The Porch Swing @ Shady Creek Hollow

Easy Greek Dinner

Our Christmas Greek dinner was a whole lot of fun. There were Greek songs, dancing with handkerchiefs, and Greek names for everyone. We dined by candlelight and decided that we should do these kind of 'theme' meals more often.

Everyone had a different favorite part of the evening. As well as a favorite part of the meal. The Greek Bruchetta was easy to make and very delicious. It all disappeared before dinner as we played cards in the afternoon. Jon loved the aroma of the intensely strong after dinner coffee. The Shrimp Sagnaki got loads of good reviews as did the rustic bread and baklava. The cous-cous was fun and made a nice mild base for the rest of the spicy foods. My Mom loved the cinnamon chicken shish-ka-bob. As always the Greek salad was a big big hit. There weren't many leftovers of anything as we ate seconds and thirds!!!

I will post the shrimp recipe soon and the baklava recipe is already here under 'Recipes'. It is truly a delicious short cut version of the real thing.

As we were sharing about our favorite parts of the meal that night, I told everyone that my favorite was how beautiful the whole family looked in the lovely flickering candlelight. The night will be a 'forever' memory for me. Hope you're making some 'forever' memories of your own this season. If you want to recreate this easy Greek meal, comment to that effect and I'll do a BIG post with all the recipes, names, music, etc. 

Christmas Cookies

                                                   
  

Whew! It has been a busy few days. Jon came home for a couple of days. He's preparing to move to another town where he will be doing his student teaching. We enjoyed his company very much. He and I made a huge batch of Christmas cookies for the upcoming holiday [recipe here under Recipes]. I'll try to post a photo of the cookies if I can.

Then today we hosted a lunch for my mother and her gentleman friend, Mr. Paul. Mr. Paul is one of my favorite folks. He was coming up this way to visit one of his daughters so he brought a few family furniture items that Mom was giving me in his little trailer.

We had DeLoach slumgullion, fried cornbread, and homemade apple pie for lunch. He just got on his way and so Mom and I are getting ready to start working on the food for the Greek meal Sunday. I've got to get it all planned out so that we can get it done. Tomorrow I'll be baking baklava, and a Greek Christmas cookie. I'll also be starting the marinade for the shish ka bobs.

I got some really great news yesterday. One of the articles I sent to Country Woman Magazine will be published in the spring! I was very happy and thrilled that they liked my article! I can't wait to see it in print. The editor was very nice and she said they may even get the staff artist to illustrate my story. I think that is so cool!

More tomorrow.     

Easy Greek Christmas Dinner

I am in the planning stages of a family meal for this Sunday evening. It will be the only time our entire immediate family gets together for Christmas. Last week we decided we wanted to do a theme dinner. We like doing these kinds of crazy things. If you read here often you may remember the Bible Times meal we had around Easter. For Christmas we have settled on having a Greek meal.

I've been hard at work doing the research such a meal requires. It's always fascinating to me to take a peek into other cultures and this time is no different. I've been learning Greek dinner etiquette as well as Grecian Christmas customs. Our menu will include:

• Appetizer: assorted olives & Greek Bruchetta with ouzo [extremely watered down!!!]
   
• Main Course: Greek Chicken Shish-ka-bob over cous-cous, Prawn Saganaki [this is a baked shrimp type of dish], Greek Salad with Gyro Meat, Homemade Pita Bread
• Dessert: Baklava & Greek Christmas Cookies [Kourampiedes] with strong Greek demitasse coffee

                                                   

I have gotten Greek music to play during the meal and have learned a Grecian toast. Each family member will have a 'new' name for the meal- Grecian of course. If the recipes are successful, I will post them along with photos.

Easiest Hot Buttered Rum

OK, disclaimer alert, this is a slightly alcoholic drink. But is sure tastes great on a cold wintry night. Of course you can leave out the rum and have a nice warm drink that is suitable for children as well. You mix up a big batch of the base then put it in the freezer. One batch lasts all winter at our house. 

Ingredients:

• 1 qt vanilla ice cream softened
• 2 cups real butter [I use the big generic block from Kroger]
• 4 cups white sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 tbsp powdered mulling spices [you can buy extra after Christmas for next year at bargain prices- I use Aspen brand, or just make up your own with the spices you have on hand]

OK, in a microwave bowl melt butter and stir in last 4 ingredients. Then stir this all into the softened ice cream. Pack in freezer pints and put in freezer. When you need a hot drink put 3 tbs rum/brandy in a mug. Top with 3 tbsp drink base. Then add one cup boiling water. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon or nutmeg. That's it!!! This is especially pretty with a cinnamon stick or candy cane stirrer.

Bozeman in Winter

Hutch and I have been enjoying frosty Bozeman Montana this week. He's working here and I came along making it our 33rd anniversary trip.

I've posted a couple of times and told you about all the things I've been doing during the days. So far I've spent an afternoon learning to spin wool into yarn.  I spent an afternoon shopping the trendy shops and boutiques of downtown Bozeman. I admit I didn't buy a lot, but I had a whale of a time browsing.

Yesterday I spent the afternoon at the Museum of the Rockies. OK, I've never been a dinosaur type....but I must say this particular museum was well worth the small admission price. I got educated about dinosaurs, pioneer life in Montana, Native Americans, &  WW11. The museum store is one of the best I've ever visited....prices were low which is quite unusual for a shop attached to a museum.

We drove over to Livingston one day to sight see. And last night we tried to go to one of our favorite spots in Bozeman...'The Gourmet Gas Station' only to find that it has closed. Tonight we go to a performance of 'A Christmas Story' at The Ellen [a historic local theater].

Oh, and Montana is having what some folks are calling 'once in a century' weather. Yep its super cold and snowy. Every time we get out to drive I remark that the scenery looks like a Christmas card. So beautiful.

Watching the Moon Rise

 
I spent a great morning watching the lovely full moon rise over Bozeman. I can't believe how much clearer and bigger the moon looks like here. Right now the temperature is -5 out there. Brrr....for a Georgia girl that's just a little too nippy. I spent the day yesterday at The Yarn Shop learning how to spin wool into yarn. It was so much fun. Barb, the lady who owns the store, is a former public school teacher and she was very patient at helping me learn to spin wool. I had a marvelous time and then I spent the rest of the day shopping in all the boutiques in downtown Bozeman. I got a pair of Indian made turquoise earrings and some mulling spices for apple cider. That was when the temps were a balmy 28 degrees.

The cold here is different from Georgia. It doesn't feel cold, which makes no sense. Anyhoo, I think I'll stay in the hotel and read and look out the window at the beautiful mountains today. Tonight we are going to the Gourmet Gas Station for dinner. Friday night we're going to a local theater, The Ellen, to see the play, A Christmas Story. Should be hilarious. Saturday we're touring a local brewery, and attending the local Christmas Stroll.

Ironically it is going to snow at home while we're gone....go figure. Anyhoo, hope your day is great.    

I'm watching the snow come down here in Bozeman. It is a winter wonderland....especially to a Southerner like myself. I'm going downtown this afternoon for a lesson on spinning wool into yarn. More when I get back.

A Frugal Meaningful Thanksgiving

I've been working the last few days on the Thanksgiving menu. I wanted it to be reflective of our Southern heritage and also be frugal. I settled on this menu:

• Ham
• Turkey
• Cornbread Dressing & Gravy & Cranberry Sauce
• Fruit Salad- got a great recipe from 'The Southern Plate' for this
• Green Beans- for me & my sweet SIL
• Turnip Greens- for everybody else
• Mashed Potatoes
• Black Eyed Peas
• Rolls

• 2 Pecan Pies
• Chocolate Cream Pie

I pretty much have already bought everything I need for this meal. It will be made from scratch so that makes for a very frugal feast. I bought the ham and turkey on sale a couple of months ago and they were very cheap. The turkey was under 40 cents a pound and the spiral sliced ham was about a dollar a pound.  Everything else is canned or dried [black eyes] except the turnips. My big splurge was the five dollar bag of pecans that I got to make the pies. If I'd been at home in Albany, I would have just picked them up from the under the pecan trees in my mother's back yard. I could have made a more frugal dessert, but pecan pies are special family favorites.  

We will be eating the formal meal Wednesday night. It will be a dress up, candle light, good china etc dinner. Then the kids and Mom will be here overnight so the next day [Thanksgiving] we can eat leftovers and watch the parade, football games, and play Texas Hold'em all day. We use dried beans for 'chips'. I might get some kind of small prize for the overall winner. If I'm very blessed, I'll get the crew to take an afternoon walk with me down to the horse stables about 1/2 mile away. It is a very pretty walk and I like to see the horses. We might even light the big fire pit in the backyard- it's a great place to sit around and talk with a glass of wine in your hand.

The  morning of Thanksgiving I'm making a huge brunch type meal. Leftover ham, eggs, grits, cinnamon rolls, biscuits, & hash-brown casserole. After that big meal the kin folks will be on their own to pick on leftovers the rest of the day.  

I've made place-cards for the night meal- not with names, we aren't that formal. But with Bible verses about thankfulness. We will be taking a family portrait with our camera, tripod, and remote that night. We'll take a serious traditional shot and them some funny ones, especially one in which everybody holds something from their hobby or passion [drumsticks for Jon, a book for me, a winning hand of cards for my mother...you see where I'm going with this]. And we'll also be writing Aunt Myrt [my 99yr. great aunt] a bunch of Christmas cards. I will buy a box at the Dollar Tree, set them out in a basket, and ask everyone to write something personal to her on the card of their choice. I will send them, along with copies of the family photos, in a big envelope to her around Christmas. She LOVES Christmas Cards!!!! As always, we will each tell one thing we are very thankful for from the preceding year at the Thanksgiving table before we say grace and start eating. 

My centerpiece for the Thanksgiving table is my Grandma Walton's sweet sage green biscuit bowl [she made her divine biscuits out of this crockery bowl] filled with little white pumpkins [these are fake but look real, I've had them for several years] and pomegranates with a few roses poked in the spaces between.  I have two tall heavy glass goblets with maroon squatty candles [again Dollar Tree] in them. They will sit on either side of the biscuit bowl. And I have my turkey salt and pepper shakers I scored in the Summer from GoodWill. Pomegranates are Allie's favorite fruit so she will eat these before she goes home, I'm sure.

My table linen is vintage- handed down from my Grandma Wingate. I always like to use her linens for the holidays as it brings her close. They are far from perfect but I especially love a European lace overlay that has been used at weddings in our family for about 50 years. And I love using her silverplate too, my Mom and I will be polishing it up this coming week. My Grandma Wingate was a great hostess and she pursued Thanksgiving with a passion- sometimes hosting a dinner for 50 or more. I'll never do that, but I do love this particular holiday.   

Hope your own Thanksgiving is meaningful and frugal!

Kid Easy Microwave Caramel Apple dip

This is a super easy fruit dip that is great for this time of the year. It's a dump and microwave type of recipe. Anybody can do it. It would make a really nice accompaniment to your Thanksgiving Day and your kids can do it with minimal supervision. It has a unique spicy flavor that is perfect for a crisp Fall day. 

Ingredients:

• 1 12 oz bag butterscotch morsels
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1 tbs white vinegar

Dump all ingredients into a microwavable bowl and micro in minute increments stirring between. Once its smooth, its ready for apple or pear slices. To keep the fruit from discoloring after you slice it soak it in water plus 2 tbsp lemon juice or 1 tbsp Fruit Fresh. Drain and lay fruit on serving platter. Place bowl of dip in center. Enjoy!!!

5 Easy Cheap Stocking Stuffers

If you're a mom, chances are pretty good you're already wondering how you're going to fill your child's stocking this year without investing your life savings to do it. Times are tough but your baby should still get the joy of looking into a bulging stocking on Christmas morning. I know this because our grown kids and our son in law have told me that the stocking was their best memory of Christmas morning. Josh [our dear SIL] said that his mom has sent his stocking to Iraq and several other places he was stationed while in the military. It always meant Christmas to him wherever he was.

So, saying that, I'd like to tell you five tried and true methods for stuffing a stocking cheaply. These five items may not take up all the space in a really big stocking- but they'll surely get you most of the way there. Oh and BTW if you don't have a fancy stocking for your little ones, you could always buy a package of tube  socks and use them. Gray work socks with red heels and toes are really cute hanging from the mantle, bedpost, or kitchen chair as well. That way your kids or hubby get a stocking and a practical gift at the same time. Or if you don't have the funds to buy new socks, just put out an old clean one- that's what we did back in the day. Nobody I know has grown up to be a serial killer because they were deprived have an expensive monogrammed store bought stocking.

OK, now for the 5 items:

• 1. First put a big fresh orange in the toe of your stocking. It smells great and you'd be surprised how kids love to peel and eat an orange in sections on Christmas day. They labor over the peeling like they are digging for a treasure. They strip off the white stringy pith like it's a poisonous substance. Basically. its an edible toy. Who knew?   
• 2. Next put in a Christmas Pez dispenser, candies  included, from the Dollar store. This seems like a splurge but it's not. It's an investment. At the end of Christmas day the candies are gone and you confiscate the dispenser. Pack it up with the Christmas decorations. Then every year you put it back in the stocking with new candies. It becomes a tradition. We've been doing this for years and everybody adores finding their old Pez dispense- it's like seeing an old friend just once a year. 
• 3. Add a box of animal crackers. That's not very special you moan, but yeah it is. Girls play like the box is a purse all day. Boys love biting the heads and body parts off of the little cookies. And at some point during the day both sexes turn animal crackers into edible puppets.
• 4. Add a couple of homemade popcorn balls wrapped in cellophane. These take up space, are tasty, and you can use the extras as 'bread and butter' gifts. Easy recipe here: Popcorn balls  The trick is to make these up one night when the kids are asleep & hide them so that they are a surprise. If you aren't into making popcorn balls substitute that old standby- a box of Cracker Jacks.
• 5. One of your child's favorite large sized candy bars or theater candy boxes. Yep, just one. Nothing spoils Christmas morning more than a sugared up hyper charged kiddo who's already in sensory overload. These are readily available at most Dollar Tree Stores. At our house these would be a box of Hot Tamales, Lemon Heads, or Nerds.

These 5 items are our standbys and will take up the bulk of any given stocking, but you'll need to fill the 'gaps' in your stocking as well. I recommend any one of these Dollar store items divided among how ever many stockings you need to fill:

1 bag of tootsie roll pops, 1 bag of Pixie Sticks [a few of these look especially festive sticking from the top of the stocking], a bag of Blow Pops, a bag of small candy canes, or a bag of old fashioned Bubble Gum

If you're filling a stocking for a preteen, teenager, or adult I'd consider hygiene items [every year my 26 yr old son anticipates the Dollar Store nail clipper set in his stocking- he likes it because he's always misplacing his clippers, Allie favors the nail polish or hand creams. Hutch is a chapstick fanatic], small blank journals, pens, crossword/word find puzzle books, etc from the Dollar Store in lieu of the animal crackers. Also for this same crowd a personal letter from you telling why the giftee is lovable, capable, and listing their best qualities is great. This letter presented in the stocking, rolled up and tied with a ribbon, is a very nice touch.

I hope these 5 cheapie ideas are helpful to you and that they inspire you to brainstorm ways to make your holiday more festive and inexpensive.    

         

Setting Some New Routines at The Porch Swing

I'm setting up some new routines around here. I'm trying to get more organized. And I'd love your input into which of the topics below you would find most appealing. Please help me by picking your favorite topics. They are:

• Easy Peasy Recipes- Good Cheap Food Mostly Made From Scratch
• Decorating on a Dollar- Turning Your Home into a Serene Oasis for Pennies
• And They Will Not Depart From It- Building Your Child's Character & Education
• Help-meet 101- Simple Practical Marriage Enrichment for Wives
• Luxurious Simplicity & Frugality- Living the Good Life in a Bad Economy
• Humble Hospitality- How to Open Your Home Without Closing Your Bank Account 
• Simple Church- Understanding House Churches
• Handwork- Practical Crafts for You & Your Family
• All Good Gifts- Unique Low Cost Gift Ideas & Instructions 

And here's another question. Would anybody be interested in a forum here at The Porch Swing, or maybe an on-line Bible study? Please send me your comments. I'm looking forward to hearing what you think. Love Never Fails, Patty

 

Frugal Shopping for the Month

I've had a very busy and productive day today. Yesterday afternoon I got a bee in my bonnet about getting more organized with the meals here at Shady Creek. The impetus for this line of thinking was that we ate out three times last week!! Yep, 3 times. We haven't eaten out that many times in a week since I retired from teaching. It was an extremely busy week, but that is no excuse. I figure if I'd been more organized we could have saved a ton of money, eaten at home, and eaten healthier meals to boot. Sooooo....

I used all of Sunday afternoon to make 'The Plan'. OK here's the plan in a nutshell- make every meal at home and buy the bulk of the groceries in one big shop day. That was today. I will still need to get a limited amount of produce [Hutch is a rabid salad eater] and probably a gallon of lowfat milk weekly. I use dry milk to cook and bake with but Hutch is also a rabid fresh dairy fan. With the amount of miles he runs each week and the time he spends in the gym, he needs the calcium and protein. Fresh milk serves him well. So other than those few items, I'm done with shopping for four weeks.

My grand total was 255 dollars and change. That comes out to about 1.40 for a meal. I'm pretty happy with that since we have been spending waaaaay more than that lately. Here's my disclaimer: I go to the price plus 10% grocery store. It has no bells or whistles. It has no fresh seafood department, deli, or bakery. It is much like a very old timey Mom & Pop grocery store from the 50's. I've been shopping there for 15 years. I very rarely go anywhere else [except, I confess in the last two months I have succumbed to the seductive allure of Walmart *sigh*]. But I'm back on the wagon. Even Sam's Club can't beat the prices at Food Depot.       

Here's what my plan looks like in terms of meals:
Breakfasts are a variety combo of oatmeal, cereal [generic Cherrios], French Toast, biscuit, eggs, bacon, fruit, sausage, & grits- Of course not all of this at once, but I bet you figured that out already, huh?

Lunches are: soups, hot dog salads [recipe here], grilled cheese sandwiches, leftovers

Afternoon snacks: sardines in mustard sauce [OK- this sounds disgusting to me but my DH adores it], vienna sausages [read message about sardines- ditto the sausages], either a piece of fruit, or a handful of almonds  

Dinners are: salsa baked tilapia, slumgullion [here at recipe button], spaghetti, burrito bowl, hamburgers, mac & cheese with veggies, chicken stir-fry on rice, chips & salsa, crockpot chicken and cornbread dressing w turnips, corn & zipper peas, Tacos, & homemade pizza. 

I've incorporated a couple of desserts a week. One is on Friday nights- homemade M&M McFlurries for me & strawberry milkshakes for Hutch. The other is Sunday lunch which is our church fellowship meal. For this meal the dessert will be a pie of some sort. Either Lemon, Cherry, Chocolate, or Apple.

We're aiming for 5 fruits or veggies a day and limited red meat, sugar, & fat. I use seasoned ground turkey in many of the ethnic dishes. It's cheaper and much better for you. I pretty much add beans to everything. It stretches the amount of meat you have to use in a recipe and it's an internal body scrubber. I use whole grains as much as possible [brown rice, ww pasta]. We use low fat cheeses for the most part [Cabot lowfat sharp cheddar & lowfat mozzerella].  Our one really bad meal is the Friday night splurge- hamburgers, french fries, baked beans, and dessert.

The 255 dollars I spent today included all clothes detergent, bathroom, & kitchen cleaners. As well as paper products. Disclaimer here as well- I make a lot of these cleaners [recipes here under Frugal Tips], but you still have to buy the basic ingredients. I also use paper towels very sparingly. Usually only to drain fried foods- of which we eat very few. Instead I use my trusty supply of dish rags for general kitchen use and wash them often.  

I also buy items to stock our emergency pantry. We fill plastic bins with things that could be grabbed and tossed into the trunk of the car rapidly in case there's ever an evacuation type emergency. I just buy one or two things at the time, but it sure adds up! And I did buy my monthly Glade candle. Some things are just worth the extra pennies. A fragrant candle by my writing desk is one of these things.

And yes, I'm one of those folks who already have their Thanksgiving turkey and ham in the freezer. I don't do 'last minute' LOL. I'm just not wired that way, I guess.

So there you have it....my baby steps start to being more organized about meals. My research shows me that the typical two person household in the US spends about 338 dollars a month on groceries [this does not include cleaning or paper products etc]. As I wrote earlier, we've been spending much more than that, especially when you factor in our 'eat out' nights. Hopefully this new plan will be more in line with the average and maybe I can tweak it to get it even lower without sacrificing tasty favorites. I'll let you know.       

Easy Cheap Christmas Presents

OK, what gets me started on this particular topic is a documentary I saw last night on Johnnie Mercer. He was born and raised in Savannah [where I used to live and would dearly love to live again]. The documentary ended with a long shot of his grave in the family plot at Bonaventure Cemetery. If you're familiar with Savannah you know this place very well. It's a very old graveyard outside Savannah on the banks of the  Bull River.

In the long shot of Johnnie's grave there's a clear view of his mother's grave....OK I know this is sort of a convoluted explanation. But- I have a lovely rubbing of the top of her grave on my bedroom wall. It is a fantastically ornate Celtic cross that Johnny and his sister had commisioned as the art for the top of the grave slab. 

Allie [my daughter] and I had already made several framed pieces of cheap art from the words on tombs at Bonaventure. We used copy paper and a black crayon for the rubbings then she framed several in Dollar Store Black frames for a collection that set above her TV in her apartment.  

I loved Mrs Mercer's huge celtic cross [it is over 5 feet tall]. But the day Allie and I were at Bonaventure we only had standard copy paper. Allie is very smart, so several weeks later she went back to Bonaventure with a roll of Dollar Store wrapping paper. It was printed on one side but white on the backside. With Josh's help [he was her fiancee at the time, now her dear husband] they made me an incredible rubbing of the whole cross.

It sat around rolled up for a year, until my own dear husband had it framed for me as a Christmas gift. When we remade our bedroom over as a Medieval retreat, the huge celtic cross was a perfect fit. It sits at the peak of the very high ceiling and gives the impression of a black and white stained glass window.

Now I know you're saying, "Getting something that big custom framed is not frugal or cheap." No you'd be right it isn't, but our original idea for rubbings of words or dates and framing them in Black Dollar Store frames is extremely cheap. I have one such piece of art that is just a date- 1797. It is both graphic and old at the same time. It is framed in a small acryillic frame [Dollar Store]. It seems to float in space and and I love it!!! Allie's favorite piece was the word 'Beloved' that we found on an out of the way grave stone at Bonaventure.

If the words or dates are quite small you can mat them in black or mount them on black and white toile wrapping paper before framing to lend the art a very custom look.

So you see you could make a whole raft of unique and lovely artististic gifts by just finding a suitable old graveyard and arming yourself with copy paper and a black crayon. Hope you'll give this cheap and easy way to create one of a kind art a try.

I'll try to take a photo of my Celtic Cross and post it so you can see how it looks.     

Frugal Tasty Tortellini Soup

Well we finally finished the tortellini soup I made on Sunday night at lunch today. Pretty good lunches for Hutch and I off of leftovers we had in the frig and freezer. If you've never had homemade tortellini soup now is the season to do so. It is super cheap and very filling.

I will walk you through this very simple process. I started  with a roasted chicken carcass, three chicken bouillon cubes, and a huge pot full of water. If you're squeamish about using the whole carcass, just pick all the meat off and put it in the pot. But I think the bones make the soup taste lots richer and you fish them out so they're generally not a problem. Let this bubble away for thirty minutes or so. Then add 2 cloves of garlic chopped, a handful of frozen stir-fry veggies [that's what I had in the freezer], a diced onion, a diced bell pepper, and a handful or two of dry three cheese tortellini [I got mine at Walmart]. Season with a tsp of salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 tsp of Italian seasoning herbs. Let it simmer away all day. At some point get the bones out if you used the whole carcass. That's it. OK here's what I did to make it last three days. After lunch the first day I let it cool and popped it in the frig. The next morning when I got up, I put it back on the stove with the eye set to the lowest setting. It was hot again by lunch.

You really can't mess this soup up. As long as you add the garlic and onion you could put just about any leftover veggie in it. I've made it with leftover beans, corn, and greens before and it is still yummy.If you like tomatoes just add a can of them diced.  Hope you'll give it a try. It sure will stretch a tight  food budget!!!    

Aunt Myrt's 99th

Yesterday was my Aunt Myrt's 99th birthday. My mom catered it with a huge lovely cake and special family recipe punch. You may have heard me mention Aunt Myrt around here before. She just moved into a retirement home a few months ago. If she hadn't fallen and cracked her collarbone checking on her neighbors a few months back, I'm sure she'd still be living on her on and doing all the things she loves- cooking, driving, etc. She just gave up her car about 6 months ago! She is a pistol for sure.

Her party was well attended by about 75 folks. 20 were her fellow roomies at the the retirement home. The rest were family and church friends. She is the oldest member of Sherwood Baptist Church- that's the church that made the movies 'Facing the Giants' & 'Fireproof'. She has loads of younger buddies there who visit her regularly.

She had a marvelous time visiting with one and all. She requested that Hutch, Allie, & I provide the music for the party. Hutch played the piano and Allie and I sang her favorite hymns. She especially loves 'In the Garden' which she reminds me I am to sing at her funeral every time we see her LOL.

She is a very happy person who loves to ask outrageous questions to get a rise out of anyone she meets. An example is that when one of the gentlemen who lives in her facility came out of his suite without his trousers [he has Alzheimer's] she just laughed and told the nurses she was fine. She did mention she hadn't seen 'that' since her husband died 25 years ago. She does love to flirt with attractive men and make them laugh- which she does quite easily. When she was redrawing her will a tear ago she told her young lawyer that she was positive, based on his recitation of his family tree, that they were 'kissing cousins'.  And she absolutely loves presents. Her mind is as sharp as the sight on a hunting rifle and she is our family prayer warrior. We all love her dearly and hope she enjoys at least another 99 years.

I had already sent her a big box of 7 wrapped presents with funny cards so that she and her across the hall buddy could open one each day for the week before her actual birthday. But Allie and I also got her a really lovely soft velour jogging suit in a bright sapphire blue. She was so pleased with that and all her other gifts- and there were loads of them. Everything from several checks for 99 dollars to things for her suite, candy, balloons, clothing and personal care items.

This is the we took a photo with Aunt Myrt & 5 generations of our family in the library at Pine Shadows [that's the personal care home where she lives].      

Cheap Yet Impressive Dessert- Black Forest Trifle

This is the dessert I made for this past weekend and for all the company we had. It was huge and lasted all weekend and got rave reviews. It was very inexpensive to make and is visually very appealing. Hutch even took a photo of it and posted it on his Facebook page! You will need:

2 small boxes of chocolate fudge instant pudding made with 3 1/2 cups milk
1 Devil's Food cake mix made in a 9 by 13 pan -just follow directions on back of box
1 large Cool Whip
1 can cherry pie filling
1 small bag of M&M's
2 tbs of rum or brandy [I used a peach brandy I made a few years ago]
2 tbsp of vanilla extract

OK, cut the cake into small cubes, let cool completely. Add the rum to the pudding and stir. Add the vanilla to the Cool Whip and stir. Now get out your trifle bowl. Put in a layer of cake, then pie filling, then chocolate pudding, then Cool Whip. Repeat. Let this sit overnight in the frig. This dessert will feed a whole lot of folks- at least 16 servings, more if the servings are not huge. Right before you serve it sprinkle the small bag of M&M's on top.

It was a 'go to' dessert for me because I had most of the ingredients stockpiled. I'd bought cake mixes on sale at .80 per, I had generic Cool Whip in the freezer, and I'd stashed the pudding mix a while back in the stockpile as well. As always most of these items are generic store brands. I did have to buy the pie filling. But if you're really strapped for cash you can use a jar of jam in it's place.

Next time you need a show stopper dessert I hope you try this super simple one.  

Apple Gingerbread in the Oven

I've got a skillet of apple gingerbread in the oven and the whole house smells like Fall. All in all this has been a pretty busy day for me. I got all the laundry and errands done yesterday. So today I worked through the frig getting things that were about to turn the corner made up into food items for the week. So far I've converted an elderly cabbage into a yummy cole slaw, took 4 past their prime apples and made the aforementioned gingerbread, and cut up a bunch of zucchini- onions- & garlic to make a stir fry base. I've got brown rice bubbling away in a pot to go with the stir fry. And last but not least I've got a trail dinner in the oven for Hutch. 

The weather is nice and cool around here. So after the basic clean of the house this morning, I had to decide whether to be outdoors or indoors. There was just too much that needed to be done in the house so reluctantly I stayed inside. I'm still working my way down my list.

We got Ernie the dog back from our son last night. He's settling in nicely. I still need to run three miles this afternoon. *Sigh* best get back to the chores.      

Back Home

We're back home after a busy productive weekend helping at a church retreat. It's kind of ironic that we would be asked to help on this type retreat [it is sponsored by several big main line denominations] as we are avid and dedicated house church proponents....but these folks were in a bind for a guitarist and they made a place for me to help in the background so Hutch and I got to go together.

As always with these type retreats, I returned home very tired, but glad I went.

There were loads of things waiting for me to do at home. Cleaning is very high on the list as is laundry. So that's kind of what I'm focused on today. My e-mail is acting funny so I'll need to check that out and get it back up to speed as well.

I need to get to the post office today or tomorrow and mail Aunt Myrt's birthday box. I pulled together 7 little gifts with cards so that I could send the box early and she could open one a day the week before her big day. She is rightfully very excited about celebrating her 99th birthday Oct 31st.

It is really cold here, for the South. We broke low records for some parts of the state this moring. And when we got home last night we had to turn on the heat for the first time this year.

Well, I'll try to get back here to blog later in the day. I need to get back to being a good steward on the homefront.  

It must be Fall, I'm Boiling Peanuts

As you can tell, I'm working hard to update the look of The Porch Swing at Shady Creek Hollow. My sweet computer genius husband worked with me yesterday to change some things. More changes are on the way. I hope you like what we've done so far.

Today was my volunteer day at the library. I love to  go shelve books at our local library. It is quite relaxing and while I'm shelving I always manage to find something I want to check out and bring home with me. I usually get some DVDs to run to as well. My treadmill is set up in what was formerly my office down in the basement. We inherited a little tiny TV with built in DVD player that Hutch mounted on some shelves for me. Five days a week I go down there, pop in an educational DVD, and run three miles.  

I had back problems a few years back. I used that as an excuse to not run anymore. But then last year I had my heart scare [false positives on all tests requiring an angioplasty grrrr] and I felt inspired  
to get back on the old treadmill. I'm so glad I did. My back problems are gone as well as a good deal of stress. It took me a while to work back up to 3 miles. I'm so happy I finally did. 

Anyhoo, after the library I went by the grocery store. I needed to get my medication [statins because of family history]. It usually only takes a few minutes to get my pills but today they were really backed up. There was a 2 hour wait!!! Two hours. So of course, I did a little shopping.

I ended up with a whole lot of stuff I wouldn't have gotten if I'd been on a shorter kind of time line. All of it is good and food, but still....I did get quite a few pounds of raw peanuts. They are merrily boiling away as I write. 

Hutch loves real boiled peanuts [recipe here]. His Grandpa called them 'pinders'. They are a pretty yummy snack. 

One of the things left on my 'to do' list today is to take apart an old hymnal and glue the songs I want to practice to card stock so that I can see the music better. It's an old church pianist trick. I've decided to work on Christmas music from the hymn book. I'll be practicing just a little every day. Hopefully I'll be able to play most of them by Christmas. 

We rearranged the furniture in the living room last week. It was fun to do and it's been fun to have a 'new' living room. Everything looks completely different. But it's still very minimal and serene. I'll try to post photos of it.

Tomorrow I'll be working getting ready for Hutch and I to work a Christian retreat. I'm making a batch of pralines [recipe here] to take. I'll be doing a whole lot of ironing and packing. 

Well, that's what's going on at Shady Creek Hollow today. Hope your day is fun and pleasant too!   

       

Easy Dill Pickles

My husband has always wanted me to make dill pickles. About a million years ago a friend of ours mother used to give him a big jar of the saltiest dilliest pickles every summer. He loved them! Well, I've never really made dill pickles until last week.

I was reading over at the Duggars website a few days ago and I stumbled across their very easy way to put up dill pickles. They put theirs up in quart jars, but that was just too much for us. So I tweaked the recipe and made it up in pint jars. And I must say, it was very easy. OK, here goes:

My Version of the Duggars Pickles

12 pint jars with wide mouths
Enough cucumbers [8-12] cut into spears to pack the jars tight 
A peeled clove of garlic for each jar
a tsp of Dill Seed for each jar  

Get all the stuff above ready and [put together]. That will make your life a whole bunch easier. Next

In a big pot boil together
1/2 cup salt
2 1/2 cups white vinegar
4 cups water

When it gets to a rolling boil use a ladle to pour this brine over the jars one at a time. Put on lid and band. Set on the counter top and go to the next jar. And do the same thing. Wearing rubber gloves really helped me as the brine is extremely hot!!!!

These jars will seal themselves overnight on the counter. It helps to wash the jars with really hot water first.

This is such an easy recipe anybody can do it. Designing the labels should be fun. I'm thinking 'Patty's Pucker Pickles' .

Veggie Soup on the Cheap or Making a Soup Jug

Something about Fall makes me want to eat soup. Back when I was a kid soup and cornbread were a regular meal. My Mom still makes it at least once a week. A long long time ago when I was doing my student teaching a very kind Christian mentor of mine told me about making soup on the cheap. It really works- so I'll tell you her secret. Keep a soup jug in your freezer. Yep, that's it.

Cut the top off a gallon milk jug & keep it in your freezer. After dinner every night put your left over veggies, and suitable meat, gravy etc. in the jug. Put enough water on it to cover the food. When the jug is full take it out of the freezer and put it in the crock pot. Add a can of diced tomatoes, one chopped onion, and some garlic. Set it on low and let it cook all day. Season it to your liking right before supper.

This makes super easy, cheap soup that tastes delicious. Every time you make it, it will taste like a different soup, but they're all delicious.  I've got a big pot bubbling on the stove as I write. Yum!!

Hope you try this very frugal and tasty idea.      

Easiest Frugal Quilt

Have you ever wished that somebody would teach you how to quilt? Or have you ever wanted to quilt on the cheap? I have. I used to quilt with my Grandma around her big ole quilting frame. I got to have time with her and learn to hand quilt too. Nowadays, I'd rather machine quilt but I haven't had the means to buy a high tech machine that could do that easily and nicely. So yesterday when I was at the library and mentioned that to my friend Trish [who works there and was in one of our movies] she told me about making rag quilts.

Last Christmas Trish made one for each of her grandchildren using Christmas dollar a yard material from Walmart. She had a great time and now her grandkids have a holiday heirloom made by 'Granny'. 

Obviously I've been under a rock or something as these have been around for years, and I've not known about them. Anyhoo, now I'm hooked! I found an especially cute and informative site that details exactly how these little jewels are constructed. If you can sew a straight line, you can make these type quilts. A small throw rag quilt would be an excellent first project for anybody- child or adult. 

An added bonus is that this blog has instructions for more than just quilts. There are really cute belts, purses, tablecloths etc there. If you're a paper instruction kind of girl, Joanne Fabrics has the tear off one page kind of instruction sheet at their stores for the basic quilt.

I'm going to start small with rag pot holders that I'll make from fabric I already have. I'm thinking using old jeans would be cool too. Instead of batting you could use heavy scraps that you have or have cut from old clothing. The finished products wouldn't be puffy quilts but old fashioned heavy ones.

Heck, I might even make several of these type projects. They would make very neat little gifts....or if you made a quilt... a really nice big gift. Anyhoo go here: jubilee homespun   to check them all out.

Off to my sewing machine....      

Easiest Cheap Enchilada Sorta Healthy Casserole

Here is the recipe that I made for the kids when they came over for supper last week. It is cheap, fast to throw together, and relatively healthy. Best of all this recipe makes a lot of food!!!

I'm sure you could feed 8 easily on one batch. We ate a lot and Josh and Allie took the rest home to use for a weekend meals.

OK here are the easy steps to making this super good Mexican dish.

Ingredients:

1- 2 pounds ground beef [my casserole was closer to one pound meat] browned, drained, and rinsed- this gets rid of most of the fat.
1 can enchilada sauce -or one cup homemade
1 cup salsa- I used the leftover salsa I'd made the day before- recipe here at The Porch Swing
1 can whole kernel corn drained -I used generic
1/2 red pepper- less or more- up to you
1 block of cream cheese- I used .89 cent generic
2 cups cheese grated- I used Cabot low fat cheddar sharp- it's the only low fat cheese that tastes real to us, you can get it at Walmart
1 can black beans drained and mashed fine with a fork [my budget version re-fried beans LOL] I believe any leftover bean would do- you just need 1 cup mashed beans.
12 small soft corn tortillas- or 6 big flour ones- your choice. I used corn [I buy these in bulk in the Hispanic section of my grocery store. They don't need to refrigerated and last forever!!!] and everybody loved the taste of the corn tortillas.

In a skillet mix the first 6 ingredients until cream cheese melts and it becomes sort of smooth. In the mean time spray a big pan with Pam, and spread the mashed beans onto the tortillas, one at a time. Put 6 small tortillas with bean mixture or 3 large ones in bottom of pan. Top with half the meat mixture. Sprinkle with half the cheese and repeat. Bake at 350 degrees 20-30 minutes or until cheese on top is thoroughly melted and bubbly. I made this up before lunch and let it sit to marry the flavors until I popped it into the oven around 5 in the afternoon. You could probably make a crock pot version by making it in the morning and then setting the crock pot to warm. Hmmm....that sounds like an experiment.

  
  

Fall has Finally Gotten Here

Fall has finally gotten to North West Georgia. Yesterday was such a fun day for me. I got to do my typical Fall things for the first time this year. Typical Fall things??? You're probably wondering what those may be.
Well......

I've opened all the windows and have the kitchen door open so that all that lovely coolness can seep into the house. Instead of burning candles, I can let my nose feast on the unique Fall aromas that are drifting through that apple crisp air. There's a particular freshness to the air in Autumn, isn't there? it smells like God is starting over with the world. I love it!

Then of course I had to make myself a traditional Fall meal yesterday. For me that is cooking a big crock pot of pinto beans with a little minced polish sausage for seasoning. That cooked all day- yum. Then I made a big black skillet full of corn bread. Southern cornbread. No insult intended, but cornbread from other parts of the country always taste more like cake to me for some reason. Sorry, got stuck on a rabbit trail there for a minute.

And of course, I had my food dehydrator going full steam with my seasonal apple drying. I try to dry enough during the Fall for snacks the whole year. So that means for a couple of weeks I'll be drying apples every day. I sprinkle some with cinnamin [those are really good around Christmas, although I ate the whole first batch right out of the food dehydrator!!] and some I leave just plain.

Hutch feasted on muscadine grapes yesterday. If you've never had the real thing in muscadines, I encourage you to find them in the produce section of your grocery store. Muscadines have a very unique flavor and they make killer jelly and even wine. Hutch just eats them fresh. If you're trying to eat seasonally & locally, they would be a pretty cool way to do an appetizer if you're having friends over. Muscadines, a mild cheese, and some whole grain crackers or bread rounds sound extremely tasty.      

Today I'm going to get out my Fall clothes and go through them. I'm intent on getting rid of lots of 'stuff'. The more I downsize my closet the happier I seem to be. And I need to get out in the yard and tidy it a little. After the floods there are lots of strange objects sitting in my backyard. Also, the library called  a few days ago. I need to swing by there and pick up some books I've got on hold.

I may take the pooch on a long extended walk around the neighborhood this evening. It'd be nice and cool, that's for sure. Probably the stars wiIl be out as it's a pretty cloud free day out there right now. I may even take him down to the stables to see and pet the horses[it's a couple of blocks away]. Ernie [our dog] has a real powerful affinity for horses.

I need to sweep all the porches and tidy them as well. *Sigh* I need to quit writing and start doing so I'll try to check back here after a while.

More later today.        

    

Ragamuffin Music

Hutch and I visited the greatest music venue this past weekend. OK, we are musicians so we love music in all its various forms, but this place was very very special. It is Ragamuffin Music in Roswell, Ga.

The folks who run it are Christian but the venue itself is not marketed as Christian. It is marketed as a place where all ages are welcome. There is a tiny front part that comprises a counter where you can buy ice cream, coffee, and lattes etc. Then you go into a bigger room that is furnished with old sofas, chairs of all descriptions and a very small low stage. The decorating is a pleasing amalgamation of funk and shabby chic. It's just hard to describe....but it works.

Right now you're saying....hmmm...that just sounds like a low budget coffee shop. It's not! In fact you feel like you've been invited over to somebody's cozy home to just sit in the living room and hear some really good music. And the music that night was incredible. Two wonderful guitarists- Jeffrey Ables & Shaun Hopper performed. Shaun travels a lot so if you ever get a chance to go hear him in your hometown, take it!

We had a lovely time at Ragamuffin Music [I had my 1st ever latte LOL] and now here's the best part: It only costs 5 bucks a head. Yep, for 5 bucks each we got more than three hours of a once in a lifetime sort of concert.

We are going back as often as we can. It's bit of a hike from where we live, but we feel that it's surely worth it to experience that type of special evening. Go here if you're interested: Ragamuffin Music.  

 

Making a Mexican Feast

Yep, I'm back. We've had some pretty sporty times around here in the last week. There was the 500 yr flood [honestly- our county had 21 inches of rain in 24 hours]. We had 150 roads and bridges closed. We still can't drink the water....maybe it will be safe by Sunday. So many folks have been flooded out of their homes, than goodness we didn't! And of course there were the poor souls who lost their lives- my prayers have been with their families. It's amazing to see how everybody in town is pulling together to set things right. 

Amazingly enough my gardenia bushes must be confused as they are blooming for the second time this year. They bloomed in the Spring, and now they're blooming again. I'm not complaining...I've got vases of them in the house and they smell marvelous.

Around here at Shady Creek Hollow, I've been busy with things that keep me close to home. Lots of cleaning, baking, & some planning for sewing. But today I've got my mariachi CD in the kitchen player. I just finished making a Mexican feast for Josh and Allie. Mexican is Josh's favorite and we've not had it before with them. They are coming by to join us this afternoon and staying for a a big meal and maybe some Mexican Train dominoes.

As a family we're pretty much addicted to Mexican Train Dominoes. If you haven't ever played it, you ought to give it a try. You can buy the game [with instructions] at Walmart. It seems deceptively simple until you start using strategy....once you sit down to play it, you'll be there until bedtime!

For the meal we are having homemade salsa and guacamole with cheese nacho chips, a enchilada casserole, & apple pie. The casserole is full of good stuff- beans, corn, meat, cheese, tortillas, etc. Yum!!!

Tomorrow Hutch and I go to Christian retreat workday and then tomorrow night we are going to a guitar concert one of our friends' son is performing. He is extremely talented on the guitar and we can't wait to hear him. 

Sunday Jon is joining us for the day. I will be cooking up a storm and we will be talking about spiritual things most of the day.

So as you can tell, our weekend is shaping up to be pretty busy. I will try to post the super simple enchilada casserole later in the week.      

Flooding!!!

If you've been watching the news at all today, you know that my county [Douglas Co. Ga.] is under a huge risk for flash floods. We had one last night that swept away our bridge, landscaping, & bench across our little creek. It rained 18 inches and we're supposed to get between 3-5 more inches before tomorrow morning.

Our neighborhood's tennis courts are under about 3 inches of mud that was swept up from the larger creek that borders that part of the neighborhood recreation area.

Schools were closed here today as there are about 45 roads washed out. Several folks are missing [I've heard up to 6] and I know that one poor man died when his car was swept off a bridge. Police scanners say his car was found under the bridge.

We feel really blessed that no water is in our home or basement. Some of our neighbors have been flooded in their basements and garages. Up to about 2.5 feet. One of our next door neighbor's roof is leaking badly. She says they have buckets in several places trying to limit the damage. 

Our power was off most of the night and until about noon today. And we have been warned not to drink the water from faucets without boiling it first. Water mains have broken all over the county.

Right now I am so thankful for our warm dry home. And I am so glad that God prompted me to pray for my county and neighborhood, and especially for all the emergency personnel involved in heroic rescues all over the county last night and today.

I'll try to post photos as I get a chance. The power continues to flicker ominously on and off from time to time. More later.         

Easy 'Real' Southern Pralines

OK, this is my praline recipe. I can verify that it is reaaaaly an old old recipe. And if you have a candy thermometer it is virtually foolproof...honestly.

Ingredients:

3 c sugar
1 c buttermilk
3 Tbs corn syrup [ I use dark]
1 t baking soda
1/8 t salt
2 c chopped pecans
2 Tbs butter
2 t vanilla

In a pot bring the first five ingredients to a boil over medium heat. Cook until candy thermometer says 'soft ball'. Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes. Stir in rest of ingredients and beat till it thickens. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper. Let stand at least 30 minutes. If its the least bit humid it's going to take more than 30 minutes.

Hope you make these and enjoy them. They make really nice Christmas gifts too!

Busy Around Shady Creek Today!!

 
Yep, it's been really busy around Shady Creek Hollow today. I've been busy on the phone with my Aunt and my cousin's son. They are starting up two new businesses based on a tip I found from an international vendor. They just needed some info that I had and now they're getting ready to make their first big purchase. I think it's so neat that my aunt is able and willing to give 2 of her grandchildren 'seed' money to start their own businesses. She's really a cool lady.

In between fielding calls I got some apples ready [peeled and sliced] and put into the dehydrator. It's buzzing away on the counter as I type. I sprinkled them with a little cinnamon so it smells kinda like Christmas around here LOL. I also made a huge batch of apple/date oatmeal cookies.

We all had a great time at Hutch's birthday celebration this past weekend. The pralines I made were a big hit. There is only one lonely praline left on the platter. I will try to post the recipe. It's super old and doesn't use many ingredients which makes it a handy candy to whip together.

Today is Hutch's actual birthday. He's been getting tons of calls, e-mails, and facebook greetings. In fact one of our friends from college sent him a nice 'hello'. It was good to hear from him and he had some incredible old school of music photos on his facebook wall. How neat to see Hutch as a college rocker.

I got an invitation from one of my kind neighbors to attend a housewares swap party. What a unique idea [she's good at thinking up things like this]. Looking forward to joining the swap! Everybody is supposed to bring 3 swappables and a brunch type dish. Sounds like so much fun.

Hutch and I are getting ready to go to a work Saturday for a local Christian retreat. Hutch will be working on the music and I will be serving behind the scenes.

Well, I guess I'll close and get the tilapia I'm making for supper in the oven. Hope your day has been great.  Love Never Fails... 

   

Beginners Easy & Delicious Homemade Bread

 
This is by far the easiest bread recipe I know of. Even if you've never made a loaf of bread you can succeed with this one! It makes 2 nice French style baguettes. These would be great with a meal, or even as the basis of a wonderful family sized sandwich. Remember that fresh bread is only really good the day you bake it. The next day the leftovers are good for bruchetta, french toast, bread pudding, salad croutons, etc. Ok, here goes.

Ingredients:
1 pkg yeast
1 1/2 cup wrist warm water
1 tbsp sugar [or honey]
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp melted shortening
4 cups flour
some corn meal

Proof the yeast in 1/2 cup of the warm water. That just means stir it together and let it sit for a while until its bubbly. Then stir it together with everything else except the flour and cornmeal. Add the flour and stir really well. It's going to look like a huge mess at this point, but that's OK. If you want you can knead it some, I like to knead since it makes me feel so 'Little House on the Prairie'. OK, cover the bowl with a damp towel and let it sit on the counter for an hour. It's going to get pretty big in that time. After it rises, dump it out onto a floured counter-top. Divide it in half and let it rest for 5 or 10 minutes. Then roll each blob out into  a 10 by 8 inch rectangle. Roll each rectangle up from the longer side. Pinch the seam together. Place each baguette on a greased cookie sheet that you've sprinkled with cornmeal.

OK, now cover it again and let it raise for 45 minutes. Make a few cuts in the top of the loaves after they finish the last rise. As the bread is rising again, prepare your oven. Preheat it to 400 degrees and set a pan full of water on the lowest rack. When the bread is through rising put it in the prepared oven and bake till light brown...start checking about 15-20 minutes.

Once it's done let it cool before cutting. Unless you're like me and have very little self control- if that happens just tear off the end of a loaf with your hands and enjoy with gobs of butter. 

Just a day in the Life

Yeah, today looks like it might shape up to be 'just another day in the life'. That's not a bad thing though. I've yet to get started with my 'to-do' list, but Hutch and I had a really productive discussion on the topic of where we think God's taking us these days earlier this morning. For me the Summer was a kind of dry time...spiritually speaking. But Fall seems to be presenting some exciting new prospects. We are working as servants on a Christian retreat weekend in October- that should be fun. But most of all we feel God leading us to perhaps plant a house church with our son in his college town and work as mentors to a small group of young adults there. God will show us what we should do by opening and closing doors. We merely need to be obedient in this effort.

On the home-front I have been pretty busy this week trying to get the house ready for Fall and the cooler temperatures that will accompany it. I have been doing a big clean and a sort of inventory on what needs to be fixed both in the house and in the yard. I have really taken to heart the 1st part of Proverbs 31 which speaks so well about being a capable woman and wife. I am constantly surprised that God lends me the strength to be so much more than I could ever be in my flesh when the moment calls for it.

I am still working on learning the skills that I hope will one day become a nice little side line business for me. It is going slowly, but it fun! I'm learning to set gems and make simple jewelry. To me, it is creative and interesting.

We are still eating as healthy as possible, which becomes easier every day. I guess its really kind of a habit thing. But I'm finding it more 'normal' to add beans and fresh fruits & veggies to most meals and use meat as a garnish instead of the basis of our meals. Hutch has more discipline than me in this area....but I'm plugging along. 

Another thing I've done this morning is place a new order with my Chinese wholesale vendor. I had some folks who wanted to add their purchases in with mine and that will make the total bill smaller. The more you order, the less you pay kind of thing.

Hutch's birthday is this next week. We are celebrating with a small family party on Sunday. Oysters- in all their various incarnations will play a big role. He will be having a birthday Key Lime Pie [he's not much on cake since his dad owned bakeries when he was a child and he kind of OD'd on cake as a youngster].

So that's the daily round up from here. I will be posting some recipes and How Tos in the next day or so. Hope you'll come by and visit.          

 

Lemon Lavender Luxury

If you stop by here often you know that I'm a real candle/scent junkie. I just think a home is so much nicer when it smells good! On our recent vacation I ran across my new favorite candle scent. I've decided to make it my home's signature aroma. It is The Yankee Candle Co.'s Lemon Lavender. OK here's my normal disclaimer: I have never bought a candle that is expensive. And these are sort of pricey.

But thankfully a few years back my aunt gave me a beautiful wax tart warmer. You know what I'm talking about. It is warmed by a cheap tea light underneath and you melt a scented tart in the basin on top. Even though Yankee Candles are very dear, the tarts can be quite cost effective.

I'm burning the votive I bought [1.99] on my vacation as I write and it's wonderful aroma is swirling around my computer desk here in the kitchen. Smells great!!

I believe that even as I'm striving to live a simple & frugal life, some things are truly worth the extra pennies you invest into them. For me, this particular candle/scent is one of those things. Hope you find your own frugal luxury today.   

Another Great Product I Love!!!

In my ongoing search for ways to live a simple but fulfilling life, I was struck once again this week by the fact that household cleanliness makes me happy, truly. To that end I decided yesterday that it was time to reglaze the kitchen floors. Over the course of the Summer they had taken on a dull sheen that I wasn't loving.

So as I was running errands yesterday, I stopped by Lowe's to see what kinds of products they might have. My ability to get just the right product for this particular job had been sort of hit or miss in the past...but this time I found one that worked wonders. My floors look brand new and are extremely shiny.

And the great thing is that this product is pretty available mostly everywhere. It is Orange Glo's Hardwood Floor Refinisher. Just as promised it was super easy and did produce professional results. I have to say I really really love this stuff!

One bottle will refinish 500 sq feet of hardwood floors. That's a pretty good value for 11 bucks! 

Back From Vacation

Yes, Hutch and I are finally back from our vacation. We had an absolutely marvelous time! We sat in the sun & ran on the beach. My personal favorite activity was time in a beach hammock at the Windjammer Inn on Atlantic Beach NC. We took exciting ferry rides through the Outer Banks. Hutch, Allie, & Josh ran the Rock & Roll Half Marathon in Va. Beach. We saw loggerhead turtle nests in Carolina Beach NC. But best of all we had fun with far flung friends!

I don't know why spending time with friends who are so different then we are is so much fun, but it is!!!! One of our buddies just got a DP job for a famous sports figure's biography. Can't say a whole lot about it, but it so fun to hear about. And then there was the super duper waterfront cook-out we had with some dear dear Christian friends [thanks Doug and Chrissie!!!]. Nothing as special as taking communion with family and friends you haven't seen for a year. And, Oh my, the dolphins on the ferry trip were incredible. And then... just the ride with the love of my life was a startling highlight of our time away. We love to travel and talk together. Life is just so sweet:)!

Our son in law, Josh, taught us so much about being mellow on this trip! And our dear son Jon was the epitome of being a servant for keeping out pooch Ernie company while we were gone! Allie was the model for perseverance!13.1 miles...you go girl!!!

And as always we were so glad to go on vacation but even more happy to get home. Home is so sweet! Thank you Lord for giving us such a cozy place to call our home sweet home!

Hope your week was filled with faith and love and the best kinds of homely treasures!!      

   

Thinking Christmas

Yes, I'm already thinking Christmas....in fact I'm pretty much finished with my Christmas shopping. How you may say? Well, for one thing we have drastically cut down our Christmas gift giving list over the years. Currently it's down to immediate family and grandparents. We give little hospitality type gifts to neighbors and friends. Nothing pricey, but I do try to come up with something unique every year.

This year I'm giving the neatest little candle metal holders [they have the word 'Wish' cut out of them & I must say they are too cute] with a suitable peppermint scented candle. I got the holders at Garden Ridge for a dollar [just about everyone I saw the day I was shopping with my Mom had their cart piled with these little beauties, so they're probably sold out by now] and I'm using some of the leftover yet still new candles I bought last year from a local DollarTree.

I found a Christmas themed book that I just loved written by Dorethea Frank Benton & I was able to score a bulk sale on them from Amazon. As you know I've already made my moonshine jelly [recipe here at the blog].But my most favorite holiday early shopping secret of all is a new website I found from China. Go here to check it out:

Christmas Bargains

This is one of the few Chinese vendors that will let you buy only one item if you so desire. It has real merchandise, not knock offs, & the prices are incredible. If you like nice handbags, perfumes, jewelry, watches, sunglasses, name brand shoes, and apparel you just might want to check this place out. Best of all, you can pay with paypal!

Here's the disclaimer, there are no prices listed and you have to make a list of product numbers from the items you like and actually e-mail one of their agents to get your final price....but all I can say is that I was very pleased! I've got two huge boxes of items coming my way and Hutch estimates that I saved us around 800-1,000 dollars in various holiday, birthday, & anniversary expenses for the coming year.

Now is the time to be shopping and planning for a frugal Christmas season. My motto is that with enough planning anything can be made more frugal. Hope you are doing some planning of your own.  

Hot Air Balloons

I had a lovely evening last night. First Hutch took me out to eat at one of my favorite places, Olive Garden. You have to understand that we eat out very rarely and so this was certainly a treat for me. We have been really watching our fat and carb grams lately. At our age you have to slow down in the consumption of both. But last night we ditched our good intentions and feasted like old testament prophets!

Then Hutch took me to see a hot air balloon festival in a little town near us. Oh those balloons were so beautiful. I'll post several photos that Hutch took so you can see them. Several of the balloon owners were offering tethered balloon rides. But since I'd been up on a fireman's platform about fifty feet off the ground, and these were only going about that height, I passed on a ride. 

The balloons were so majestic as they filled with hot air and floated away up over head. The best part is that the festival was free. And so was the parking. Hutch and I had the most fun hanging out and watching the balloons and watching the people watch the balloons.

Anyhoo, that's what's going on around here this weekend. I'm puppy sitting for my daughter and son in law while she's in a wedding in Savannah and my mom is coming in tomorrow for a one week visit. I'm looking forward to spending time with her. She is wanting to learn how to surf around on the computer, and I'm thinking once she tries it she'll be hooked!

Hope your weekend is starting out nicely and that you have tons of good stuff to look forward to as well!  

   

A Proverbs 31 Businesswoman

I haven't been around here much in the last couple of weeks because I have been making plans for a new e-business I'm really interested in. I can't say too much about it yet as I'm still in the learning curve. But suffice it to say, I'm learning a lot about dealing with exporters from Thailand, India, & China. The ones I've been talking to are super nice folks and hopefully over the next year or two, I will develop my budding business plan into something I can be proud of.

As soon as the business is up and running I'll be sure and tell you all about it, and how I got started. I can tell you that the first step in my business plan was to find a niche that I didn't see too many other folks filling. I've done tons of research on the internet (especially eBay). I've found a couple of niches that I'm interested in.

The next step- which I'm in now is to develop inventory and the necessary skills to complete the items I want to sell. You can just be a middle man and make a nice little profit. But I wanted my business to incorporate a creative skill I've always been interested. I know of one lady who is doing quite nicely with a pattern she developed for an easy to sew cloth diaper. She sells the patterns for 5 dollars a piece on eBay and makes about as much as you might make from a small part time job.  

I'm not looking to make myself anything other than a homemaker with a small profitable sideline. I started being stirred in this area recently after doing another study of Proverbs 31-the Godly Woman Proverb. I've always been so impressed by the way this ideal woman takes care of her home, nurtures her family and, still makes enough money from the sale of her handiwork to buy a vineyard and manage it. I want to be that kind of woman.      

If you are being stirred in this area too, I encourage you to make your own plan for a stay at home e business. One of my favorite tools that I've found is the site www.Alibaba.com . This site is the world's biggest import export hook-up. If you find your niche and have a few hundred dollars to invest into it, this is a great place to find low cost goods and parts for making your business plan come true.

One of my friends made a good income by importing pearl jewelry and holding 'open houses' four times a year in her living room. She was a part time stewardess whose regular flights were to China. She'd go to the pearl warehouses each time she was there and fill up her carry on bag for pennies and resell the pearls at her home shows. I loved her open houses and always bought lots of goodies there for Christmas and birthday gifts. My Aunt came all the way up from South Georgia one time to go with me. She bought all her holiday gifts for ladies- her total was well in excess of 400 dollars. We were there for probably an hour as she 'shopped' and I would guesstimate there were between 15 and thirty ladies coming in and out while we were there.

My business will not be in pearls as my friend has kind of got the corner on that market in my little town. But you get the idea of what I'm saying. There are all kinds of niches out there, you just have to do the homework and find yours.     

Anyhoo, as you can see I'm really excited about my prospects. I'll try to keep getting back here as much as possible so I can tell you all about it.      

Thirfty Whole Wheat Rosemary Foccacia

Right now I've got a big batch of rosemary foccacia rising in on oiled bowl. This is a very yummy, very cheap bread that lends a touch of class to a frugal meal. The frugal meal I'm making tonight is pinto bean & ham leftovers, salsa to go on top of the pinto beans, & foccacia bread. I made the salsa yesterday and the pinto beans are bubbling away in the pot. This recipe is really easy and uses very few ingredients. It is sort of rustic so if you like that kind of thing, this recipe may be for you.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion chopped
1/2 tsp sugar
1 pack yeast [or 1 1/2 tsp if you have the jarred kind]
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups unbleached  all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp dried rosemary or 2 tbsp fresh- I use fresh since I have a nice rosemary bush in the garden.
cornmeal
coarse salt

OK, here are the directions. Caramelize the onions in the 1/4 cup olive oil and let cool. In a bowl mix the yeast, sugar, & warm water. Let this sit ten minutes to proof [get all bubbly]. Mix the flours, salt, & rosemary. Add the bubbly stuff. Stir well. Turn out on a floured surface and knead about ten minutes. Put dough into an oiled bowl and turn once. Let it sit and rise 35-45 minutes. Punch it down and knead just a time or two. Make it into 2 balls. Flatten them out to 10 inches in diameter. Place on a oiled cookie sheet that has been dusted with cornmeal. Brush tops with olive oil, grind some coarse salt over it, and sprinkle more rosemary on top. Let it rise again. Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes. Let it sit on cookie pan 10 minutes. Cut in wedges to serve.

Hope you'll give this one a try!    

Super Easy Pesto

This is the recipe for my super fast pesto. It will be fine in a glass jar in the frig for a week or so. My pesto is not fancy, I hate to go to the expense of buying pine nuts. But even so, we like it a lot.

I keep a huge pot planted with basil, cilantro, & thyme by the back door. It supplies me with plenty of fresh seasonal herbs.

Ingredients:

2 cups of fresh basil [any kind's fine but I have sweet basil]
1/2 olive oil [give or take]
1 pinch nutmeg
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup nuts- today I used sunflower seeds- any nut or seed would do

Strip you basil stalks down to just leaves and wash well. Squeeze out water and put basil along with everything else into your food processor. Process until it's the consistency you like. We like ours to have plenty of bulk and be a little on the dry side. If that's not you add more olive oil.

Busy Day!!!

I've had a really busy day today. Thursdays are the day I go and volunteer at our little local library. Usually I shelve books or do clerical type tasks for the Summer Reading Program. Today was no different. The thing I like about shelving books is that I get first pick of all the new ones that have been just returned. And I always get a DVD or 2 to watch while I'm running on the treadmill.

Today after I did my volunteer job I did lots of other fun and interesting things. I went to a local Farmers' Market. OK, here's the thing about our Farmers' Market.....the prices are much higher than they would be at my cheap cost plus 10% grocery store. So, I didn't end up getting anything. That was pretty discouraging.

Then I went to Walgreen's to see what was on sale. Again, nothing that I felt was a good value this week for me. But next I went to Good Will. I was able to get tons of neat stuff there including some Christmas type things. I can't say a whole lot about the Christmas items.....friends & family read the blog. But for myself I got a pair of turkey salt and pepper shakers I've been looking for for Thanksgiving. They were unused and still in their original box- price .99. And I got a totally cute huge chunky Santa mug that says, 'I believe'. That is for us as well. We use Christmas dishes, glasses, & mugs from Thanksgiving until New Year.

I got a really nice almost new pet shed blade. The good ones can cost about 20 dollars but I don't think the Good Will folks realized what it was because it was hanging with the kitchen implements LOL....the asking price was 1.99. I've been wanting one of these for a long time for my dog, but have been too cheap to shell out the big bucks. So I was really glad to find it!

I found loads of great books. Goodwill has a lovely supply of just about any book type you like. Paperbacks are 1.50, hardbacks are 2.50. These are almost new books. So I got a sack full to use for porch reading over the rest of the Summer. After I read them I donate them to the library or pass them on to friends.

Then I went next door to Bealls outlet. I always seem to find something nice at Bealls. I got 2 nice brand name Fall/Winter tops from the clearance racks there for 2.50 each. And I was able to get two 10 dollar name brand candles for 2.50 each also. They are a neutral green and have a refreshing herby type aroma. They will go into my gift closet.    

Then I went to CVS. I had lots better luck there than I had at Walgreen's. I got several toiletry items I'd been needing and I used my CVS card, of course. They were also having a big sale on current paperback books- 1 dollar a piece.

Then I got home and windswept the house so that I could feel comfortable reading one of those books I got. We are eating very lightly these days so I made Hutch a nice big salad for supper and now I'm finally able to sit and catch my breath a bit.

Hope your day has been as productive as mine.           

Cheap & Easy Tricks to Living a Gracious & Simple Life #2

This is the second in what I hope will become a nice lengthy series of tips for attaining that simple, gracious, & hospitable life we all crave. A few years back I was watching way too many of the home makeover shows and lusting after granite counter tops and bamboo flooring.Then I would grab a ladies' magazine and be desolate because I haven't worn a size 4 since college. I was a crabby and unhappy woman, let me tell you. I was never content and was always thinking in 'if onlies'.

You know what I'm talking about. If only I had a newer car I'd be happy. If only I could lose ten pounds, I'd be happy. If only we could put in high end flooring I'd be happy. Then I joined a ladies' Bible study and one sentence somebody said changed my life.

That sentence was, 'Love what you have'. It sounds too easy doesn't it? But that simple sentence did radically change the way I look at life. I started to look at my home and my husband and my kids and my clothing with that in mind. Of course I already loved my family, but just looking at them through the filter of that one sentence made me appreciate them so much more.

It made me appreciate everything more. Honestly, I'm not being a Polly Anna here, I still have the same carpet that has been in my living room for 20 years. I have not lost ten pounds, but I have lost a  few pounds LOL. I'll probably have the old car I have now until the wheels fall off of it. Nothing has changed in my life except my attitude. But I'm content. Really.

We are big on long term planning and goals here at Shady Creek Hollow. Some of the things I'd like to fix around the house are on that plan to be renewed in several years. Some of the things that had been on an earlier goal list got accomplished this Summer. They weren't at the top of my personal list, but they were needed so that the house kept its value. I'm learning to be patient and prudent. In the meantime I'm finding that I can truly love what I have. Nobody can make me feel deprived but myself.

Two lifestyle changes that have really helped me in this effort to love what I have are: I limit severely the amount of home renovation TV I watch [my home started looking better to me as soon as I did this!] & I realized that most magazines essentially function as a venue to make you crave the stuff they advertise [Actually to make you feel like you NEED the things they promote to be really happy, of course that's a lie].

A glass of ice water and a good book on the porch swing make me happy. You can't get much more simple or frugal than that! I bet if you did a personal inventory of what really makes you content you'd be as surprised as I was when I did this exercise. Who knew a simple bubble bath would make me as happy as an expensive dinner at a fancy place? Make your own list and see for yourself. You might be pleasantly surprised too.     

   

Bodacious Brats!

I'm loving the smell of my crock-pot mustard & brown sugar brats! This is one of the fantastic recipes I got in the free e-book I received when I subscribed to Christy's blog 'The Southern Plate'. Go to her icon here and get your own free e-book!I just can't say enough about how easy and yummy and cheap these sausages are going to be for supper tonight!   

Two New Books in the Reading Room

These books really aren't new to me [or you either probably], but I had to give them another plug. The first is the Bible of Frugality- The Tightwad Gazette....and all its incarnations. I purchased my first TWG at a Thrift store. Since that one I've bought many to give as gifts at garage sales, Good Wills, & even used on Amazon. I gave one to my daughter Allie as a Wedding gift.

Here's the secret to reading these gems and not getting overwhelmed. Just read one or two tips a day. Then just try one tip a week. More than that is frugality overload. Adding just one tip a week will make significant inroads into sparing your budget. My personal favorite for a number one tip to try is a making a grocery store price book. It seems like a tedious and redundant process, I know. But it actually works.

The second book is my favorite 'inspiration book'- 'Frugal Luxuries by the Season' by Tracey McBride. Every season I haul this one off the cookbook shelves in my kitchen and read it. Do I do everything Mrs. McBride suggests?....no. But just reading her thoughts on frugality & gracious living by the different season inspires me to brainstorm ideas of my own. And it also makes me thankful for what I have, especially the intangibles- health, love, the ability to appreciate beauty, & faith. 

One of my favorite ideas she spurred me to discover were new uses for my teapots and pitchers. You see, I had a grandmother who loved collecting teapots and pitchers. Some of them were antiques, but most of them were just pretty. Being the only grandchild on that side of the family, I inherited them all. For many years they just sat up on a shelf gathering dust. Until I read 'Frugal Luxuries by the Season'.

Reading it made me wonder what I could do with this under utilised 'luxury' I possessed. I found all kinds of neat ways to use those pitchers and teapots. Here's a few....teapots make great planters for old fashioned violets [they look so cheerful in the dead of Winter on the kitchen window sill], there is nothing prettier than a cut glass pitcher full of any colored drink served cold [even Kool Aid!], small pitchers make great creamers & warm syrup dispensers, teapots and pitchers make lovely vases for cut flowers to tuck into those dark corners around your home that need a little brightening up. These are just a few of the ideas that I sprang to mind from reading these two highly informative books.

I hope you read them both and start getting some ideas of your own. I'd love to hear from you about your thoughts on this subject, and I'd love even more hearing your ideas on making your own home a gracious and inviting place.

GBY & yours this fine day.       

Subscribing to The Porch Swing

You can subscribe to 'The Porch Swing @ Shady Creek Hollow' by going  down the left sidebar until you see Blogline. Just click on it and follow the instructions to subscribe. I love subscribers & comments too! Hope you'll do both! Until tomorrow....   

Cheap & Easy Tricks to Living a Gracious & Simple Life #1

I'm starting this as a numerical kind of list thingy.... I guess you can tell I've been playing around with the blog today- all day. I like the new look & name and I hope you will too. So back to this cheap but elegant life topic. I will start numbering my thrifty ideas from now on so you will know if they are new to you.

Tip Number One is how to make sure your car smells like a million bucks all the time. I know, I know, somebody reading this is going to say, "just do the cloves trick". The cloves trick, to those who haven't heard of it, is to sprinkle whole cloves in the cup holder/center divider of your car. I tried the cloves trick, it does work. However, except at Christmas time I'm not that in love with the strong scent of cloves. Not to mention that the little brown cloves look sort of nasty just sitting there in the cup holder. Soooo....

The next best thing is the 'drawer envelope trick'. Very simply put, you buy one of those .99 envelope drawer sachets. They sell them everywhere, especially at Dollar Stores. Slip the sachet envelope of your choice in the side door pocket of your car. It's out of the way, it smells divine, and you won't need to replace it for a long, long time.

You can make your own with an envelope, cotton balls, & essential oils [or your favorite perfume]. I know because I tried it. This trick [like the cloves trick] is even less expensive than buying the .99 sachet....but I found that the homemade version didn't last very long. So my vote goes to buying the .99 sachet.   

So if your car is getting a little on the stinky side and you hate getting in there, use this cheap and easy trick to make your like more gracious & simple.      

Making Moonshine Jelly

This is the time of year when I usually start thinking about Christmas....gifts that is. Last year I used a very old recipe I found [its here under the recipe icon] to make a huge amount of Colonial Rumpot. That's a sort of brandied fruit that you have to start in Summer when the various fruits are ripe. I made a whale of a lot of this delicious stuff and gave it away in pint jars accompanied by a recipe to make a Martha Washington Rumpot Cake. That gift was well received. I got lots of nice feedback from neighbors, family, and friends on the quality of the cake they were able to bake using the Rumpot ingredients.

Soooo....I wanted to come up with something equally unique and frugal for this Christmas. When we went to West Virginia for the Hatfield and McCoy Half Marathon I saw an advertisement in a local magazine for funny 'hillbilly' type gifts and Moonshine Jelly was high on that list. That's when I started my search for a recipe.

Of course I don't have access to any real moonshine, although I believe some states do allow its sale in liquor stores. Imagine my surprise when I found, by reading a list of ingredients on the back of a moonshine jelly jar I saw recently in a gift shop on my trip to South West Georgia, that it is actually made with white wine!

Today I'm making up half pint jars of 'moonshine' jelly. I'll be using my tried and true grape juice jelly recipe substituting a nice white wine for the grape juice. I'm even thinking of making 'Champagne' jelly at some point since it would be such a cute New Year's gift along with suitable crackers and cream cheese.

Of course I'll need to come up with a funny label for my moonshine jelly. I've made jelly labels before with the computer using bigger mailing labels. I'm sure that's what I'll do this time. I'll try to post it so you can use the labels as well, if you so desire.   

Anyhoo, here is the recipe I'm making today-

Moonshine Jelly

Ingredients:

3 cups white wine
5 1/4 cups sugar
1 box pectin [Sure-Jell]
1/2 tsp margarine-to reduce foaming & scum

Put ingredients in big pot. Bring to a full rolling boil and stir until the liquid clabbers off a spoon. Clabbering is when you kind of let the mixture fall off the long edge of a tablespoon. It should sheet off in waves instead of just dripping- that's clabbering. If you can't tell if its clabbering, don't worry. Just boil it till you can't stir the boil away. It will be done. Skim off any foam from the pot. If you leave the foam in there its going to look nasty. So don't skimp on the skimming. Pour into 12 half pint jars. Immediately screw on lids and place on counter [or process in a water bath]. Leave the jelly there at least overnight. It may take this jelly a few days to actually firmly set up. Wearing a pair of rubber gloves will help you get the lids on the jars while they are still very, very hot.

I used to work in the Jelly Ministry at church and we always used the 'place on counter' trick. You can tell if you get the correct seal when you examine the jars after several days. The flat lid should be concave & make a very nice pop sound if you're there when they start sealing. If the lid's not concave when you check on them, either process the suspect jar in a boiling water bath, put it in the frig and use up quickly, or just throw it away. We threw the very few that didn't seal properly away.

Oh yeah, here's where I give the plug for reusing any old jars you might have saved from say pesto or mayo or any other pretty jar you just couldn't make yourself throw away. If those jars will take a standard sized canning lid and band you can use them for this method of making jelly. Just be sure you use new lids and bands. Using recycled jars makes this gift even more frugal!

Well, I need to get started making my moonshine jelly. Hope you try this recipe too.             

     

Patty's Peach Pie

OK, this is a great way to use up some of those peaches you have sitting in the basket on the counter. The ones that are getting just a little too ripe to just slice and eat. I made it this past weekend & it's already gone! I used a bought crust. I get the cheapest ones possible and buy them in bulk for the freezer.

Ingredients:

1 bought pie crust
1/2 cup each brown and white sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp vanilla
5 mushy ripe peaches peeled & sliced
2 tbsp lemon juice

For the crumb topping:

1 cup each brown sugar [or white if you're out of brown] & all purpose flour
1/4 cup margarine [or 1/2 cup if you want a really crunchy top]

Put all the top ingredients in a big black skillet ,except the pie crust of course, and bring to a boil. The filling will thicken up considerably. When it's nice and thick pour it all into the uncooked pie shell. For the crumb topping- Rub or cut the butter into the sugar and flour just like you were making biscuits. Press this mixture on top of the pie filling. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until top starts getting nicely browned.

This is a very yummy pie that has a lot of heft to the taste of it. Hope you'll give it a try! 

Three Southern Blogs

OK, somebody cue the 'Gone With the Wind' theme music so we can all get in the proper mood for this post. I wanted to point you to three really wonderful and uniquely Southern blogs. All of them feature Southern ladies who blog. I must say I wish my blog had their readerships and their beautiful formats. Uhmmmmm....guess I need to get busy around Shady Creek Hollow if I want to get it up to snuff.

Anyhoo. The first one has truly good & easy Southern recipes. And I think Christy, the blogger is such a talented and funny writer. When I read her blog I feel like I'm talking with my girl cousins in South West Georgia- that's in the Deep, Deep South!I was surprised but not alarmed to learn they used the term 'gallivantin' in Alabama too. It was my Grandma's favorite term for getting into trouble. As you can imagine, I heard it a lot growing up. Anyhoo go here: Southern Plate to check out Christy's very neat site.

The next blog has great decorating tips. If you want to see how we do the hospitality/decorating/gardening 'thing' down South, there's no better place to visit than: Southern Hospitality

And last but not least, if you need to be more thrifty [and really, who doesn't?] go here: Southern Savers to get printable coupons and news about the best deals in Dixie.

Hope you'll try them all, I sure have enjoyed visiting them!

Andrew Found!

Thank you for all the prayers! Andrew was found in Canada. He is fine and will continue his journey home to Georgia. It seems that first he lost his cell phone and then his car broke down. I guess he finally found a pay phone this afternoon, cause he called his folks to let them know he was OK. Whew!!! We sure spent a really rough day wondering what could have happened and praying for him. Again many, many thanks & thanks most of all to the Lord for His infinite kindnesses to us!

Please Pray For Andrew

My SIL called us this morning to let us know that our nephew Andrew is missing. He is on a road trip returning from Alaska. He had been calling her regularly but she hasn't been able to contact him for 4 days now. And there has been no activity on his phone. This is very unusual. Andrew is a free spirit and he told her that he had picked up 2 hitchhikers recently. There is a missing persons bulletin out for him, but our family needs your prayers. Please pray that he is safe and returns home safely as well. I'd surely appreciate any and all prayers for him.