

Summer is finally here!

Whew it's been a busy couple of weeks. Today our weather suddenly turned to summer with temps in the high 80's. I thought I'd share of picture of the cool river that is close to where we live. It's where you want to be when the weather heats up.

I have been promising friends to post some pix of our RV, so here it is:

Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home:)  There's plenty of room for me and my husband, and a grandkid or two. We have like 18 grandkids, so if they were all to come, we would have to pitch a tent. Living full-time in a RV requires some adjusting, but you can do anything you can in a more traditional home.

We have a small container gardens with peppers, tomatoes, onions, herbs(our faves basil and oregano), flowers, and some experimental garlic.

We are lucky where we live to have a nice yard area. The perk here is that we don't have to do any yard work!

A campstore makes it convenient to get needed items such as firewood. And of course, there's the lovely location:

This picture shows the river a little swollen due to all the rain we've had here in Missouri. Our family has really enjoyed fishing here this year.

We have had to get creative with storage. We were used to having a bowl on a table to keep our fresh fruit handy. There is no space for that in an RV. Here is the hanging basket I designed and created, and my husband hung under our kitchen cabinets. Problem solved!

I'll be sharing some more of my projects, and summer fun with the family soon. Please subscribe to my blog, and leave a comment about what you are doing this summer, or creative storage solutions you have found for your space.

Take care, and be kind to others,

Susanne

Cooking over a campfire conjures images of an old fashioned chuck wagon. Somehow, the food just seems to taste better.

Food my husband and I recently prepared over a campfire:

First, the prep:  New potatoes, onions, mushrooms, and red pepper



Next the fire starting process:


 Sorry, our fire pit looks a little beat up




Kindling





FLAMES!



Cast iron skillets take center stage

We found a grill at Lowe's that fits over out firepit perfectly!



Potatoes first in a little canola oil






The rest of the veggies





Of course, we had chicken too






Had to use the lid for a while on the veggies

It was a great meal. I want to get a dutch oven so we can cook biscuits, and maybe even cobbler over the fire. We have used charcoal grills, propane, and cooking campstoves, but cooking over the open fire somehow seems more fun and makes us feel like true pioneers! I will be practicing recipes and cooking techniques. Stay tuned for more.

how does your garden grow

Growing my own vegetables

Container garden with tomatoes, peppers, and basil

Full-time RV living, a MEANS to an end, or the end?

Full-time RV living, a MEANS to an end, or the end? It is estimated that as many as 1 million people now live full-time in an RV. This nomadic lifestyle was once considered only by the newly retired as a way to travel, and see the country. Now, many younger people are choosing this type of lifestyle. The widespread availability of Wifi, and the availability of at home careers using computers have made the traditional need for a home in one place less crucial. Additionally, many jobs, such as construction, require mobility as job sites change from place to place. There are families that travel with their children and home school them so that the family is not separated. Some maintain a home base, but travel much of the time. Still others use an RV as an in-between home when a good job is just too long a commute from their home base. My husband and I chose to live in an RV for the adventure, as well as for the wish for a more cost-effective way to live. We have always enjoyed camping, and the relaxed atmosphere of an RV or state park. Quite simply, we thought living in an RV would be cheaper, less sressful, and give us a way to visit places we have wanted to go when work allowed. While it has not always been less stressful(there is still maintenance to do, just like with a brick and sticks house), we have stayed in some beautiful places. It has also proven to be a cheaper way to live. We have opted to stay in RV parks, while others opt for urban parking/camping or boondocking, we feel more comfortable with having utilities available. It has been almost a year since we made our leap, and we have enjoyed it. I kept my job, and we stay in RV parks within easy commutes both to my job, and to most of our kids. Our ultimate goal is to buy some land to park our RV on, and do some homesteading. What about you? Have you ever thought about living in an RV? If you live in an RV, what motivated you to chose the RVing lifestyle?Do you have the wandering spirit, or do you have practical reasons, such as a work situation? I'd love to hear your thoughts about living and working non-traditionally in an RV. Sites you might find interesting: http://www.smallrvs.net/living-in-an-rn-fulltime-rv-living-appeals-to-young-and-old; http://www.familiesontheroad.com/articles/workingrving.html; http://www.nurvers.com

I have been thinking about the upcoming holiday weekend, and looking forward to seeing my daughter and her kids. Yesterday, my husband and I started getting our yard ready with tiki torches, and opened our awning. I hope the weather is good for every one.
https://plus.google.com/109305050749190421060/posts/CEJYECRBYQQ This creole shrimp pasta looks like a great recipe.

Take care and be kind to yourself.

Susanne

Happy blog!

Hi, my name is Susanne. For years, my husband would come home from work, open the door, and yell SUZE with great enthusiasm when he saw me. He was genuinely happy to see me, and I was happy to see him. I wanted to start this blog to share things that make me truly happy, and  I hope they make you happy too.

  I truly love a great yarn-whether it is a really good book, or a beautiful skein of yarn.  Walking into a bookstore, a craft store, or going to a really scenic place such as a beach really make me happy. It's that start of the race feeling that something new and exciting is about to happen, be created, or discovered!

Please join me as I share with you great things that I have discovered, created, or fallen in love with because they make me happy.

Be kind to yourself and each other everyday