The Joys of Boys: Tractors!!

Levi LOVES tractors.  I think most boys do, but this boy is CRAZY about them.  He's almost sixteen months and has been talking about tractors in his SLEEP! for months now.  Ha!  What a kid!

His daddy works on heavy equipment all day long and Levi asks every day about his daddy.  Of course, we say "He's at work!", and always, he'll reply "Tractors?".  


And we answer, "Yes, daddy is working on tractors!"  
And so he is.

He and his daddy have a tractor, an antique '52 Ford 8N.  Of course, Levi knows what you have to do to start it, and he'll show you if you ask.

Nana and Mama found this old tractor for sale one day at an antique shop in Michigan when Jamie visited earlier this summer.

It's in Levi's possession now, and he couldn't be prouder.

Recently their little town had a festival and there was a parade of tractors, all tractors.

Levi "Ooohh"ed and "Ahhhh"ed over each and EVERY tractor in the parade.

Some time ago, I purchased a set of DVDs for Levi for Christmas and he absolutely loves them.  One is always loaded into a small TV that he  can operate.  And every day, at least one time a day, he's in there watching his little tractor DVD...soon he'll be identifying those tractors in the local tractor parade...as long as they're "John Deere"!

The video set is wonderful and they can be bought individually if you don't want the whole set.

Here is a link to the set on Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/About-John-Deere-4-DVD-Collection/dp/B000G6BJGM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317839629&sr=8-1

A review of the set from Amazon.com

A handsome 4-DVD collection which includes all four All About John Deere DVDs. Three hours of exciting John Deere action featuring Johnny Poppers, John Deere's newest and biggest tractors, excavators, planters, dozers, hay balers, front-end loaders, and much more. We trace the growing season -- from planting the seeds to harvest. Show how corn, soybeans, pumpkins, and grapes are harvested. We visit the Two-Cylinder Expo and the Thresherman Show in Northwest Iowa with over 300 vintage John Deeres on display.
See Feller Bunchers, Knuckleboom Loaders, and Log Harvesters in action. Laugh with jam-prone Otto and tap your feet to the original award-winning music of James Coffey. Kids will learn, laugh, and want more. Grown ups, too.

If you need an idea for a birthday or Christmas for a little boy in your life, I thought you might want a high recommendation from another little boy:  Levi Jack heartily endorses this DVD set!

"Wanna ride my TRACTOR?!"

The Joys of Autumn: A Walk in the Woods

See that "heart" shape cluster of berries?  So pretty!

 It's early yet and the trees haven't changed color here, but there's plenty of beauty to see in the woods in Autumn...

In the late afternoon hours at my daughter's home, there was plenty to see...

.

And the light was just right...so snap, snap, snap!

It's one of my favorite things to do!

And I would be more than happy if any of you could help me with what some of these flowers are...being from Michigan, I don't know plants that are native to Alabama.

I really enjoyed the walk in the woods in the quiet afternoon hours of Sunday, and when you really, really look, there is a lot to see, especially in Autumn.

Oh, by the way, have I told you lately?

How glad I am that you stop by this address to read my blog?

How much I appreciate your friendship, enjoy reading each of your comments?

Well, I am telling you now.

I am really glad you are here.  

And that you come back day after day.

I hope you enjoy your visits, too.

Happy Monday!

xoxo

Joni

The Joys of Autumn: Apple Streusel Muffins

Fall provides beauty outside, as well as inside our homes, especially in our kitchens.


The food of this season is the best around, soups, stews, casseroles, all of it warm and delicious, oozing comfort, and home.


I had some apples that needed to be used up, and I peeled and cored them and chopped them up and decided to try a new recipe I'd seen.


So, they turned out well, and I'll now recommend the recipe to you!

When I had finished peeling and dicing the apples, I had much more than I needed for this recipe, so I froze the apples in a Ziploc once they'd been tossed with the sugar and cinnamon, so I can quickly make another batch sometime without having to peel the apples.  (I could also use the extra for any other recipe that calls for diced apple, like my "Morning Glory Muffins".)

This is a nice fall treat, and I hope you enjoy!  It makes the house smell wonderful.


Apple Streusel Muffins


Bake 20 minutes with oven set @400 degrees


INGREDIENTS
2 c. all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
3 t. baking powder
1-1/4 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 eggs
1 c. sour cream
1/4 c. butter or margarine, melted
1-1/2 c. chopped, peeled, tart apples


TOPPING:
1/4 c. sugar
3 T. all purpose flour
1/4 t, ground cinnamon
2 T. butter or margarine.


1.  In a large bowl combine dry ingredients.  In another bowl, beat the eggs, sour cream, and butter.  Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.


2.  (This is something I did, but the recipe didn't require it, I tossed my apples to coat with a few tablespoons of sugar, a dash or two of cinnamon, and a Tablespoon or so of brown sugar.  It gave the apples some of their own caramel inside the muffins.)


3.  Fold in apples to the batter and then fill muffin tins 2/3 full.


4.  For topping, combine sugar, flour and cinnamon.  Cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle a rounded teaspoonful over each muffin.  


5.  Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for five minutes before moving from pans to wire rack.  16 muffins will be ready to serve warm.  YUM!!

I can't believe it's already OCTOBER!

Our new baby granddaughter will be here soon!