The Porch Swing @ Shady Creek Hollow

The First Gardenia!!!

              

The first gardenias of the season are blooming by my front porch! This is always one of my favorite times of the year. I have a real affection for gardenias. In fact I wanted my bridal bouquet to be composed of them....but since we got married in December that was impossible.

I have waaaay too many gardenia bushes. They are so easy to root that I went wild a few years back and now the yard is full of them. I have several by the front porch, and as many down by the bottom deck. I even have several over the creek by my solitude bench. That's my bench I retreat to when I just want a few really quiet minutes alone. 

Also blooming right now are my pink fairy roses. They are so sweet and tiny. They remind me of something you'd get in a baby bouquet. My day lilies are blooming nicely as well. They are pink and creamy yellow- my favorite color combination.  

On another topic we had a small swarm of bees land on our front porch recently. Hutch called the county extension agent and found they were probably a new hive looking for a home. Eventually they've all flown away. We have a big bee tree in the back yard. The hive is in the tree but so high up you'd need a fire truck ladder to rob it. So we just enjoy watching all the bee activity....although, I'd surely love to have some of that local honey.

We are getting ready to landscape the front yard. Our current plan includes more gardenias, a Japanese Maple Tree, hostas, and lots of sod. Hopefully we can get it all organized in the next month. 

Had a nice visit with one of the neighbors the other day. She dropped by to return something I had lent her and stayed for a nice chat on the porch. It's always good to catch up with folks in that way.

I planted a huge backdoor herb pot this week. It has cilantro, basil, & oregano in it. These are herbs I use frequently. I already had plenty of mint [in several varieties] and rosemary in the garden. My bee balm is really doing well this year. 

Hope wherever you are today, you're enjoying the warm sun of Spring and the love of your family.     

Easiest Lemon Sorbet

Since Hutch and I have gone low fat we've had to come up with some desserts that satisfy our sweet tooth, are easy on the budget, & are low fat. This lemon sorbet really fits that bill. It is very refreshing. This is tart! If you like something that's a little sweeter, just add more sugar.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup lemon juice [bottled is fine]

1 3/4 cups sugar

5 1/8 cups water

2 egg whites

Put everything but egg whites in pot and bring to boil. Boil 10 minutes. Cool completely. Put in freezer. When its frozen [its going to look sort of like a slushy] beat egg whites till stiff. Fold these into your lemon slushy. Freeze again. Take it out to soften for a few minutes before you serve it. This recipe makes enough for 8.   

Shining the Silver

               

This afternoon I engaged in a pastime I find very calming and soothing. I shined my silver-plated flatware. It's an old timey sort of thing to do and fits perfectly into a rainy afternoon. I sat at my kitchen table with a goblet of sugar-free pink lemonade, plenty of newspaper and silver cream, & loads of soft white towels. I put a quiet CD into the player- it was a slow Celtic one that Hutch bought me a few years ago.

I sat and shined. The only thing that would have made the time better was if my Mom or Allie could have been with me. We like to shine silver together. We laugh, drink tea [hot or iced], & show off our shining skills to each other. There is nothing quite so pretty and dainty as the patina of newly shined old silver.

I like using my silver-plated flatware. It was a Christmas gift from Hutch. I like it so much we use it every day. My feeling is why save it for 'good' when you could be enjoying it every day? So I retired my stainless flatware and brought out the silver-plate. OK, I admit it's more work. I do wash it in the dishwasher....I know....I know, I'm not supposed to do that. But I've found that the flatware does just fine if I let it dry in there, use Jet Dry, and avoid putting it with stainless pieces in the dishwasher basket. About once a week I go through the silverware drawer and take out anything that looks dingy and shine it.  

It's a small price to pay for the lovely feeling and look of real silver. Thankfully I was able to find a silver-plate pattern very similar to my actual silver [even after 32 years of marriage I'm still building the real silver set...LOL] . So I get to use something that makes me happy every day.

I hope that wherever you are, you had a chance to sit and do such a satisfying chore yourself today.       

Beach House Decorating

                 

No this isn't our Beach House. The truth is that we only own one very modest home. But that doesn't stop me from dreaming about a place at the beach.... or bringing the beach to our landlocked humble abode during the hot Georgia Summers.

Although we haven't turned on our air conditioning yet, I know Summer is just around the corner. I love this particular time of the year in the Deep South. We have our window fans running all the time and their steady drone is sort of the musical background for my life these days. The sound reminds me of my childhood and that dinosaur that no one has much any more...the attic fan. Anyhoo, before I get too sadly off topic, I will say that I wish we had an attic fan like my grandma. That simple unobtrusive fan made a huge difference in the quality of my life as a kid!

But back to the topic at hand 'Beach House Decorating'. Summer seems like a time to drastically downsize the amount of 'stuff' I have laying around. My experience with beach homes, though admittedly minimal, tells me cleaning lots of knick knacks is a very low priority with the 'surfy' set.

So my first step was to clear off the top of every space in my home. During the cooler months I have the dining room table set with china and crystal, I have stacks of old books on the mantle and side tables. I have candles everywhere, especially in the living room, bathrooms, & on my writing desk. There are cozy throws at the end of each bed, armchair, & sofa. Our bed has a black heavy suede like duvet cover and rich patterned brocade bed hangings. It looks warm and cozy. But let Spring get here and it all seems stifling!

So this time of the year I pack it all away, I don't worry that I'll miss it, since most things will come back out in the Fall. I find that by changing out some of these items my home stays fresher and each season it seems like I have fun as I switch things out.

Soooo....saying all that let me give you a quick rundown of what I've done lately to refresh my home. You already know [if you read here often] that I took down art and got most everything off the walls. This weekend I switched out my bedding and lampshades. That sounds expensive, you might be saying. It's really not. I used white bedding I already had [antique chenille bedspread I inherited, white sheets & throw pillow from linen closet]. The only expense I had was simple white sheers [84 inch long works for my bed] for bed hangings and two simple white lampshades all from Walmart. If you have a four poster bed and need the 'how to' check out my original re-do of the bed here at the blog. It's super simple and only involves clear fishing line and curtains.

Now my bedroom has a distinctly Caribbean feel to it. I especially love the way the sheers ruffle in the breeze from our small window fan. I really feel like I'm at the beach. 

If you don't have a poster bed and still want to get the effect, there are loads of mosquito net type canopies in every color available on eBay for very modest prices. They attach to your ceiling and give that same beach house vibe.

I thought long and hard about putting a black script monogram on the lampshades to give them a more custom look [you can do this easily with a hot glue gun, black braid for top and bottom, & a purchased single letter or symbol that is an iron-on or even rub-on]. But in the end I went with just the simple linen shade.

I'll try to post pictures of the bed in its new 'Summer' look. This week I need to paint my front porch rockers white...again. And one of our next projects will be putting molding around our boxy 80's kitchen light and master bath mirror. I'll let you know how we accomplish that and how it turns out.

Hope your day is getting off to a great start!

                  

Easy Never Fail Creamy Crockpot Macaroni & Cheese

                 

This is a macaroni dish I took to a recent family gathering. Several folks wanted the recipe so I'm posting it here. It is very easy and makes an extremely creamy mac & cheese. If you're a big fan of the 'baked' dish, this will be quite diffrent for you.

Ingredients:

16 oz boiled pasta of your choice, I used spirals

2 cups half and half cream

1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup

1/2 cup melted butter

16 oz sharp cheese shredded [reserve about 1/2 cup to sprinkle on top]

OK, just mix everything together in a big bowl and put in crock pot. Sprinkle reserved cheese on top. Cook on low for 2 1/2 hrs. Serves 8. 

This side dish will get you many compliments!!!!

Easiest Lowfat Cabbage Jello Salad

This is one of the easiest and tastiest jello salads I've found. I like it a lot because it is different from all the old usual fruit and jello standbys.

And if you top it with a scoop of low fat cottage cheese you get protein as well. So get ready....this recipe is so short you might miss it if you blink.

Ingredients:

1 bag of cabbage & carrots grated for cole slaw

2 boxes sugar free lemon or lime jello

Make the jello, top with cole slaw mix, make sure to submerge the mix. Let set up. Cut in squares and serve. That's it!

Cabbage is known as a body 'cleanser'. It's so good for you and this salad is delicious.

Hope you try it!!

  

Do It Yourself Easy Dog Grooming

                 

My Aunt owns a very successful dog grooming and boarding business. In fact she employs several family members as well as 10 others. And she began by realizing that she couldn't afford to get her own dogs groomed. She got a book from the library that set out the basics. She experimented on her own poodles then started working at a vet's washing dogs & grooming the animals that didn't need fancy cuts. After a year or two she got another book from the library [this one on the various poodle cuts] and bought herself a few grooming essentials. Pretty soon she was in more demand that the vet. He encouraged her to set up a separate business and the rest, as they say, is history.

Of course these days there are all types of certificates you can earn in the differing cuts, and my Aunt has gotten most of them and taught so many others, myself included. In our family all the teenagers had a built in job if they wanted one....learning the 'family' business. I did my stint as a dog washer/ clean up groomer. Here's the disclaimer- I never did elaborate show cuts. If that's what you want for your dog this is the wrong place to find out how. But if you just want to save a ton of money and make sure Fido looks clean and neat, I think this article will fit the bill.

First Step: Washing Poochie- This is the easiest step. The only real insider trick here is to brush your dog out first. If you will spend just a few minutes once a week on this brushing chore, you'll never have to deal with the dreaded 'matts'. If your dog is matted badly you might want to take your time and either pull the matts apart [that's what groomers do] or if your dog isn't going to be posing for a doggy fashion magazine soon, you can do a little judicious snipping of matts with a small pair of scissors. A helpful tip  Unless your dog is used to being groomed regularly you may need a helper to hold the dog. If you will place your hand over the top of your dog's nose you will control the dog. Remember, if you control the nose you control the dog. 

OK, now that Killer is brushed out it's time to soap him up. Buy a cheapie bottle of dog shampoo from the Dollar Store for this. Don't use dishwashing liquid or people shampoo. Your dog will start itching and drive you crazy scratching if you do that. In the summer my dog takes his bath in the driveway by the garden hose. I soak him with water, soap him up, & hose him off. I take special care to be gentle around his ears and face. I crouch by him so that I can control the amount & force of the water cascading over him. Dogs do not take kindly to water in their ears or nose!!! I back up and let him shake a few times.  After that you can towel your dog off and let nature take it's course for a couple of hours to dry him. Most groomers use a blow dryer with the handle tucked into the neck of their groomer's smock/ tee shirt to dry. They control it's direction with their chin...really. That leaves their hands free to use a brush to speed drying, just like when you blow dry your own hair. My dog Ernie has a silky double coat that dries flatter & better naturally. So I don't use a blow dryer on him.  

After he's dry, I clip his toenails [dogs do get used to this and its no problem]. Don't use people toenail trimmers!!!!! The shape is wrong for dogs. If you're scared, do what I did and buy dog toenail clippers with a guard on them from Petco. You literally can't make a mistake with these babies. White toenails are easy to clip as you can see the 'quick', black toenails are trickier. If you cut too far, your dog will yelp once, bleed profusely [a quick dip in cornstarch will slow this down], and then forget what happened to him. It's not the end of the world and it happens every day in grooming shops.

Now it's ear cleaning time. Use a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol [Wintergreen Alcohol leaves a nice scent] to clean out your dog's ears. This has the added benefits of killing ear mites, its not painful, & it dries super quick. Again, dogs don't like the feeling of anything wet in their ears! If the ears are really nasty it might take a few of these soggy cotton balls. If you're squeamish at this point, use a long pair of tweezers to hold the cotton ball as you clean the ear, that's what the pros do. OK, on most pups you're close to being done. But not if you have a mix [especially anything poodle-yorkie poo, peekapoo, labradoodle- you see where I'm going here]. These type pups require that their coat be shaped. For about 10 bucks at Walmart buy a cheapie clipper set. You will more than pay for this in just one grooming.

Again you might need a helper until your dog gets the hang of being clipped. It doesn't hurt them but some dogs really hate the sound of the clippers. Groomers use a stand that actually supports & restrains the dog. If you are on your own but committed to saving money on regular dog grooming, you might want to consider buying one of these from an on-line source. They clamp to any table and aren't very expensive. Also if your dog's a biter there's no shame in using a muzzle at this point. Groomers do it all the time and it doesn't hurt your pooch. I've used them many times on dogs I didn't know well. Better safe than sorry! Remember if you control from the top of the nose you control the dog. Don't try to control Fluffy's head by grasping her chin...you will get a nasty nip if that's your dog's inclination. 

Now....Brush out your pet's dried coat. You literally want it fluffing out on its ends. Sweetie should look like a frizzy puffball at this stage. Put the shortest guard onto your trimmer. A basic 'puppy cut' is very easy- trim your dog's face [go a little above her 'browline'} and feet up to the ankles. You can also use this short guard to get between toes and trim a little around anus & genitals if needed. OK, that's the worst part and its done. Now put a longer guard on your clippers and trim the entire body staying away from ears and tail [if you're grooming a poodle or poodle mix, tail can be trimmed with short guard, just be sure to leave a full pouf at the end]. OK, now that's done too.

Take a pair of scissors [some folks like long blades, I prefer short] and trim up the ears and tail. I'm talking hair length here, not shape. A professional groomer would not use scissors to dramatically alter the shape of either ears or tail. The only exceptions would be poodle or schauzer types, or dogs with textured hair and docked tails. Turn that fuzzy poodle tail pouf into a manicured compact sphere [think golf ball sized] at this point on poodles and mixes of that type. Textured docked tails [schauzers come to mind here] look best clipped to match hair length on rest of body or even shorter. Go slow and take small amounts off. You can always come back and take off more. Stand back and take a peek at the whole dog. Does the body look uniform or does any one area stick out as needing a little more scissor work? If so do it sparingly.  

OK, almost finished. If you desire, now is the time to paint Sugar's toenails. Any people polish will do, and black looks good on boy dogs. A dog stand comes in handy here so that Chopper doesn't sit on his wet nails and get get nail polish into his coat. Laying down works just as well. Use a dog cologne next. I bought one from Target in a designer scent [Giorgio] five years ago and I still have loads left. It was well worth the five bucks. You can also get a powder spray that freshens your dog's breath [I just brush my dog's teeth with a rag and dog toothpaste]. If you don't want to put your hand in your dog's mouth just put the toothpaste on a big piece of old thick towel and let Fido chew on it a while. Watch him for choking though & if the towel starts to fray and disintegrate into smaller bits take it away before he swallows it!!

OK, this woman is a nut, you're saying. Brushing a dog's teeth????? It's not that I want Ernie to look like a hollywood movie star with white capped teeth, honest. Most folks don't realize that one of the most common and costly vet bills is for tooth extraction. Dogs get cavities just like people and untreated they & the infections they cause will kill. I'm just trying to be thrifty.   

For the finishing touch either tie a brightly colored bandanna [Walmart has a great selection or just use fabric you have cut into a suitable triangle] around your dog's neck, make a teeny tiny bow [like a florist bow only reaaaallly small with very thin satin ribbon] for it's topknot [this is especially good for silky haired dogs as it keeps their topknots out of their eyes- some groomers use the rubberbands from teeth braces to secure the hair first then add the bow], or tie those same minuscule bows raffishly over each ear where the ear connects to the head.

OK, now I know some professional groomers out there are rolling their eyes. What about a flea dip they're asking, or expressing those nasty glands down by a pup's rectum? I've been there and done all that, but for a non show dog [my dog Ernie for example] I skip them. A monthly flea treatment & nature take care of both problems. 

That's it in a nutshell. Anybody can do this......honest. The first few times might be challenging, but you'll get the hang of it fairly quickly. And your dog will learn to stand still and let you bathe and groom him over time. Ernie knows that he's not allowed to shake off water or move unless I give him an oral command. I use the word 'OK'.   

You might be asking this question, what if my dog is an outside dog who looks like he's getting ready to attend a convention for Rover Rastafarians? In other words, you have a very dirty, extremely matted, nasty smelling pet on your hands. In that case do what groomers hate to do but must resort to at times- clip before washing. Just use a long guard and clip your dog completely. This will get rid of most of the truly toxic matting that just can't be brushed or pulled out. Then go ahead with the washing steps. You can always clip or scissor some more during the process when the dog is completely dry. Don't wash Scooter with matts still intact!!! That will 'set' them and tighten them & just make the whole process of getting them out worse.

Ernie has a 'spa' day like the one I've described once a month around the 13th. I've found that keeps him smelling and looking his best. Ernie has gone through this drill since he was a baby so he is trained and is an easy keeper. Just a quick wash, brush, feet trim, a little scissor work on his tail and ears, toenail clipping, ear cleaning, toothbrushing, & he's done. 

You can save yourself a ton of money by learning to do simple grooming. Hope you give it a try.

               

Playing by Ear & Staging Your Home

Oh my...this has sure been a busy day!!! I got so much accomplished, but I'm really pooped. I re-glazed the wood floors. They sure look better now. And I took the advice of a young friend of mine and drastically downsized the number of pictures on the walls. My house looks twice as big now!!!

I spent a really pleasant afternoon at one of my neighbor's home last week. She is a Godly young woman who has a special talent for decorating. In fact she is hired by realitors to 'stage' homes. I asked her to coach me in this and she had two really good bits of advice. One was that she hated to put nail holes in a wall. In other words...be sparse with pictures etc. that tend to clutter and minimize the space on your walls. 

Her other tip was that when grouping things-like on a mantel be sure you group in odd numbers...she suggested either three things or five items. I'd had another neighbor [master gardener], tell me the same thing about gardening.Sooo.....

Today I took things from the walls. This is the second time I've had to downsize in this way, but it sure worked. The art and such that I'm sentimental about I will pass on to my kids. They will be glad to have it I'm sure. 

The photo is one that I took of Hutch and Jon this past weekend. Hutch was teaching Jon some 'playing piano by ear' techniques. I have a tin ear and am so envious of my family's ability to play by ear. Wish I could do it!!!! 

Hope wherever you are your day has been productive.

     

Using up Leopard Bananas, Burying Mozart, & the Fellowship Meal

Today I'm using up some leopard bananas [you know, covered in spots]. I've got banana bread and banana spice muffins in the oven right now. The house smells great. I will use a simple cream cheese icing for the muffins to sort of 'fancy' them up. They'll go home with Allie and Jon after church tomorrow. They should be nice breakfast material for the week. The bread I'll keep. It is a low fat recipe- I switched the oil for unsweetened applesauce. I've had really good results in my baking using applesauce and lowering the sugar. I can't really tell the difference in the taste so far.

The kids [Allie & Josh] came over last night to bury Mozart. Not the composer but Allie's geriatric parakeet of the same name. He was an old old bird! It was very sad as he'd been Allie's buddy since she was a freshman in college. Josh buried him across the creek and hung his bird toys up in the branches of a nearby tree. 

Tomorrow we are studying 1st & 2nd Timothy in church. Hutch is leading the worship. For the fellowship meal we're having a typical covered dish Southern style lunch [this was Jon's suggestion]. Everyone is bringing a side and I'm frying chicken, making biscuits, & I've already made that most integral part of a true Southern meal.....jello salad LOL. I ate a lot of various jello salads growing up, but this one is a simple pear and jello dish. Nothing too fancy, but it should be yummy.

Josh is making macaroni and cheese, Allie's bringing brownies and ice cream, & Jon is bringing turnip greens and corn. Should be quite a meal. I need to find some good old Southern gospel music to play during the meal. But if I did that Hutch would probably leave the table....he's not a big fan of that type music.

Hope your weekend is going well.          

Writing Up A Storm

              

I have had a pretty busy week to date. I've gotten loads of things done which always feels great. Of course there's been the daily household chores and cooking to get done. And I've been doing lots of writing as well. 

My manuscript for the young adult novel is getting close to the end. I have about 5 more chapters and around 20,000 more words to complete. I used a little time last night to chart out those last few chapters. So I know where I'm going and how to get there, I just need to put in the hours.  Then the whole processing of self editing begins. 

I try to do some minimal editing as I go along. This helps me somewhat. But I always find that I need to do lots of polishing and invest more into my characters at this stage. I'm trying to become a better writer and I think with every manuscript the tasks involved become easier and hopefully the outcome becomes a little better too. 

Hutch always helps me with the 'aha' moments as I'm plotting a book. He thinks outside the box and can  come up with some of the most intriguing plot twists. He has offered to take me to a writer's conference in September. I'm excited about this because a particular agent in whom I'm interested in meeting will be attending. He is an author himself and works for a Christian literary agency. Those are pretty few and far between in publishing land. But this particular group of agents seems well known for their ethical business practices and their good track record for getting their clients book deals. 

This will be my first foray into the conference scene....so I'll need to research the etiquitte etc. I'm thinking the whole process will be fun and educational. 

I'm still looking for a title for this book. Nothing that I've come up with yet works. But I'm confidant that when the time is right, a great title will present itself. I know lately I've been falling asleep at night hearing the two main characters talking to each other....LOL. Helps me get a jumpstart on the next day's dialogue.   

I hope wherever you are your day is bright and sunny...unlike here in the South....we may need to start building an Ark in the next day or two....unless the rain stops.               

Lovely Mother's Day & Tennis Photos

I had a really great Mother's Day this year. All the kids were home with us and we had the best time just being together. There were laughs and tears and loads of great memories. We went to the Varsity for gourmet hotdogs. Then we came home for a few hours of tennis. I don't play but I took photos of everybody enjoying themselves. Then we had church and celebrated Josh's birthday with cake and presents. We also celebrated Allie and Josh's anniversary. We gave them a grapevine basket filled with items that we knew they would like. It had beautifully scented candles from Anthropologie, crystal wine glasses, a bottle of wine, chocolate truffles, a bag of good coffee beans, Hot Tamales [Josh's favorite candy], a piece of their good china [a salad plate], & an exercise pedometer that measures calories, distance etc [they both are runners].  My Mom sent them several pieces of their china as a 1st anniversary present. There was a cup and saucer, salad plate, and a bread plate in her pacakage. Allie was so excited!

As always the kids knew exactly what I would love for Mother's Day. Allie sent me a musical card in the mail this week that played Handel's Hallelujah Chorus....its sort of a special inside joke with us. Then she and Josh gave me bath gel from Bath & Body works in my favorite scent- gardenia & a DVD of a movie I've really been wanting. Jon gave me a beautiful card that had a two paged letter enclosed in it. I cried like a baby reading that incredible letter. And he gave me the most astonishing music box /jewelry box that played, 'Amazing Grace' [another song that has lots of meaning for us as a family- I have a line of its lyrics in our master bath.] 

Since Jon was facilitating church that day, before we prayed our ending prayer he asked everybody to tell me one time that I had showed them a mother's love. Oh my.....talk about a powerful time for me! I can honestly say that lots of the things my family shared I couldn't remember doing for them. I guess it just goes to show you that everything you do or say can have a profound impact on those around you. Most of the time without you even realizing it.

Anyhoo, it is a day I will always remember. Hope your Mother's Day was just as sweet & memorable for you!        

Photo of the Bible Meal

Here is a photo of the 1st Century Bible meal we had last week for church. Hutch took the picture so he's not at the head of the table where he sat for the actual meal. 

  

Lukewarm Water

           

Well, I'm just getting started on my 'to do' list this morning. It looks to be a long one. At the top of the list is ironing. You see, my trusty iron died earlier this week. Just one big spark and it was gone LOL. So I had to go get another one last night.

It's amazing to me to see how many styles and types there now are for irons. As usual I chose the old heavyweight model that wasn't a whole lot different from the one I'd had. I liked its retro looking lines and the fact that it weighs a ton. My theory is that a good iron...a truly good one, must weigh a whole lot to get the job done. That's just me though....I have no scientific fact to base this supposition upon.

On a totally unrelated topic....Hutch and I were talking last night about society in general and how we fit into it. We agreed that we both think we live and have raised our family in sort of an old fashioned time warp. Hutch said last night we live a 'Little House on the Prairie', kind of life. I agree. And we like that...a lot. It's not that we're naive, or that we just don't get it. You know what I'm talking about- the false worship of celebrities, the titillating scandals, the damaging gossip, and the general nastiness out there in the world.     

In his line of work Hutch comes into contact with loads of folks who are much more comfortable in a worldly setting than a Godly one. And I was in the 'work' world myself for many many years so I'm fully cognizant of what's out there. You can't be a public school teacher and stay naive or protected. 

What I'm stuttering to get at here is this: God has protected us- we know that fact very well. He's also given us a desire for things that aren't real popular or 'cool'. We like to hang out with our kids and just talk about things that are deep. We KNOW them and they KNOW us- warts and all. The saddest thing I've ever heard was when somebody told me that all she ever had to talk about with her folks was the weather.

I guess everybody has read that quote, "Great minds talk about ideas, average minds talk about things, small minds talk about other people." When we get together with our kids we talk about loads of topics. Philosophy, Science [we're all kind of nerdy that way], Religion, Theology, Art, Music, Theater, History, & Geology come to mind. We don't have particularly 'great' minds but we do find great ideas fascinating to discuss. We have been known to sit up to the wee hours of the morning exploring some idea that one of us throws out for discussion. We trust each other enough to be open in our beliefs and understanding. We don't always agree on every topic [reformed theology comes to mind], but we still love each other when the discussion finally wanes. We all believe that words have power.      

Then there's our TV viewing habits. OK, I admit it...we like Andy of Mayberry. In fact the Hallmark Channel is the only place we land with anything approaching true regularity TV wise. I'd much rather be doing something creative [writing comes high on that list], and so would Hutch. He's working on a new CD of original love songs right now.

One thing that Hutch and I have learned in our early middle age is that we're not much interested in doing the stuff required by others to fulfill some kind of personal agenda they might be nursing along. We've kind of been there- done that- got the T shirt. I spent a whole lot of years trying to be the 'church lady' & 'club woman'. I was in everything, headed more than I should, & finally saw the ultimate futility of the Machiavellian politics usually involved. Unfortunately that seems to be a common model in traditional churches and civic clubs. I guess that's why home church is such a great fit for us. 

So where does that leave us now? Well for one thing we're getting pretty comfortable in our skins. Hutch is known for ruthlessly telling the truth. He doesn't try to sugarcoat anything. If he doesn't feel called to something he'll let you know right away. He says his memory is too short for him to successfully tell social lies LOL. I love that about him! But folks with hidden agendas don't typically feel that comfortable around him.  

I find I'm becoming like him. Surprisingly enough it seems that God is leading me more every day in that particular direction. It's that old 'tell the truth in love' thing. I think women in general and me in particular have a built in need for the approval of others. We are typically the nurturers and comforters in the family. Along with those lovely mercy gifts there comes a down side- the desire to seek the approval of others. And if we're not careful that desire can spiral out of control & become toxic in our lives. Somebody called it 'approval addiction'. I think it stems from not really knowing who you are & whose you are. There's a great peace in knowing yourself well enough to just be your authentic self. Likewise there is peace in knowing that the only real approval you need is God's...and He loves you unconditionally. 

You can't be good enough, or kind enough, or smart enough for Him to love you any more than He already does. You can only surrender yourself a little bit more every day so that He can add goodness, kindness, & even wisdom to your character. You can ask Him to help you open some of the locked doors you have in your life so that His light of truth and healing can shine in and cleanse those shadowy places. After all, He's fully aware of what you think you're hiding in there LOL. And as flawed as we all are, He still loves us. That is truly Amazing Grace!     

So in this middle stage of my life I'm learning to be my best self in the Lord. I embrace the fact that some folks just aren't going to like me very much. That's OK. After all, if everybody liked me all of the time I'd be a pretty bland person wouldn't I? Bland sort of like that lukewarm water in the Bible that Jesus says He'd spew out of his mouth. 

Wherever you are I hope today you get a chance to take off your social mask and be your real self and that you find yourself invigorated by the experience.     

      

Easy & Cheap Homemade All Purpose Cleaner

I've been trying lately to live off the fat of the pantry....that means make do with what I have & make as few trips to the grocery store as possible.

 Very early on here at Patty's Pen I posted a recipe for a wintergreen cleaner that I got over at the message board of The Family Homestead [go to the right and click icon to visit]. Anyhoo, I really liked that cleaner, especially the smell of it, but this week I'm out of wintergreen rubbing alcohol. And I needed cleaner soooo....I found this recipe-again from The Family Homestead but I changed it up just a little.  I've used it all week and I must say I'm sold on it. 

OK, here's the disclaimer: After I do the dishes for the final time at night I usually fill the sink with warm water and add a few squirts of diluted dish liquid [I always dilute mine to make it last longer] and a cap full of amonia. I use this cleaner to wipe down the counter tops, stoves, dishwasher, etc. Then I flush it down the disposal. This is a pretty good way to keep gunk from building up in your kitchen & a way to keep the disposal smelling 'sweet'. I learned this nifty trick from Hutch's Aunt Martha Ann.  

But I wanted a cleaner that would work and smell nice everywhere [including acting a a Swiffer type formula for mopping hard wood floors]. This stuff fits the bill and you could make it to suit your fragrance fancy. Here goes: 

Ingredients:

a big empty gallon jug

2 tbsp ammonia

1 tsp dish detergent

2 cups rubbing alcohol

a half cap full of lemon body oil [this was about what I had left over from an old Watkins bottle of the stuff] or use essential oils as recommended by Crystal at the Family Homestead.

Put in empty jug [I used an empty vinegar jug], fill with water, cap, & shake. Use it to fill spray bottles, or just soak a towel in it and start cleaning. As I said, I was most pleased with how well it did in mopping. It is great in the bathroom as well.

I have an old Swiffer type mop, but buying the disposable refills gets pricey. So I took a couple of old towels, cut them to fit, hemmed the edges and voila...instant reusuable Swiffer rags. As I said this solution worked extremely well on my floors as I used my Swiffer. It also makes a great glass cleaner and general toilet doorknob etc cleaner. 

Hope you give it a try. I really think you could use anything oil based to scent this stuff. And a gallon of cleaner for this price sure beats even the Dollar Store!    

Slinky & a Snapping Turtle

               

If you've read here long you know about our huge black/corn/king snake Slinky. He's lived in our cul de sac at least ten years and is quite long. Last year I posted some photos of Hutch holding Slinky on a rake handle. He was held waist high folded over the handle and he almost reached the ground! We estimate that Slinky is a good 6 feet long. Well...that was last year. Last week I saw him slithering like lightning through the small grove of trees that separate our house from the neighbor's. I've never seen him moving that fast! Didn't know a snake could move like that! It helps me understand why my grandma used to call black snakes, 'coachwhips'. Anyhoo, Slinky looks to have gained at least a foot in length since last year. He was a sight to behold! Sure hope he keeps eating all those pesky chipmunks we have!

Also last week I found a baby snapping turtle out by our trash can. Last winter I spotted a really big [for a creek] snapping turtle sunning itself on a rock down in our creek. Maybe it laid eggs because the little fellow we saw last week was only about the size of a small biscuit. He was obviously lost as the trash can is a long way from the creek. Hutch picked him up and transported him back where he belonged. Once in the water he took off and snuggled up under a rock. Hopefully he'll hang around so we can watch him grow up. 

Hope wherever you are you had as fine a day as I did. Got my whole 'to do' list finished....that's always a great feeling. More tomorrow.      

A Few New Photos

These are just a couple of pictures of the improvements Hutch has done to the house. Notice the new front door! The roses are from a bush Jon gave me several years ago as a Mother's Day gift. They always seem to bloom right before the holiday. It's such a nice reminder of his love!  

Pioneer Spirit

There is a new book over in the reading room. It is one I highly recommend. It would be a fun read for kids as well as grown ups. If you are a fan of, 'Little House on the Prairie', or the Janet Oke 'Love' series of books this will probably be right up your alley.

I was up in North Western Ga. over the weekend. I got the chance to roam through a remarkable antique/ junk shop in little Cave Spring, Ga. I saw a beautiful heavy crocheted rag rug in there and that's what made me pick up this little gem of a book at the library this morning. 

This small book is chock full of instructions on how to make things the pioneer way. I plan on trying to make and/or do lots of projects from 'Prairie Girl'. I'll let you know about my progress.

If I'm very lucky I may even get a chance to make a rag rug.....

Allie & Josh's Anniversary Coming Up

It's had to believe Allie and Josh will celebrate their first anniversary this Sunday. {You can see their wedding photos over at the icon on the right.} That day will be very busy for us: The Anniversary, Josh's birthday, & Mother's Day all on the same day!! Whew!! Hutch is taking us to the Varsity for lunch next Sunday to celebrate them all. The Varsity is a very famous hot dog place here in Atlanta. We all love it....well Josh has only been there once and he had a hamburger *gulp*....but I think we've convinced him to try one of their delicious hot dogs this time.

After lunch we will come home to birthday cake. Josh has chosen for me to make him a German Chocolate cake. Another fine choice! He said it was his Dad's favorite. Anyhoo, it will be quite a day.

But Today...I need to get all my Mothers Day Cards in the mail so they will get to their appointed spots on time. Then I need to get to the library and run a few errands. Hutch and I are eating light this week since we were such pigs this weekend. So suppers will be very easy for the first part of the week. I need to get on the treadmill at some point and log in my three miles as well.      

I've got a load of laundry going right now. I did get most of the feast laundry done last night before I went to bed. I hate having laundry or dishes in the sink sit over night. Just a quirk of mine I guess.

On a side note...we all enjoyed the feast so much yesterday, the kids were asking me to consider doing another historical feast. I'm thinking a madrigal medieval dinner, either in the Fall or around Christmas.. They could help with the music for that one. And Allie knows the round dances for that period so we could actually do that as well. Hmmm.....I'll have to give it some serious thought. 

Allie did a wonderful job of leading us through the book of Colossians yesterday. We all had passages that moved us. Especially the be tolerant of others and work as if onto the Lord parts . My favorite was when Paul closed this letter with, "Remember my chains". Made me ask myself what 'chains' were influencing my own life and the lives of others around me. And did I love them 'chains' and all? Very thought provoking for me.

This is getting really long so I'll close. I'm going to try and be more attentive to the log this week, hopefully I'll be here more often. Hope you are too.

Super Easy Baklava

I decided to make this baklava at the last minute as I never could get the research to prove macaroons were authentic. I know that baklava is a very ancient treat and one that the New Testament Christians would have been familiar with. I did cheat a little bit on this recipe as sugar was not in common use. But because of this recipe's ease I used it anyway.

Ingredients:

1 box phyllo dough thawed

1/2 cup butter melted

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1 tsp lemon juice

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Unroll phyllo and lay half in a greased 9 by 13 pan. Mix together the nuts, 1/2 cup sugar, & cinnamon and layer this on top of phyllo. Top with other half of phyllo. Drizzle the melted butter over this. Cut into triangles and then bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. While that part is baking put remaining sugar, water, & lemon juice to boil. Once it boils turn it down to simmer for 5 minutes then cool. When you take the baklava out of the oven drizzle this cooled syrup over the top of it. You can sprinkle the finished dessert with cinnamon sugar if you'd like. Yummy!!!   

Easiest Hummus

This was one of the foods we all liked the most. I don't usually care for hummus because its so bland. This one is not bland, it is delicious!

Ingredients:

1 can garbonzo beans drained [save the liquid]

1/2 tsp cumin

3 tsp minced garlic

1 chopped green onion

2 Tbs lemon juice

Roasted red pepper strips to garnish

pepper to taste

Put this all in the blender and whirl. If its too stiff add some of the reserved bean liquid. Put in bowl and top with roasted red peppers from a jar. This was very delicious with the fried flat bread and olives.

Spicy Lamb Stew in a Crockpot

This was our main course. None of us had had very good experiences with lamb or goat meat before so we were pleasantly surprised at how tasty this dish turned out. 

Ingredients:

2 tbsp oil

2 pounds diced lamb or goat meat

1 onion chopped

2 cups chicken broth [I just threw 2 cubes in the crockpot with 2 cups of water]

4 oz prunes

4 oz dried apricots

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp each ground ginger & cinnamon & cumin

3 tsp minced garlic

Brown the meat in the oil and drain. Then put it and everything else in the crock pot. Cook on low overnight and then turn till warm until meal time. Add freshly ground pepper to taste. 

I served this on a bed of couscous. Just follow the box instructions on the couscous. If your grocery doesn't have couscous you can use Mexican melon seed pasta.     

Shepard's Bread

First I made the flat bread for the Bible meal. If you are in a pinch for time you could use whole wheat tortillas. But this bread is so easy and delicious I think you might want to make it. 

Ingredients:

1/2 olive oil

1 oz yeast [I used three paks]

1 tbs honey

1 1/4 cup water

3 1/2 cups flour [I made one of these cups Whole Wheat flour]

2 tsp salt

Put top 4 ingredients in bread machine and let sit till foamy. Add dry ingredients. Set machine to dough and remove dough when the kneading function is complete. Take fist sized balls of dough and roll out into circles. Let rise for two hours on greased pans. There are two ways to bake these. One is in a frying pan with a little olive oil. The other is to bake at 400 for 5-10 minutes. I did both and we liked each type equally well. This recipe will provide enough bread for 5 people to use as 'sops' for the other foods. Yummy!      

New Testament Meal A Success!

We just got through having church and enjoying our authentic New Testament 'feast'. We all agreed it was one of the most fun things we've done as a family in a long long time. Hutch took some photos and when he mails them to me I'll post them. 

We had to move our feast inside as we had a spate of rough weather here abouts. But it all worked out great inside. We used a tablecloth with fringe on the floor [it looked sort of like a rug] and then we brought up a coffee table we had in storage to serve as the feast table. I covered it with a white cloth that draped to the floor. We sat on big cushions I borrowed from the front porch and we ate with our fingers.

I won't go into the menu as I posted it earlier but I will post the recipes. They were very tasty, easy, and we enjoyed everything. I got some Middle Eastern music off the internet and it made our meal festive. We ate with the drapes closed and had candles for light. I shared my research on eating during Bible times and we all learned  alot. 

We all found the spicy foods exotic and very filling! Hope you'll give this easy idea for a Biblical meal a try. We decided to do it annually and ask friends next time!    

Easy & Cheap Home Made Laundry Detergent

                

I have written on this topic very briefly before but since I just got finished making a batch of laundry detergent, I thought I'd touch on it again. This gel type detergent is very easy and cheap to make. You can buy the supplies to make it for less than one box of name brand detergent. And the basic supplies will make many batches of this wonderful stuff. OK, here's the disclaimer. If your clothing is very very soiled you might want to let it soak in this stuff overnight. What I do with the gardening clothes is fill the washer with clothing, water, and one cup detergent and then cut the machine off so it can sit overnight. The next morning I start the machine up again and let it cycle through.

I like to have a nice fragrance to my detergent, so I add some of the Florida Water [recipe's here in crafts] I made a while back. You can also just a add a few drops of essential oil of your choice. I have used lavender oil before and really liked the results. OK here's the super duper easy recipe for homemade laundry detergent:

1 bar of soap [any kind is OK, cheapest is what I usually get] 

1/2 cup Borax

1 cup Washing Soda [this is not baking soda, it is in the laundry aisle at the grocery store]

Water

That's it! Here's the 'How To'. Put a big pot of water on the stove to boil. As its getting hot, take a sharp knife and 'shave' the bar of soap. I've tried grating it...didn't like the result. The soap will actually come off in thin flakes if you 'shave' it. Dump the soap flakes into the water and stir till they all dissolve. Take off heat and stir in your essential oil if you're using it. Do the rest of this in the sink. Now in a big bucket [like a leftover generic 5 gallon detergent bucket...I use the pretty floral 'slop pot' I inherited from my grandma] measure out the dry ingredients. Set this in your sink. Add the soapy water & stir well. Then as you're still stirring fill to the top with cool water. It will start to thicken and get gloppy pretty quick. Take it to your laundry spot and let it sit overnight to thicken up completely. Now use one cup per load. This makes a whole lot of detergent!! 

If you want to soup up this detergent and make it like the color safe bleach kind just go to the Dollar Store and buy a container of their version of Oxy Clean. Add a couple of scoops of this to the dry ingredients in this recipe. 

I use this gel as a prewash too. If an item is really stained or dirty, I'll rub some of the gel over the stain as I'm sorting my laundry. I think it helps. 

Hope you give this a try. It is so easy anybody can make it, and if you're like me and wash a good bit it will definitely save you money.