IT'S A GIRL: Bringing Home Our Blue Heeler Puppy

We have a new baby in the house...

Every family seems to have one pet that leaves an unforgettable mark on their hearts.

For us, that dog was Sheba.

At just six weeks old, this little Blue Heeler mix had already stolen our hearts before we even made it home. She was curious, affectionate, playful, and eager to explore every corner of the house.

Like any new puppy, everything was an adventure.

Why We Chose a Blue Heeler Mix

Australian Cattle Dogs, often called Blue Heelers, are well known for their intelligence, loyalty, and energy. Originally bred to help ranchers move cattle across long distances, they're happiest when they have something to do.

Although Sheba was a mixed breed, many of those same traits quickly became apparent. She loved learning, wanted to be wherever we were, and seemed happiest when she had a "job" to perform—even if that job was simply following us around the backyard.

Bringing Home a New Puppy

The first day with a puppy is always exciting.

Everything is new:

• New smells.
• New people.
• New routines.
• A new place to sleep.

We spent most of the day simply getting to know one another and helping Sheba settle into her new home. By bedtime, she already seemed to understand that she belonged with us.

Of course, there was one more important milestone waiting for her...

Her very first bath!

Looking back at these photos, it's hard to believe this tiny little puppy would eventually grow into our faithful camping companion, garden supervisor, chicken guardian, and one of the most memorable members of our family.

Little did we know that this tiny puppy would soon become our hiking partner, camping companion, chicken watchdog, and faithful helper through countless gardening projects and Texas road trips. Sheba would become part of the story of A Slice of Texas for many years to come.

Sheba! She's only 6-weeks old.

She's Blue Heeler mix. What a sweetie!

We've had her less than a day and she already loves us...

Tonight, she gets her first bath!

About Blue Heelers

• Extremely intelligent
• Loyal to their families
• Highly energetic
• Easy to train with consistency
• Thrive with regular exercise
• Excellent companions for active families

Talking Trash: How We Turn Kitchen Scraps into Rich Garden Compost

Kitchen Compost

How to Start Composting at Home: Turn Kitchen Scraps into Garden Gold

One of the best things I've ever done for my garden was to start composting.

Instead of throwing away vegetable peelings, coffee grounds, eggshells, tea bags, and other kitchen scraps, we've been saving them all winter long and turning them into rich compost for the garden. It's amazing how much "trash" can become one of the most valuable things you grow.

Our compost bin had become so full that it was too heavy to turn anymore, so it was time to dump everything out and give it a good mixing. The reward? Beautiful, dark compost that will feed this year's garden naturally.

What Can You Compost?

Our compost pile includes:

• Vegetable and fruit scraps
• Coffee grounds
• Tea leaves and tea bags (if compostable)
• Eggshells
• Garden trimmings
• Dead leaves
• Grass clippings (chemical-free)

These materials gradually break down into a nutrient-rich soil amendment that improves both the texture and fertility of the garden.

Why Compost?

Composting offers many benefits:

• Reduces household waste
• Improves soil structure
• Helps retain moisture
• Encourages beneficial earthworms
• Feeds plants naturally
• Reduces the need for chemical fertilizers
• Saves money on bagged compost

For a homestead or backyard garden, compost truly is "black gold."

Spring Planting Has Begun

With fresh compost ready, we planted:

• Honey Rock heirloom cantaloupes
• Sugar Baby heirloom watermelons

I even have a few extra heirloom seeds to share with family. One of my favorite parts of gardening is saving and sharing seeds so they can be enjoyed for years to come.

Our flowers and sunflowers have already started sprouting, making the garden feel like spring has finally arrived.

The only thing still missing?

Green onions!

(Well… not counting my faithful Egyptian Walking Onions, which always seem to take care of themselves.)

There's something deeply satisfying about watching kitchen scraps become healthy soil, healthy soil grow healthy plants, and those plants eventually return to our dinner table. Gardening really is one of nature's most wonderful cycles.

Compost Ingredients to Avoid

• Meat
• Dairy products
• Oils and grease
• Pet waste
• Diseased plants
• Weed seeds that have gone to seed

All winter, we've been saving our organic matter - peelings, eggshells, coffee grinds, tea bags, and vegetables for the compost bin. The trashcan is too heavy to rotate anymore, so I have to dump and mix.

Today, we planted Honey Rock Heirloom Cantaloupes, and Sugar Baby Heirloom Watermelons. I have some extra seeds to share if Grandma is interested...

We had our first crop TODAY!

Flowers and Sunflowers have sprouted...

The only thing I lack for my garden is GREEN ONIONS. (Not counting the Egyptian Walking onions.)

Everything's Amazing

Acutal video --- > HERE 

Everything's Amazing: Why We Take Modern Life for Granted

Have you ever caught yourself getting frustrated because a webpage wouldn't load fast enough?

I know I have.

Then I stop for a moment and realize how incredible modern life really is.

Years ago, making a simple phone call wasn't always simple.

Growing up, we had a party line, where several families shared the same telephone line. If your neighbors happened to be talking, you simply had to wait your turn before making a call. Imagine trying to explain that to someone today!

I still laugh remembering the time my cousin and I decided it would be funny to make crank phone calls. Unfortunately for us, another gentleman was listening on the shared line and threatened to stay connected until one of our parents picked up the phone.

We learned our lesson that day.

Looking back, it's funny—but it's also a reminder of just how much the world has changed.

Everyday Miracles

Today we can:

• Video chat with someone across the world.
• Find nearly any answer within seconds.
• Watch live rocket launches from our living rooms.
• Order groceries from our phones.
• Navigate unfamiliar cities with GPS.
• Carry an entire library in our pocket.

Things our grandparents could scarcely imagine have become so ordinary that we often forget how extraordinary they really are.

Perspective Changes Everything

It's human nature to focus on what's going wrong.

The slow internet.

The traffic light.

The long checkout line.

The delayed package.

Yet if someone from just a hundred years ago could step into our world today, they would probably spend every hour completely amazed.

Sometimes all it takes is a shift in perspective to replace frustration with gratitude.

A Little Reminder

Whenever I find myself complaining about modern inconveniences, I try to remember the party line.

Waiting for someone else to finish talking before I could even make a phone call seemed perfectly normal back then.

Today, I can video call someone on the other side of the planet in seconds.

Maybe life really is pretty amazing after all.

Easy Roast Beef Stir-Fry Recipe with Fresh Vegetables

One of my favorite ways to stretch an inexpensive beef roast is by turning it into a quick stir-fry loaded with fresh vegetables. Whenever roasts go on sale, I buy several for the freezer because one roast can become two or three completely different meals. This easy recipe comes together in one skillet and is a great way to use whatever vegetables you have on hand from the garden or refrigerator.

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Ingredients

• 2-3 pound beef roast
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• ½ stick real butter
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• Seasoning salt
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 1 bell pepper, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 can mushrooms, drained

Optional:

• Broccoli
• Fresh mushrooms
• Green beans
• Carrots
• Snow peas

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Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add the roast and season with butter, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, seasoning salt, salt, and pepper.
3. Cover and cook until the roast is tender, turning occasionally so both sides absorb the seasonings.
4. Remove the roast and slice it into thin strips.
5. Return the beef to the skillet along with the pan juices.
6. Add the vegetables and stir well.
7. Cover and cook about 8–10 minutes until the vegetables are tender-crisp.
8. Serve immediately.

Here's a delicious idea for ROAST. This is one of my favorites. I usually wait for roasts to go on sale at HEB for $1.99 lb and stock up. (They're on sale this week till Wed.)

Add some cooking oil to skillet and pan fry roast. I season with 1/2 stick of real butter, Worcestershire sauce, seasoning salt, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Cover with lid and simmer, turning to season other side.

While roast is cooking, chop some veggies: I use zucchini, bell peppers, onions, and canned mushrooms. If you prefer, you can substitute with broccoli, raw mushrooms, fresh green beans, carrots, etc.

After meat is cooked, slice roast into strips and return to the skillet - do not drain. Add chopped vegetables, stir, and cover with lid for no more than 10 minutes. We prefer our vegetables cooked, but not soggy.

The meat is juicy and tender!

What vegetables work best?

One reason I love this recipe is that almost any vegetable works.

Some favorites include:

• zucchini
• broccoli
• carrots
• onions
• bell peppers
• mushrooms
• green beans
• snap peas
• cabbage

It's also a great way to use extra vegetables from the garden before they spoil.

Old-Fashioned White Bread Made Easy in a Bread Machine

Feels like SPRING: What to Plant in February in Texas

Spring may still be weeks away on the calendar, but the garden is already waking up. February is one of my favorite times of year because it's when I begin starting seeds, checking on overwintered vegetables, and getting containers ready for another growing season. Living in Central Texas means warm days can arrive early, but late frosts are always possible, so careful planning is part of every February garden.

36 days till spring... Trees are sprouting leaves.

Starting Flower Seeds Early

Today I planted Cleome and Zinnias indoors to give them a head start before the last frost. Starting flowers early means stronger plants and earlier blooms once warm weather arrives.

I dug out more seeds today and planted Cleome, and Zinnias.

Planting Organic Potatoes

Instead of purchasing seed potatoes, I experimented by planting organic red potatoes that had naturally sprouted.

I planted them in the large container that grew tomatoes last summer. Container gardening works surprisingly well for potatoes because harvesting is simple and soil drainage stays excellent.

The organic red potatoes I had picked up at Whole Foods. I planted those in the huge pot that I had grown tomatoes in last year. I'll be hunting for a new planter for the Brandywine tomatoes that I had earlier planted. So far, EVERYTHING I've planted has sprouted and doing very well -- except for the Catnip. I went ahead and replanted the Catnip today. They were first planted on January 11th.

Growing Red Potatoes in Texas: Tips for a Successful Harvest

Radishes are almost ready to be picked.

Garden Update

This week the garden is looking encouraging.

• Radishes are almost ready to harvest.
• Every seed I've planted has sprouted except the catnip, so I replanted another batch.
• The Black Zucchini seedlings are growing well.
• Brandywine tomatoes will soon need a larger container.

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A Surprise Volunteer Plant

One of the biggest surprises this week was discovering two bean seedlings growing in my marigold container.

I never planted them!

Volunteer plants are common in the garden. Seeds can be carried by birds, compost, or even remain hidden in last year's potting soil. Since marigolds make excellent companion plants, I'll simply transplant the flowers and give the mystery beans room to grow.

What a surprise I found in the Marigold planter! Overnight, these two bean sprouts appeared. I didn't even plant these and I'm still scratching my head on how they found their way into the pot. I'll go ahead and let them make their home there and transplant the Marigold's. The Marigold's were meant to be transplanted anyway, for companion plants.

Black Zucchini

Texas Gardening Tip: Warm February weather can tempt gardeners into planting everything outdoors. Keep an eye on the forecast because late freezes are still common across much of Texas. Starting seedlings indoors or in containers provides a safer head start until frost danger has passed.

I added some Zinnia's to the window sill. I'm using as much space as I can for seedlings to get an early start for after the last frost. The way things in Texas goes... One can be easily fooled into thinking "winter" is over. We never really can tell when one season ends and the next begins.

When should I start seeds in Texas?

Many flowers and vegetables can be started indoors during January and February, depending on your USDA growing zone and average last frost date.

Can grocery store potatoes be planted?

Organic potatoes often sprout naturally and can be planted successfully. Avoid potatoes treated with sprout inhibitors, which are common with conventional grocery store potatoes.

What are volunteer plants?

Volunteer plants grow from seeds left behind from a previous season or carried into the garden by birds, wind, compost, or wildlife.

What a surprise I found in my mailbox today. They're just what I needed and they match my decor. THANKS GRANDMA! ;-)
(((HUGS)))

Texas Memorial Museum in Austin: Dinosaurs, Fossils & Natural History

We visited the Texas Memorial Museum today. If you're looking for an inexpensive educational outing in Austin, the Texas Memorial Museum is well worth a visit. Located on the University of Texas campus, the museum features fascinating exhibits on Texas wildlife, geology, fossils, dinosaurs, and natural history. We spent the afternoon exploring the displays and came away with a greater appreciation for Texas' prehistoric past.

Dinosaur Fossils

One of the highlights of the museum is its impressive collection of dinosaur fossils and prehistoric animals that once roamed Texas. Children especially enjoy seeing the enormous skeletons and learning about the state's ancient history.

Texas Wildlife

The museum also features beautifully preserved birds, insects, mammals, minerals, and native Texas wildlife. The insect collection alone is worth taking time to study because of its remarkable variety and colors.

The bug specimens were beautiful.

Lovely!

Charles Darwin Celebration

Our visit happened to coincide with a special Charles Darwin celebration.

Museum volunteers displayed historical botanical specimens, including preserved plants reportedly collected during famous scientific expeditions. It was fascinating hearing the stories behind these collections and how they contributed to our understanding of natural history.

One man in particular was proudly showing off actual dried plants that Darwin himself had collected on The Galapagos island. When he repeated that Darwin himself had touched that exact plant (and I didn't show any reaction) He turned disappointedly to the next guy and said, "I don't know about you, but THAT gives me chills"... The other guy nodded in agreement.

The next plant he showed me (pictured above) is an actual specimen that Captain Cook had collected in the 1700's.

 

Dinosaur track from Glen Rose Texas.

Dinosaur Track from Glen Rose

One exhibit that caught my attention was the dinosaur footprint from Glen Rose, Texas.

If you've never visited Dinosaur Valley State Park, Glen Rose is famous for preserving some of the best dinosaur tracks in North America, making it a popular destination for families interested in paleontology.

This is a perfect place to add an internal link later if you write about Glen Rose.

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Why We Enjoy Museums

One reason I enjoy museums is that they encourage curiosity. Whether you're interested in Texas history, geology, archaeology, wildlife, or dinosaurs, there's always something new to learn. They also make excellent family field trips, especially during hot Texas summers.

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Helpful Visitor Tips

• Allow 2–3 hours.
• Bring a camera.
• Wear comfortable walking shoes.
• Combine your visit with nearby University of Texas attractions.
• Great rainy-day activity.

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FAQ

Is the Texas Memorial Museum good for kids?

Yes. Children usually enjoy the dinosaur fossils, wildlife displays, and hands-on educational exhibits.

Where is the museum located?

It's located on the University of Texas campus in Austin.

How long should you plan for a visit?

Most visitors spend about two hours exploring the exhibits.

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Colonial II: Sewing a Colonial Gown for Living History Events

I still need to hem, add more lace, ribbons, and pearls, but at least this gives you a general idea.

One of my favorite parts of volunteering at living history events is dressing the part.

This colonial gown has been a fun sewing project that's still a work in progress. It still needs a hem, a little more lace, ribbons, and perhaps a few pearls, but it's finally beginning to look the way I imagined.

Colonial gowns were everyday clothing for many women during the 1700s. While styles varied depending on social class and location, most dresses featured a fitted bodice, full skirt, and layers of petticoats that provided both warmth and shape. Fabrics ranged from simple homespun linen and wool to finer printed cottons and silks for special occasions.

One thing I've learned through living history is that clothing was almost entirely handmade. Every seam, hem, buttonhole, and trim represented many hours of careful work. Sewing wasn't simply a hobby—it was an essential household skill passed from one generation to the next.

Although my gown uses modern sewing techniques in places, I enjoy creating clothing inspired by the past. Wearing period clothing during demonstrations helps visitors imagine what daily life may have been like more than two centuries ago.

There are still a few finishing touches left before I can call it complete, but seeing the project finally come together has been incredibly rewarding.

Did You Know?

• Colonial gowns often required several layers underneath, including a chemise, petticoats, and sometimes stays (supportive undergarments).
• Most women owned only a few dresses, making clothing an important investment that was carefully repaired and handed down.
• Sewing and mending were everyday household skills in colonial America.

Sewing a Colonial Gown for a Father-Daughter Dance

Sewing a Colonial Gown for a Father-Daughter Dance

Colonial-style gowns remain popular for historical reenactments, living history museums, school productions, themed dances, and costume events. This project gave me the opportunity to combine my love of sewing with history while creating a one-of-a-kind dress that fit my daughter's personality perfectly.

The annual Father and Daughter dance is this weekend... This will be Alan and Pamela's 5th dance. Last year they won third place. For the first time, I'm making Pamela's dress. Years past, we would shop for a pretty new outfit. THIS YEAR, Pamela requested a soft pink rose 1700 Colonial Gown.

Yesterday, I managed to get the pattern cut, and parts of the bodice and sleeves designed.

The bodice is fully lined with handsewn lace and pearls. I'll be adding several yards of lace trim to the seams, which will trail the entire shoulder, bodice, and length of the gown -- this too will be handsewn.

Today, I'm adding the sleeves, and sewing 7 yards of skirt. After a quick dash to Hobby Lobby for embellishments, I'll post an update.

GOOD NEWS FOR THE SEAMSTRESSES....

Here's the latest development:

Federal Regulators Delay Testing of Children’s Products

February 3, 2009

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has voted to delay enforcing a portion of new safety requirements regarding certain products for children 12 and under. Specifically, the agency decided to wait a year before requiring manufacturers and importers to test and certify any children’s products that would have been mandated for testing on February 10. Overall safety standards remain in place and still apply even to small retailers and vendors of second-hand items.

Manufacturers of children’s products will still need to be sure that they are conforming to the safety standards on leads and phthalates in products. However, they will be given an extra year of limited relief from the requirement for testing and certification (lasting till February 10, 2010). Family businesses can move forward without testing for another year, therefore, as long as they are confident that their products meet the lead and phthalates limits, mandatory toy standards and other requirements.

Retailers, thrift shops, consignment shops, and individual sellers of new or used products are not affected by the stay. They were never required to test or certify that what they were selling met the standards, but they violate the law if what they sell does not meet the standards.

Update 2026: At the time I originally published this post in 2009, many home seamstresses were concerned about new children's product safety regulations that affected handmade clothing and toys. I've kept the original news below because it reflects an important issue many small home businesses were facing at the time.

Colonial II: Sewing a Colonial Gown for Living History Events