The Porch Swing @ Shady Creek Hollow

Hostas, Feast Preparations, & a Date

               

I've been busy this week working in and around the house. Since all the workers have left, it was time for me to kick myself into high gear and get to work too. I have planted  pretty hostas in a new flower bed Hutch made over the weekend and I have been working inside the house to get it back to a peaceful oasis. 

There was much to be done as we'd had house guests etc for several weeks. Now its just returned to Hutch and I and we can settle back in....at least until the weekend. Weekends are very busy for us and we like it that way. I have spent a good part of this week getting ready for the Middle Eastern/ Early Hebrew/1st Century Feast we're hosting this Sunday.

All the prep work has been tons of fun and I've learned so much. One of the things I did was read a book that touted the fact that it was biblical, 'The Red Tent'. Although it gave me a good idea of the culture of that time- [it is a fictional retelling of Jacob's family]. I am not....repeat not recommending this book to anybody. It was very disturbing to see how the author took such drastic liberties with a beloved Bible story. In fact it made me sleep poorly for several nights. It's quite a shame really, since the author is such a fine writer. I never throw away books, I always either pass them on to friends or donate them to the library....but 'The Red Tent', is going into the trash can. 

But back to more positive topic. I found a very easy recipe for baklava, which I have learned was a type dessert that could have been served at very fancy feasts to a lucky few in ancient times. So I will be trying that new recipe as well as the lamb stew, flat bread, & salad. All successful recipes will be posted here next week in case you want to treat your family to a similar meal. 

Hutch and I are going on a 'date' all day Saturday. First we are heading out to eat lunch at Fat Matt's [a really great barbecue place in Atlanta]. Then we are going to a matinee movie- [this is highly unusual for us as we usually don't want to pay the ticket prices!!!]. Finally we are going on a photo safari/hike to a local state park. I can't wait. This day will be all the things I love, great food, a good movie, & the outdoors. My husband knows me so well LOL.        

Tonight we are going to hear Allie's percussion ensemble. I can't wait to see how they do. She has taught them a 'Stomp' like routine using trash can lids etc. That should be intriguing. Well this is getting really long so I'm going to get on my "to do" list. Hope your day is wonderful!

Easy to Create Biblical Meal

We decided on Sunday that since we are using the Pauline letters of the New Testament as our summer Church 'road-map', we'd have a typical meal of those times and places. We all took responsibility for researching a topic related to this unique fellowship meal. I took food, Jon took customs & manners, Josh is getting a suitable Israeli type wine, Hutch is getting the music together, & Allie is facilitating the actual church service. 

I've done some research over the past two days and have come up with, what I hope will be, an easy authentic 'feast' that's still not too expensive. We will be having:

Appetizer: homemade flat-breads, soft goat cheese, olives, & homemade hummus

Main dishes: a spicy lamb stew with Challah bread, a salad made with veggies of the period tossed [dark greens, cucumbers, & sliced onions] with a red wine vinaigrette, boiled eggs, & butter

Dessert: dried fruit [figs, apricots, & dates], fresh fruits [grapes, pomegranates, & watermelon], nuts,  honey & coconut macaroons. 

All the food will be served together on large platters and each person will have a bowl and cup. There will be no silverware so we will be perfecting the art of the 'sop' LOL. I've never eaten salad with my fingers, but I guess I will on Sunday! Jon will lead us in proper etiquitte, but I think a handwashing ceremony is involved....   

I will be turning the lower deck into a tent by draping white cheneille bedspreads over it and we will be eating on a cover spread on the floor. If I can create a way to make a low table I will, as during this time many folks sat on the floor but ate around a short table. Oil lamps were used in those days, and I found that inexpensive little citronella lamps can function in the same way. I have large cushions that can be 'seats'. We are not wearing period authentic clothing as nobody was up to all the work that would entail. But it still should be quite an adventure. 

If everything  goes well, I'll try to post the recipes next week. They truly are spicy but look very easy. Hopefully we'll all learn a lot and have fun too. Hope you've got something creative and exciting in your future as well.          

Common Sense Ways to be Healthy

                          

Today I spent a good part of my time researching easy ways to be healthy...ways that don't cost a lot. I know some folks swear by gym memberships and diet meals purchased online. But that just seems counter productive to me. My idea is that common sense would serve me just as well. Soooo.....here are a few things I've found out that amazed me.

I've always been a proponent of deep breathing and quiet times. Today I found out that I could combine some soft music to my deep breathing regimen and it would enhance the benefits. Deep belly breathing can reduce stress and high blood pressure. Especially if its done with soft instrumental music in the background. I made myself a little get away spot in one of the guest rooms. It's the room my mother uses when she visits. It's decorated in a way that is soothing and pleasing to my eye. I just moved a CD player from another room and added a Celtic music CD I already had.

I was able to do my deep breathing for much longer with the quiet music and I plan to do it for 15 minutes a day until I can work up to 30 minutes. The nicest thing about using the music is that it sort of hinders you from falling into the trap of thinking too much instead of just enjoying the deep breathing.

I do exercise. I have written about that many times here. Especially about how my resuming running on a regular schedule has helped my back and once frozen shoulder. Now I'm adding walking on the off running days. My goal is to do some kind of exercise every day. Admittedly walking is not that great of an aerobic exercise for me. But just putting in the time on the treadmill is good. It's burning calories if nothing else. And I have started lifting light weights several times a week. I just hop off the treadmill when I'm done with that day's workout and head to the garage where the weight bench lives. I don't give myself time to debate it....I just do it.

We want to eat healthy but frugally as well. I've mentioned before that we like to eat beans alot. We are using them in many different recipes to reduce the amount of meat we eat. We're shooting for three warm veggie or salad suppers during the week with one red meat dinner, one fish, one chicken, & one eat out supper. I'm also a big fan of tofu crumbles which can be used in any dish that calls for browned ground beef. I'm also experimenting with low fat cheeses. Hopefully I'll find a few that work for us. I'll let you know when I do.  

Journaling has also become a big part of my daily routine. I find that it is very stress reducing to journal. It gives me a chance to process some of the things that are on my mind without getting bogged down in them. I also journal as a way to connect with some as yet to be born great great grandchildren. 100 years from now they might really get a kick out of reading about the 'good old days'.  

I encourage anybody interested in finding frugal but healthy recipes to check out 'Hillbilly Housewife' at the icon to the right. She has a section specifically designed for folks who want to eat lighter and better. 

Those are a few of the ideas I'm trying to put into action in my life. Hopefully I'll be able to incorporate them into my everyday schedule. Hope your day went well. More tomorrow.         

   

    

    

Busy, Busy Day

                

I had a pleasantly busy day today. I did finally get the house in order. I just love it when the house is clean and picked up and I've lit a few candles to scent it. I made a huge pan of chicken with mushroom gravy, a pot of onion seasoned green beans, & a batch of rice for supper. Our Son in law, Josh is coming by to spend some time with Hutch and we asked him to join us for supper. Allie is busy with getting ready for her musical. She directs a big group of 4th and 5th graders as well as setting up a percussion ensemble for her students. She is working on sets at the school this evening so she can't have dinner with us. The musical they are doing soon is about pirates...should be interesting.

The weather today was really lovely. I spent a little while out on the steps to the lower deck just enjoying the sunlight. I had noticed several pots of lilies in our garden drop off spot and had thought Hutch had bought them. He asked me today if I had bought them....come to find out one of my sweet master gardener neighbors had dug them up from one of her beds and dropped them off for us. Thanks so much Karen!!! We'll sure put them to good use. They are the old fashioned tiger lilies....can't wait for a spot to be cleared to plant them.

Hope wherever you are, you got everything done today that you set out to do. More tomorrow.     

Wednesday Morning Ramble

Today is bright and sunny around here. In more than just the usual way. Hutch is back home from an overnight business trip and the painters are finishing up on the house's trim. We are finally about to see an end to our home repair saga! It is great to be able to do these upkeep things, but I'm sure glad to see them complete. I can start getting the house back in order. 

You know how it is when you're working on a home project. Things start to pile up everywhere and if you're not careful your home can take on the appearance of an indoor tag sale. *Gulp* Yes, my home is pretty much a scene of chaos and confusion at the moment. I've been putting things up all morning, and I'm only about halfway through.

Today Hutch and I have to make the big decision about how we want the new deck to be furnished. We did decide to get rid of the table and huge umbrella. That was a practical choice. In times past we sometimes ate meals out there. But now that the kids are grown and have their own homes, we don't seem to eat out there at all. So I think we're going in the direction of a casual comfortable seating area with small tables where a drink or snack could be parked. I have no idea of a color scheme. Hutch has wonderful understated and classic taste soI will be leaning heavily on him for decisions in that arena.

On a different topic, some of the bushes we replanted across the creek are looking sort of stressed. I'll need to attend to them today in order to help their chances of survival. I sure hope they make it. The other landscaping we did in the back is doing remarkably well. It is growing in and looking lush and full back there.   

I got several sets of our Easter family photos made at Walmart and spent part of the morning writing a note card to my Great Aunt Myrt and enclosing the photos. She likes to get mail, so I try to write her as frequently as possible. Mom went home yesterday and took her set with her. She plays cards with two different groups of ladies weekly and they each have a 'show & tell' time before they play cards LOL. So she was eager to take her pictures to show.

Jon has invited us to have church at his home in Alabama. He's part of a group of Christian men who meet regularly and he wanted to do house church over there once so that group could see what its all about. They have a big fire pit in their front yard so I think we'll have night church and do it around the fire pit bonfire. Should be fun!

I am inclined to rent a carpet shampooer this week and have a stab at cleaning our carpets downstairs. It's been at least a year since I did that and they could sure use the cleaning. Hmmm....I'll need to give it some more thought. If you've never shampooed your own carpets, I highly recommend it. The process is easy and it is much cheaper to do it yourself, especially if you split the cost with a buddy and share your daily rental fee.

The photo is a shot of my kids on the bridge across the creek that runs through the back of our property. It was one of the pictures taken on Easter. Well this is truly a ramble....so I'll close and try to get back here tomorrow. Hope your day is nice.

Church This Past Sunday

We had a particularly rich house church meeting this past Sunday. Josh, my dear son in law, was the facilitator. He did a wonderful job and the Holy Spirit was definitely there with us, guiding us.

We started out with a discussion of Philippians. We are currently taking for study and examination one of the Pauline letters of the New Testament each week. We had a wonderful time of sharing how God had quickened different passages of that book to each of us. Jon shared how his accountability partner at college had challenged him this week to, 'pursue people like God pursues you'. This was a very powerful idea for all of us! 

Then Hutch suggested that we go over the Fruit of the Spirit in Galatians and say which was the one we felt weakest in, & then each of us told which Fruit we saw functioning in each other. This led to an emotional and healing time for the whole family as we confessed our weaknesses and also encouraged one another with the stating of others' strengths. After all, everyone does have a different gift set and the struggles and strengths that come along with each gift set are very diverse. 

An amazing thing was that we saw a trend in how we all perceived each other. Everyone saw Hutch as having [by God's grace] real strengths in self control, love, & faithfulness. Allie got loads of comments on her goodness & love. Josh demonstrates joy in everything he does as well as a great love for others and the Lord. Jon shows incredible depths of faithfulness and self control. My mother has become a beautiful bundle of love and faithfulness. When more than one person sees the same hallmarks in your life you have to believe that God is telling you something through their witness. I must admit Sunday was one of the most encouraging times I've had with other believers.      

What made it such a memorable day is that my mom got to share it with us. She is very quiet and is a new Christian, but I have seen radical changes in her since the Lord has captured her attention. It was so compelling to see how she was affected by hearing each of us tell her a specific Spiritual fruit we saw in her life. Many tears were shed and bonds were strengthened. 

We are all facing so many challenges right now in our lives. Some related to health concerns, some career related, some budget related, and some just about everyday perseverance and faith. God continues to be so good to us as a family in all these areas and I'm truly grateful. 

The fellowship meal Sunday was great fun as well. We laughed and just caught up with each other after a week apart. As Jon said when we broke up to go to our respective homes, "This is the saddest part of my week."

It is sad to see all the family leave, but we know we will be together again this Sunday to worship and learn from the Lord and each other. That is truly a priceless gift. We all agree what God has given us during this season of our lives is very rare and none of us take it even a little bit for granted. 

On another note, I got a call from a friend of a friend yesterday. She is undergoing a heart cath Wednesday. I hope I was encouraging but she is very worried. If you feel led, I'm sure she would appreciate your prayers. Her name is Maureen. My prayer is that she will have the Lord's peace whatever the outcome. We all know that level of surrender is incredibly freeing...but oh so scary. 

I'm posting a photo that Hutch took of my kids and my sweet mama this past Sunday. Hope wherever you are today the sun is shining and you are working your way down your 'to-do' list like I am.            

The Home Improvement List

             

My computer is still sort of limping along, but I did want to post the list of what has been accomplished in the house over the past couple of weeks. So here goes:

1. Counter top in kitchen re-grouted

2. New faucets and knobs on all sinks

3. Additional lighting in master bathroom

4. New flower beds in back

5. One flower bed dug up and the bushes [roses & gardenias] replanted across the creek

6. Bird bath moved and new bed dividers made in dug up bed

7. New fountain in picket fence garden

8. Bedding plants moved into new dividers

9. Three huge trees too close to house taken down

10. New upper deck

11. New siding to replace damaged siding

12. New paint on siding and trim

13. New front door

14. New mail box

15. Hanging ferns for the front porch- 6

16. New chairs and tables for lower deck [we have church downthere when the weather cooperates- and we needed more seating]

Whew! As you can tell Hutch and Jon have been very busy lately around here, actually so have I! We've also been hosting my mother for an extended stay. 

That's what we've been up to for the last month. I'll sure be glad when we've completed all the remaining projects and we get to enjoy the lazy summer weather. 

Hope wherever you are you're enjoying your own run up to the summer.         

Painting....the saga continues.....

A crew of guys is here today to pressure wash & paint the trim on the house and to paint over the new siding. Later in the day the other crew will be here to rebuild the deck. We were so happy to find there was no termite damage under the bad siding.

As you can tell, the house is still undergoing updating. I can't wait to see it when its all finished. I'll try to post new photos. So far my favorite thing about the house is the new door and the trees that we had removed. Of course I like the new flower beds as well....I guess I like it all LOL. We've lived here 20 years and with the exception of painting, reroofing, & the new carpet upstairs last summer this is the first time we've done such extensive upkeep chores.

We feel really good about doing this right now. The guys on the work crew have given us very fair prices and they are really happy for the work. Makes us feel like we are doing the right thing, not only for the house but for the economy. 

Mom and I are out to do a little recreational shopping. She likes to get out at least once a day and I don't mind hanging out with her as she shops. More tomorrow.     

   

I'm Still Here

Yes I'm still here...but my computer is still being really fussy. I lost all my mail so if you wrote me, I'm sorry I haven't responded...but I haven't gotten mail for quite a while. 

We've been so busy around the house with our improvements that I haven't had a chance to get here and write.

 Also Mom is visiting this week so I'm busy hosting her. She just put on a crock pot full of pinto beans for supper. She makes the best pinto beans in the world. IMHO

As soon as I'm able I'll write about all the things we've done to be good stewards of our home. The list is pretty extensive. Part of that list includes some re-siding and a new upper deck. As I'm writing this a crew of men are tearing down the deck.

We have a new door- white with an oval beveled glass insert. I like it a lot! And I have new faucets and knobs on all the sinks. Hutch is very handy around the house!  

It's pretty noisy here and will be for several more days. I hope to get back after the weekend and really get back to my normal blog schedule.

 Hope your Spring is going well. More soon!  

I'm Still Here!

Just a short post to apologize and say I'm still here. I've had massive computer problems that still continue. I can't access my mail either so please bear with me. Hopefully in the next week I'll be back to blogging every day. Lots has been happening here at Shady Creek Hollow and I can't wait to have a healthy computer so I can write about it all. Anyhoo please don't give up on my blog. I'll be back as soon as I can. Happy Easter!