Coming to the Mercantile

I'll be updating my TDIPT Mercantile page tonight along w/ the other artists from the 15th of the month!

Here's a peek at my offerings.

Thanks for stopping by!

Another great TDIPT swap!

We're once again smack-dab in the middle of another TDIPT Swap. We decided that for our annual Autumn swap we would keep it at a modest level, and not get too carried away w/ the giving, as we tend to do with each one. It was difficult, but for the most part we all managed to stay within our limit which was, a handmade (2, if small), and a $15.00 monetary limit.

Anyway.....Janelle AKA little sister's dolls drew names this time around, and I was lucky enough to get her as my swap partner!

She made me this adorable and very colorful Witch sittin atop her big ol pumpkin!

She sent along a yummy smelling Paula Dean candle, a bread dipping set, and Americana Hanger, and some candy.....Black Licorice (which I told her I love), and some Orange Jewels

Also, 2 cards, one handmade, and the other w/ a doggie on the front, and a very sweet message inside!

Thank you Janelle, I love my box of goodies!

Be sure to check out some of the other TDIPT members blogs to see more! The TDIPT girls are not only extremely talented, they are amazingly generous! The swaps are always over the top, and you'll want to see them all!

For the Vegetarian in you!

Vegetarian Tacos

Here it is, a veggie taco that combines the best of summer produce, that you can pull together in about 20 minutes or less. You can use summer squash, green chiles, tomatoes, and jalapeños from the garden. You can improvise with the vegetables, a little fresh corn would work great added in, or some cooked beans as well. Fresh chiles, and you could always just add some salsa or jalapeño pickles to taste. The key to the overall taste is the addition at the end of cotija cheese, a Mexican cheese that is salty and crumbly, much like Greek feta. Remember, unless you have just made your tortillas fresh from scratch, packaged corn tortillas need to be heated and softened first, before being used for tacos

Ingredients

Olive oil
1 cup of roughly chopped zucchini or summer squash (1-2 zucchini or squash, depending on the size)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 large fresh mild green chile (Anaheim or Hatch), seeds and stem discarded, chopped
1/2 fresh jalapeño chile pepper, seeds and stem discarded, minced (or more, if you desire more heat)
Salt
1 small to medium tomato, chopped
4 corn tortillas
4 slices cheddar cheese
1/4 cup crumbled Mexican cotija cheese (a salty, crumbly cheese, you can substitute feta)
A few sprigs of fresh cilantro, chopped (okay to include the stems, if small)

1 Heat a tablespoon or two of oil in a large sauté pan on medium high heat. Add the zucchini, onions, garlic, green chiles, and jalapeño to the pan. Sprinkle with salt. Stir to coat the vegetables with the oil in the pan. Spread the veggies out in the pan and then stir only occasionally, until they are all lightly browned. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, lower the heat to low. Let gently cook for several minutes while you are preparing the tortillas.

You are going to want to heat up the tortillas first, first to soften them, and then to melt the cheese.

Heat a tablespoon or so of oil in a large cast iron frying pan, on medium high. Add a tortilla to the pan, moving it around a bit, and turning it over, so that it spreads around the oil. Let the tortilla heat until it develops little bubbles of air pockets. Then place a piece of cheese on one side of the tortilla, and use a metal spatula to fold the other side of the tortilla over the cheese. Heat until cheese is melted, then remove from pan. Note that if you have a big enough pan, you can have one tortilla folded over while you have another tortilla doing its initial heating.

Open the tacos and spoon some of the cooked veggie filling into them. Sprinkle on chopped cilantro and crumbled cotija cheese.

Serve immediately.

Makes 4 tacos. Serves 2.

*you can use flour tortillas as well*

Mmm Mmmm, it just might be what's for dinner around ehre today :)

Coming soon......

The members of TDIPT are having a funniest pet contest on our TDIPT blog.

The fun begins on September 6th, so be sure to check out all the pics on our blog, and vote for TDIPT's funniest!

New Offerings

My 2 new Harvest-Thyme offerings......

A witch door hanger on Simply Primitives

and a Handsome Pumpkinhead on my selling blog

Thanks for stopping by!

Vick: Welcome to Pennsylvania! You've Come to the Right Place

I received this email today. It's from a wonderful gal who lives in Tipton Pennsylvania. She's the founder of Dogs Deserve Better, and not only has she worked for years to get laws passed for more humane treatment of dogs in the US, she has devoted her life to making such changes and is responsible for saving many dogs from a life of hell on the end of a chain. No state has been tougher for her than her own. You can read her words below, and you can visit the website by clicking here.
Myself, I was sick to see a team take Vick. To me his name is MUDD!





Greetings!

Well, it's official. Vick is now an Eagle; he's coming to Pennsylvania.

(I'd like to call it Pennsyltucky, but I get in trouble from the Kentucky folks. I understand, Kentuckians---I wouldn't want Pennsylvania dragging me down either, but doesn't it just have a fun ring to it? You could use it too!)



Come on up, Vick, we've got our welcome mat out for ya'!



While some here in Pennsylvania may be astounded that we care so little about our animals as to put the welcome mat out for Mike Vick, I don't join them in their astoundyism. (Yeah, I know it's not a word, but I like it.)



How could I?



Pennsylvania has been making headlines in the last few years as, amongst other things, the puppymill capitol of the East and the state where abusive puppymillers, backyard breeders, and dog chainers are running rampant, killing and neglecting dogs, and prosecuting activists who videotape the cruelty and then help the animals. The abusers are never even brought to trial.



Anti-chaining legislation in Pennsylvania, now in it's third session, still languishes in committee, whereas in Georgia there are now at least 14 counties with very strong anti-tethering laws in place. Vick, you got out just in time; seems they were about to stop tolerating you there!



But don't worry, Vick, we're your people! Come on up, the water's warm!



Pennsylvania has chosen abusers over animals every day of the week and twice on Football Sunday.

The Philadelphia Eagle Powers that Be decided to bring Vick here despite angry protests and boycotts of their programs and sponsors---having obviously felt bringing him here was well worth any 'temporary discomfort.

''Temporary discomfort' being blogs such as this, articles by animal advocates and organizations, and protests by groups who manage to round up enough bodies to make somewhat of an impression on media folk.



We are told by 'real' sports columnists to "just go away and be quiet," "your actions won't get you anywhere," and "stop behaving like children" because we have the nerve to boycott, protest, and make facebook groups against the Eagles and their actions in bringing Vick to Pennsylvania.



We are told, in disdain no less, that "our actions just bring down the cause of animal advocacy. If we just wrote a gentle letter and 'used this for the next occasion' that we would be better off. Just let Vick play now, slink off to our corners, and admit defeat. Be good little children, for Christ's sake."



I was once told that the difference between France and America is that in France they fear their people, and in America we fear our government.

It's time America started fearing it's people too! Social movements are not brought to fruition by people staying at home and shutting their mouths. They are created by momentum, unison, and righteous action to overthrow unrighteous behaviors.

Someday, and someday soon, enough people will be boycotting the Eagles or their ilk long enough and hard enough to take them out. And then columnists who tell us to step back and be good little girls and boys will be eating their words.



Someday, and someday soon, enough people will be demanding justice for animals that the correct people will be prosecuted, and prosecuted well and hard, for committing crimes against those who depend on us for their very existence.



And someday, and someday soon, enough people will be standing firm around advocates who film cruelty and take actions for animals that the powers that be will find they are no longer the ones in power.



The thought of that day brings a smile to my face.



So people, go for it! Protest! Boycott! Create petitions! And most importantly, create change.



For that day is coming, and soon.

---Tamira Ci Thayne, founder, Dogs Deserve Better

Happy Birthday Mom!

It is so hard for me to believe that my mom is 80 years old. Where has the time gone? It seems like just yesterday I was a little girl and she would sing to me. I can just about hear her singing "oh the moon shines tonight on little redwing", she would sing it to me when I was in the bathtub, so she could get my hair rinsed good after washing. I'll never forget the calming effect it had on me.

We had pizza, cake and ice cream for her birthday. She wasn't feeling well....she broke 4 ribs when she fell last week, and just came home from the hospital yesterday. She's weak and frail, and we are hoping this will pass once she has time to heal. I'm thankful to be able to celebrate another of her birthdays with her.

I love you mom :)