Karen’s Opinion

Communication through the Internet is becoming the norm these days. I rarely write letters opting instead to share my days by writing on my blog. My friends, colleagues and family members learn what I am doing by reading my blog.

Blogging and maintaining a website has been enjoyable but it was not easy to learn everything on my own. When I began to blog, I had computer savvy friends who were kind enough to help me learn how to build a blog. They also gave me advice on how to get my blog noticed. They taught me how to work inside my blog to make it more attractive to potential readers. I don’t think I will ever be done tweaking my blog but I have learned a lot while making my blog. Do you have a blog or website? Do you have questions? Who doesn’t. When I have Webmaster Questions I go to WebmasterQuery.

WebmasterQuery is an informational website where members help each other by answering questions. When I started my blog, I had so many questions about backlink building. I made a few mistakes and my blog ranking suffered. If I would have had a resource like WebmasterQuery, I would have been able to bounce ideas off of other members. What is a the best host to serve my blog? How do I choose the best name for my website? These and other questions are answered and debated among other members. It is fun and informative to be part of a query site like WebmasterQuery. The site also offers opportunities to earn points and participate in promotions. The website offers guides and tutorials in many subjects associated with websites.

Check out WebmasterQuery. The site will help you enjoy your website.

What is up with all these companies wanting my cell phone number?
I just received another email from Yahoo that said it would be in my best interest to let them have my cell phone number. Yeah, right. They just want to be able to call me with junky offers.

If I had the option of declining the offer, I wouldn’t make as big a fuss over the issue but nooooo! they don’t give me that option. Before getting to the page I logged on to see, I have to choose, ASK ME LATER. It will never stop! Grrr

We attended a temporary display at our local museum. This is a first for our museum and I hope they intend on offering displays throughout the year. It was so much fun. They offered champagne, other beverages and a wonderful array of snacks and fruit. Much like the food we experienced by catering Dallas TX there was enough variety that one could eat healthily. I was pleased to see that our small community could give the same quality as caterers in Dallas. It was a very nice experience.

The topic of the display was the 1913 flood that happened in our town of Peru, Indiana. It literally changed the economic structure of our town. The flood was devastating and our town never really bounced back. Other industry came in but not like before. Because of the flood, local industry moved to different locals and employment in our area was hard to come by. You wouldn’t think that a flowing river would have so much impact. The changes to the ground made by the railroads and farming practices change the coarse of the river and made it a dangerous entity.

It was interesting to see pictures of homes and businesses that survived and are still standing in our town.

It took 54 years for the surrounding towns to convince the government that a dam needed to be built. Typical of getting things done when the government is involved! Anyway, the earthen dam was constructed in 1967 by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. It impounds the Mississinewa River for irrigation storage and flood control.

The reservoir it creates, Mississinewa Lake, has a normal water surface of five square miles. When our children were young, we enjoyed boating on the lake. Now, my daughter and I use the many trails along the shore to get our exercise.

Brrr! It is so cold here in Indiana. This is the weather that makes me want to make hot soup and drink hot chocolate.

I was looking for a new soup recipe and happened upon this scrumptious dessert.

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
1-1/2 cups chopped cashews, divided
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 carton (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
2-2/3 cups cold milk
1 package (3.9 ounces) instant chocolate pudding mix
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 milk chocolate candy bar (1.55 ounces), coarsely chopped

Directions

Place flour and butter in a food processor; cover and process until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 1 cup cashews; pulse a few times until combined.
Press into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Bake at 350° for 25-28 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.
In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Fold in 1 cup whipped topping. Spoon over crust.
In another bowl, whisk milk and both pudding mixes for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Spread over cream cheese layer. Top with remaining whipped topping. Sprinkle with chopped candy bar and remaining cashews. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Yield: 12-16 servings.

© Taste of Home 2012

My husband I traveled to Sevierville, Tennessee over the weekend so I could attend the Mountain Arts Quilt festival. We have been to Pigeon Forge a couple of times, usually staying in a cabin. I recommend staying in a cabin to enjoy the birds, flowers and evergreen trees. My sister and her husband bought a house nearby and so we stayed there this time. We drove into the congested tourist area and had fun knowing we didn’t really have to fight the crowd unless we chose to do so!

I have only been back to work one day and my niece just texted me to check out the pictures posted on her account at www.photobank.com. Thinking I would be seeing happy pictures similar to the ones of their wedding (they were one of the first I knew of who used wedding photo booth rentals that their guests were encouraged to use). I have since partaken in this fun reception activity using photo booth rental Dallas, and other venues.

I’m sorry, I went way off topic! Anyway, I opened her account to see pictures of the devastation because of a fire in the cabin area of Pigeon Forge. I am at a loss of how to describe my feelings. What a difference 24 hours makes. Pictures of helicopters pouring water over the area were not what I expected. Helicopters were having difficulty dropping water on the poorly contained fire because of the wind. They use a lot of propane tanks to heat the cabins and from what I have read online, the tanks have been exploding. I hope no one is hurt or killed. Pigeon Forge is such a beautiful area and it would be awful if it weren’t saved. Positioned on the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains, the resort area is one of my favorite vacation spots.