WeeCare Daycare took a day trip Oct. 20 to Spring Hill Pumpkin Patch at Bendavis. Director Teri Mitchell reported the children enjoyed the fall weather and had a wonderful time. They especially enjoyed the slide, train and playing in the hay fort and the corn bins.
Dottie Perryman of Raymondville enjoyed the day on Oct. 8 with friends from the area square dancing and waltzing at Alley Springs.
Krista Scott of Houston traveled Oct. 14 with the Crowley Ridge College Women’s Volleyball team, the Lady Pioneers, for a stretch of road games. The team competed in six matches in five days and qualified for the NCAA volleyball regional tournament with a victory against Morthland College on October 18 in Benton, Ill. They are headed to Colorado Nov. 15 – 17 to play in the regionals.
JOKE OF THE WEEK
Question: What do goblins and ghosts drink when they’re hot and thirsty on Halloween?
Answer: Ghoul-aid!!!
HELPFUL HINT OF THE WEEK
As the weather gets colder many critters are looking for a warm place to spend the winter. Try this trick as a more natural deterrent for mice than using a poison. Mice cannot stand the smell of peppermint. Try crushing peppermint Altoids and sprinkling the powder around areas where you’ve seen mouse droppings. You can also ill a spray bottle with 2 tablespoons of the crushed Altoids, 2 cups of hot water and 1 tablespoon of dish soap. Spray the solution around doorways, baseboards, and other areas where mice are suspected to be present.
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Pumpkin Cream
Cheese Swirl Muffins
Yield: 18 muffins Ingredients:
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (15 oz.) can of pumpkin (pure pumpkin puree)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Place paper baking cups into muffin pan. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk lour, pumpkin spice, baking soda and salt until well combined. Set aside.
In large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, sugar and brown sugar. Beat in eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Slowly whisk in the lour mixture, until there are no lumps. Fill muffin tins 3/4 full.
In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add in sugar, egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat until well combined.
Top each muffin with about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese mixture and use a toothpick to swirl it into the batter. This will not look smooth, but it will bake up much prettier. Bake muffins for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
To submit “comings and goings” to this feature, call Wendy Phipps at 417-967-4200 or email wphipps@houstonherald.com.