Second Hand Lions, Patton, Bambi, Star Wars (all of them), Frozen, Up, How To Train Your Dragon, Harry Potter (all of them), Lady and the Tramp, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Jungle Book, Shrek (all of them), Aladin, The Fox and the Hound, It's a wonderful Life, Gone With the Wind, The Bridge on the River Kwai, Singin in the Rain, Ben Hur, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The African Queen, Any Jerry Lewis, Bob Hope, John Wayne, Garry Cooper, Grace Kelly, Jimmy Stewart, Henry Fonda, Jack Palance, Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn, or Mel Brooks movie - Especially Dracula Dead and Loving It. All the old Musicals and Swashbucklers. Westerns and Comedies, and anything that is Disney.

Classical, Oldies, or Country Western (oldies are better) Oh and Mac Davis "It's Hard To Be Humble", Anything by Weird Al Yankovic, Patriotic songs, Hymns, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Charlie Daniels Band, Garth Brooks, Environmental sounds (streams, waves, forest, etc.), Bill Engvall (Here's Your Sign), Burl Ives, Bing Crosby, All of the 'Rat Pack', Barry Manilow, Andy Williams, The Beach Boys, Kenny Rogers, The Andrews Sisters, The Carpenters, Alabama, Gene Autry, David Bowie, John Denver, Sony and Cher, Jeff Foxworthy, "Santa Claus Is Comin' (In a Boogie Woogie Choo Choo Train" by The Tractors, Stevie Wonder, Nat King Cole, Tony Bennet, Oak Ridge Boys, Neil Diamond, The Capitol Steps, "Arlington" by Trace Atkins, "Made in America" by Toby Keith, "If You're Reading This" by Tim McGraw, "I Drive Your Truck" by Lee Brice, "In God We Still Trust" by Diamond Rio, "My Name Is America" by Todd Allen Herendon, "America Will Survive" by Hank Williams Jr., "America Will Always Stand" by Randy Travis, "American Made" by the Oak Ridge Boys, "We The People" by Billy Ray Cyrus, "Bumper Of My SUV" by Chely Wright, "The Battle of New Orleans" by Johnny Horton, "Where The Stars And Strips And The Eagle Fly" by Aaron Tippin, "American Soldier" by Toby Keith, "Riding With Private Malone" by David Ball, "If I Don't Make It Back" by Tracey Lawrence, "Have You Forgotten" by Daryl Worley, "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" by the Andrews Sisters, "Rocky Mountain High" by John Denver, "American Pride" by Alabama, "Our America" by Big & Rich, "Ragged Old Flag" by Johnny Cash, "Courtesy of the Red White and Blue" by Toby Kieth, "Lets Roll" by Neil Young, "Some Gave All" by Billy Ray Cyrus, "Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)" by Alan Jackson, "This Ain't No Rag (It's A Flag)" by Charlie Daniels, "Taps by U.S. Army Ceremonial Band , Michael J. Smajda soloist", "Ballad of The Green Berets" by SSGT Barry Sadler, "The Army Goes rolling Along (U.S. Army Song, based on "Caisson Song")" by the U.S. Army Band & Chorus, "The Marine Hymn" by the U.S. Marine Corps Band, "Wild Blue Yonder (U.S. Air Force Song)" by the U.S. Air Force Band, "Anchors Away (U.S. Navy Song)", "God Of Our Fathers", "You're a Grand Old Flag", "Battle Hymn Of The Republic" by Andy Williams, "This Land Is Your Land" by Woody Guthrie, "This Is My Country" by Tennessee Ernie Ford, "God Bless The U.S.A." by Lee Greenwood,/ "My Country Tis of Thee", "America The Beautiful" by Elvis Presley, "God Bless America" by Kate Smith, The Star Spangled Banner - All 4 verses! Google It!

Anything by Anne McCaffrey, or Andre Norton, anything Sci-fi/Fantasy, The Cat Who series, Debbie McComber, (I am not good at remembering how to spell their names - but I recognize them when I see them!) Arthur C Clark, The Robe, and from when I was a kid - "Snip, Snap and Snur" and "Flikka, Rikka, and Dikka" - These were picture books about triplets that lived in - I think - Finland. I also loved "The Happy Hollisters", "Nancy Drew", and the first chapter book that I remember 'seeing' pictures in my mind from having it read to me in first grade - I remember the title as "Cubby Bear in Yellowstone Park" - But it was many years ago so it may be something different. Oh and the "Black Stallion" series. I read anything horse related growing up. One book I read that I can't remember much about - but that has given me a dream for a room I want in my dream house - involved a young girl that was part of a migrant family, an old woman gave her a key that opened a passage that led to a Victorian house; in this house was a library that was in a turret room. It was two stories tall, had window seats, the upper windows were stained glass there was a rolling ladder that gave you access to the books on the upper shelves. The books in this library gave this girl who had nothing - everything - because she could travel anywhere using the books and her mind, she could learn anything, using the books. She was no longer limited by her circumstances. I could see that library, I could smell the leather books, and the paper in them. I could see the light coming through the stained glass and the rainbows coming from the bevels in the 'plain' panes of glass.

I identified with that girl - I love books.

Purple the Royal color - used to hard to get. It was made from the 'snail' inside a (dang getting too old - I can see the sea shell but for the life of me I can't think of the name of it!) I will update when I remember - it is a big shell and is very popular for decoration - cream on the outside - pink on the inside. Conch - I think that is the spelling...

Violet - Technically a shade of purple but much gentler - kind of like the flower - it reminds me of nature - it is peaceful and calms me.

Blue, especially robins egg, sky, or baby blue. These are considered cool colors and also are peaceful for me. I also like dark blue - sometimes called Montana blue - especially when beading.

Yellow - Bright, uplifting, energetic - reminds me of Spring, of life, of King Alfred Daffodils and Sunflowers. There is a color that is a combination of yellow and orange - it is an unusual color and is hard to find but it is one orangeish color that I can wear - others make me look jaundiced.

Black - Very dramatic - also a great background color for a lot of other colors. It is also a slimming color and is a very good basic color that is a dressy or can be casual depending on how you use it.

White/Cream/Ivory - Also a very good background color - especially when you want to have multiple colors in a fabric. It is also very - I guess the word that best fits what I want to say is pristine - it invokes images of snow, cleanliness, childhood, blessings, angels, oh and another thing I love MILK! All good things. It also reminds us of Weddings, happy times, Christmas (I'm dreaming of a White Christmas). I love this background with small blue and yellow flowers all over it.

Green - Especially 'spring' or lime green, this is also an energizing color that reminds me of life and spring. It is a bright color that catches the eye and makes me very happy. There are other colors of green that are nice too, forest green, pale aqua green and mossy green are also green colors I love.

I also love the 'Jewel' colors - Fuscia, Turquoise, Amethyst, Emerald, Gold, Silver - These are also colors I can wear and like.

I like but cannot wear if it is the major color true red. I love Red flowers however, and I love the red fire in Opals, and red gems and stones like carnelian and jasper.

Chicken Noodle Soup.

A Persian soup called Osh (I have also seen it spelled Ash though I think that was by a non-English speaker that didn't know ash was what remains after a fire! Osh is primarily a vegetable soup, these are the ingredients: Spinach (1 bunch), Green Onions (2 bunches), Parsley (1 bunch), Cilantro (2 bunches), Garlic (depends on how much you like garlic or if you have a cold - 8 cloves to a head or more), Pinto Beans (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup), Pearled Barley or Wheat (1/4 to 1/3 cup), Lentils (1/4 cup), and some Beef (1 to 2 lbs), Onion (1/2 medium). You cook the Pinto beans the night before with only water AND Salt. Then you rinse the fresh vegetables (Spinach, through Cilantro) very well (you probably could use frozen vegetables - though my husband always used fresh) and coarsely chop them, You have a Large pot of water that is hot (could be boiling but not necessary, and add all the vegetables, the pot will be very full, but the vegetables will cook down. You bring the water to a boil and lower the temperature so it is simmering. add the lentils and Barley or Wheat, let simmer about 1/2 hour. While this is going on coarsely chop the medium onion and mince about 1/2 of the garlic, and then cut the beef into small cubes. Now add the pinto beans to the simmering soup. Next saute the beef with butter, the chopped onion and minced garlic. When the beef is fully cooked add it to the soup. Cover and continue to simmer, stirring often (or the pinto beans which sink to the bottom will burn) at least 2 to 2 1/2 hours. the smell will be awesome! The look will be - green. The soup is done when the vegetables have - dissolved - and you can no longer tell what vegetables are in the soup (except maybe the green onions) - at this point it is ready to serve. It will be extremely hot however, so I recommend that you let it sit a bit to cool down to eating temperature. When you serve it you can add some yogurt or sour cream if you like. This will cool the soup down and make it creamy. My husband liked to do this - I preferred to have it plain. Oh and make sure you stir it well before dishing it out so that it is well mixed and you get some of everything in each serving.

Another wonderful Persian dish uses small Zucchini and is call Khoresh e Kadu - Kadu is Zucchini and I think Khoresh is the rice and the way it is cooked. Here is what you do. You take quite a few small Zucchini (depending on how many you are feeding), Beef (1 - 2 lbs depending on how many you are feeding), Onion (1/4 to 1/2 medium onion again depends on how many you are feeding), Garlic (depends on how much you like garlic and how many you are feeding - 8 cloves to 1 head), Tomato sauce, Rice (1/2 to 1 cup depending on how many you are feeding). Peel the Zucchini and cut into pieces (you can cut them into quarters lengthwise or into rounds about 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick but they should be a uniform thickness). Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and add olive oil or grape seed oil. Add the sliced zucchini a piece at a time using a pastry brush to oil each piece as you add it. When you have all the zucchini on the cookie sheet(s) but the oven on broil, the rack on the top, or next to top rack, and put the zucchini in. Watch the zucchini and when it is nicely browned (rather dark) take it out. Chop the onion int smaller pieces, and mince the garlic, then saute it in butter, (if you want you can sprinkle some turmeric over this mixture while you are sauteing it - it will turn a beautiful orange - this is traditional in Persian cooking) when it turns translucent add the beef and continue sauteing until the beef is fully cooked, add the tomato sauce to the beef mixture and bring to a boil, cook off some of the liquid, you don't want this really watery, you want it moist but not too wet. While all this was going on you should have been cooking the rice (in a rice cooker is OK) you want the rice to be not quite done, as it will finish cooking in the next step.

Now you want to have a large pot ready. Heat the pot and melt butter in another small pot and in the bottom of the large pot. Now if you want to do this in the traditional Persian way you want to peal and fairly thinly slice a potato and line the bottom of the large pot with it. Next you will add a layer of the Rice, lighty sprinkle some cinnamon over the rice and using a slotted spoon or something similar, sprinkle a little of the melted butter over this layer of rice, now add a layer of the Zucchini, then a layer of the Beef mixture, then repeat the layering process until all the ingredients are used and the pot is full. Now you will add about 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of boiled/boiling water to the dish again using a slotted spoon or something similar. This will let the rice finish cooking and will help the flavors blend. Now because you don't want water (condensation) to drop back into the food, you will need a clean kitchen towel or washcloth, you will place this over the top of the pot, then you will put the lid on the pot. You will initially cook this on a high temperature for about 15 - 20 minutes, then you will turn it down and let it simmer for about 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours - you also periodically test the rice to see when it is done, when it the rice is done and you are about 20 - 30 minutes from serving the meal, fill the sink with cold water, turn the heat up under the pot again and listen for a sizzle to come from the pot, and pay attention to the aroma, if you start smelling the potato layer getting too hot, or if 15 minutes have passed, or if the sizzling has stopped turn the heat off and take the pot to the sink and plunge the bottom of the pot into the cold water until the steam stops. Now you are ready to serve the food. Take a serving platter and place the rice/zucchini/beef mixture onto it. Now you want to take a spoon or something and get the potato layer (the Persians call this the Tadig - and everyone usually wants it) You can also make Tadig using just rice and butter no potatoes. Enjoy! If you want to Americanize this - I brown the Zucchini the way I told you, then I saute the onions and garlic, (I don't use turmeric because I am sensitive to spices - though I love the taste) add the beef and tomato sauce when the beef is fully cooked, I add the zucchini to the beef mixture gently stir it in put a lid on and let it simmer for about an hour until everything gets to the same temperature and the flavors blend. I cook the rice fully in a rice cooker. About 15 minutes before the rice is done, I turn off the heat on the topping mixture. Once the rice is done, it is time to serve the food. I put a serving of rice on a plate and add a serving of the topping. There you go - ready to eat and very delicious.

I hope you enjoy these foods as much as I do!

My husband passed away on July 5th. I will have spotty internet access until I find a place to live. I am not sure where I will end up right now.

I grew up in Northern Wyoming about 70 miles from the Eastern entrance from Yellowstone Park. I graduated with A BS in Computer Science, Software Engineering, from Montana State University - Bozeman, in 1990. My Husband, son and I then moved to Washington where we lived until my Husband passed away on July 5th 2014. I am currently in Washington state, but I am looking for a place to live and I am not sure where I will end up.

Reading, crafting, animals, traveling, nature, kindness, hope, faith, positive outlook, peace, sound of water, thunderstorms, lightning! Open mindedness, science, knowledge, learning, history, games, what-ifs, sci-fi/fantasy, pictures/images, plants/botany, gardening, friends, family, children, babies, squirrels, humor, puns, laughter, Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Old Musicals, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Classic clothes, antiques, 2nd amendment, NRA, AMAC - I guess in short almost anything positive or good.

negativity, anger, name calling, closed mindedness, not forgiving, faithlessness, lack of hope, abuse to people or animals, hatred, bigotry of any kind, not sharing when you can, pushing or forcing anyone to do what you want and not letting them decide for them selves, Parents not 'raising' their children - but letting them do whatever they want or trying to be their friends more than be their parents, anti-american behavior, anti-2nd amendment, AARP (Anti American Retired People), free things that aren't realy free!

Knitting, Crochet, Reading, Writing, designing indoor 'planters' with a variety of compatible plants (this includes hanging plants and terrariums), raising and training animals (mainly cats and horses, but I have raised dogs too), Drawing, Walking, Traveling, Looking for beautiful photos on the internet, Sharing ideas, Singing in the shower, Walking in the rain, Geology, Garage and Estate Sales, Jewelry Making, Beading, Cooking, Watching TV with friends, Grandchildren, playing with kids, Swings, Designing my ideal house and grounds, dreaming about being/planning to be self sufficient, Gardening (raised beds), Games, Jigsaw Puzzles, Nintedo 3DS (Pokemon, New Leaf, Professor Layton, etc), I had an iPad that was stolen (really want to replace it) and I loved it and the applications on it, Facebook and the games and interactions on it, Learning new things (I want to learn to sew - clothes, quilts, etc; I would also like to learn to design my own clothes, and I want to learn to paint -all types - oil, water, pastels, anything!), Teaching what I know to kids - they are so eager and open to learn to learn, collecting old books. Leather crafting, collecting patterns for the crafts I am interested in, watching the people I love doing the things they love.