Winner, Recipe & Jill Answer's Questions!

I can hardly believe how fast these summer days are flying by!
I know, I know...not near enough posting lately,

but the green beans, cucumbers & tomatoes need picking,
the front door needs painting,

the new trees need to be planted
and oh I need to cook & clean & do laundry!
You just wouldn't BELIEVE how many green beans we have..
Doug and I have already picked four HUGE baskets full.

I don't have a pressure canner, so I have been freezing them.
One night I was still doing beans at 10 p.m.

I have to share with you my zucchini bread recipe.
This is so incredibly delicious, it has made me gain some pounds!

Hickory Hollow's
Yummy Delicious Zucchini Bread
2 eggs
1 cup cooking oil
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
2 Tbs. vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins or craisins
Beat eggs. Add oil, sugars, zucchini and vanilla and mix lightly.
Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Add slowly to batter and mix lightly. Fold in walnuts and raisins/craisins.
Pour batter into 2 medium greased and floured loaf pans.
Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Makes 2 yummylicious loaves!

Celebrating Summer with Hickory Hollow Giveaway!
comment #20
Random numbers generated Jul 29 2009 at 8:36:25 by http://www.psychicscience.org/.
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Crystal Rose Cottage!
Patti has a beautiful blog, it is so reminds me of an English Country garden.
She loves to collect beautiful rose patterned dishes
and her dining room wall paper is to die for!
Congratulations, Patti and thanks so much for entering my drawing.
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Questions & Answers
I have had a lot of nice ladies ask me some questions,
and sometimes I forget to answer them.

~* Sally asked, "Do you plan on teaching this Fall, or will you have a chance to slow down?"
I am planning on substitute teaching again this year. I really love working with the children, lots of hugs! I hoping that maybe next year a classroom position will be available. I have already started decorating my classroom in my head! Slow down...gosh I wish...this garden is wearing me out!

~* Smiling Sal... Thanks for the delicious recipe! I haven't tried it yet, but I am going too soon!

~* Colleen...Apple (zucchini) Pie, now that sounds fun! I will skip on over to your house and check out your recipe. Thanks for sharing!

~* Stacey told me, " I just wanted to say that I saw The New French Decor on your wishlist. I have this book and would say, don't spend the money. It's odd!" Thanks for the heads up. Sometimes the best picture in an entire book is the cover. From your description, it doesn't sound much like my decorating style!

~* Penny & Bluebell asked, "How do you dry your herbs?"
I try different things. What I found works best is to harvest a few stems in the morning, gently wash off any dirt and then let them dry on a paper towel. I then pull the leaves off and place them in a little bowl on the kitchen counter. Every now and then I will gently toss them. Most herbs will dry in a week. Basil is real hard to deal with, because it turns black. I have had good luck drying just a handful at time. If I do a bigger batch, I put them on paper towel on a cookie sheet and then place another paper towel on top and put it on top of the refrigerator. It really is easy. Another great fun way to play with herbs is to make herbal vinegar. It is fun to use in salads and marinades!

~* Bella1198 ...Thank you for sharing that wonderful recipe, that sounds gourmet to me! I will be anxious to try it out!

~* Nikki... oh what a cute apron, yeah you can get for me for my birthday if you want!

~* Melinda... I am so glad you liked the pickles! Aren't they easy! I tell you, it isn't summer at our house without those pickles at every meal!

~* Laura... Sweet Laura, I am so not a fancy camera girl, I use my Kodak EasyShare DX7440. It is about on it's last leg. I have used my mom's camera recently, but I don't remember what it was. What I do remember is that is was pricey. Now I will share a secret with you...I always work on my pictures in Microsoft Picture It before I add them to my blog. My hands shake and my pictures are fuzzy sometimes so I just use the sharpen option. Works like a charm! Since my Microsoft Picture It went kurplunk, I have been learning how to use Gimp, it is a free photo editing and paint program.

~*Solomi558...Thanks so much for sharing a friendship award with me. I have to admit though, that I am terrible about posting these on my blog, I usually forget or don't pass them along because I forgot! But I VERY much appreciate you thinking of me!

~*Debbie asked, "Would you mind sharing the gorgeous wall colors in your home?
Sure I will Debbie...

Foyer, Great Room, Kitchen, Hallways - Camel Back, Sherwin Williams

Master bedroom - Dusty Trail 414-4, Olympic Paint

Master bedroom trey ceiling dark portion - Stony Creek 414-5, Olympic Paint
Dining Room -Georgian Brick, Benjamin Moore color HC50

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Hope everyone is enjoying these summer days!
Guess what I am doing on Friday?
Goin' garage saleing with my guy.
Guess what?
It was his idea!
~Jill~