A Sweet and Savory Morning

Due to my diligence (by God's grace), I had partially prepared my granola recipe and was ready to mix it up this morning.  After my plain cinnamon granola (Danny likes it that way) was in the oven, I realized I had used olive oil instead of coconut oil in the recipe.  Grr.  Just a little difference in taste, but I'm a perfectionist.

So I went ahead and created a brand new gourmet granola recipe, adding coconut flakes and pepitas (pumpkin seeds) that I had bought from Becki's co-op.  I borrowed a few ideas from others' recipes, and I have to say, the end result was the best-tasting granola I've ever made!  Now I must write my new recipe down and include it in my special cookbook (that is the subject of a future post!).

Then, since I had harvested the basil and parsley from my garden this morning, I prepared those and chopped them up for the freezer.  The herbs are a lot of work--picking leaves off of stems is tedious--but once the jars of chopped herbs are in the freezer, I experience a wonderful sense of satisfaction, plus thankfulness that the Lord, once again, has provided for my family.

Now it's back to preparing for vacation.  :)

Doesn't Everybody...?

We're preparing for an upcoming vacation.  We're going to be gone for a while, so there's a lot to be done.  And doesn't everybody can jalapeños right before leaving on a long road trip??  Oh.  Well, okay, maybe I'm a bit different than others.

There is an actual Biblical lesson in this, y'know!  Let me quote a verse or two:

"So this I say, and affirm together with the LORD,

that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk,

in the futility of their mind,

being darkened in their understanding,

excluded from the life of God

because of the ignorance that is within them,

because of the hardness of their heart..."

Ephesians 4:17-18 NASB (emphasis mine)

I'm sure not many women prepare for vacation by canning vegetables or fruits.  But it was an item on my list, and now it is done.  I don't do many things that other women do, simply because I am a Christian woman.  I have laid aside my old self, and have put on the new self, which has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth."  (Eph. 4:22-24)

Obviously, now, I'm not perfect.  But my heart's desire is that I would peer intently into the Scriptures and ask myself, "Is my life lining up with His Word?  What is the will of the Lord in this area?"  And then, oh that I would turn around and walk in that truth, in whatever area--wifely realm, discipling children, home business, modesty, education, etc.  I hope that I don't do things simply because everybody is doing them.  I want to live my daily life in the way I do because the Lord wants me to do it.

The world behind me, the cross before me...

No turning back!

Love,

Christine,

who is listening to Jacob play I Surrender All on his harmonica   :)

and who is happy about all those jars of jalapeños to put up/sell in the future   :D

What's For Breakfast??

It's difficult, now that the boys are older, when they come knocking at my bedroom door and asking, "What's for breakfast?"  My usual response is, "You know where the kitchen is; knock yourself out!"  Actually, I make breakfast on a regular basis, and I reserve that particular response for their non-meal hunger attacks.

So, when 19yo Jacob asked the question this morning, he was blessed in that I had just finished re-organizing my new and improved cookbook.  I spent two days de-cluttering my two three-ring binders, combining them into one wonderful binder.  I trashed a two-inch stack of recipes I'd never used, grew out of, or which were too similar to existing recipes.  The practical side of me decided--a girl can have only so many recipes!  (Picture of cookbook to come, probably after vacation...)

Since I had just scrutinized all my recipes, I knew there was a new one I'd stuck in the "Breakfasts" section that I wanted to try.  Jacob and I whipped up these (two) baked apple pancakes.  The recipe suggested serving slices drizzled with syrup, but seriously, plain was perfect.  Please wipe the drool off your keyboard.  :)

Little Ones

I love little ones.  I miss them crawling, toddling, even drooling.  I'm a little nostalgic tonight, so I'll just post a few of my favorite little ones.  Enjoy!

Boughton Pond

On May 19, Danny and I biked to the west end of Boughton Road, maybe four miles from home.  I know they say to bike with traffic and walk against, but I would have almost preferred seeing those cars speeding at me than hearing the engine as they swerve around me from behind.  Whew.  Sidewalks would be good at that point.

Red-wing blackbirds were hard to capture that day.

We first walked down into a ditch and up the other side, but faced the possibility of shooting into the sun.  A boy tromped by doing who knows what, and the egrets migrated to the wend end of the "wetlands."  So we hiked back through the prickle plants and made our way toward a clearing on the south side.  Better, but I felt the lack of a good 400mm telephoto.  :)

About 20 feet or so from our targeted vantage point, we almost stepped on a turtle!  We think it was nesting.

Okay, to the best spot we could find, given the circumstances.  There were actually five egrets in the pond this afternoon!  We're pretty sure we captured a male and female in the shots below.  We observed them diving and almost fighting, chasing each other off.  It was a pretty good first attempt, and hopefully soon we'll figure out how to get closer, which is cheaper than buying that 400mm telephoto.  :)

This is my favorite shot.  My shooting ability does not do justice to God's creation!

Then God said, "...and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens."

Genesis 1:20 (partial)

NASB

Grounds of Naper Settlement

I've attended church on these grounds for the past five years, but never really noticed our surroundings.  Well, until now, when we've reached the probability that we will be moving to a larger location--a government school building.  The building really doesn't matter.  But, it made me realize how blessed I've been to be surrounded by beauty each Sunday morning.

Bleeding heart

Pink rose

Buttercup (just guessing)

What is this one?  :)

Bug on rose

Side view of leaf

Surely God's beauty surrounds me each week, if I just stop and look.  What an amazing Creator I serve!

Paper Doll Memories

In perusing others' blogs today, I came across this link to Noble Rose Press.  They are offering paper doll collections for sale.  I know I don't have daughters.  I know I'm too old!  But, I just had to check it out!  Sweet memories returned of my own paper dolls.  I distinctly remember cutting them out and carefully folding the tabs on the dresses. 

I love the fact that some children today still have an imagination, and that the t.v./video age hasn't destroyed their minds to the point they wouldn't know what to do with this 2-D pastime.  When my own were little boys, a box was enough to engage them.

Okay, high-tech plastic thingies worked, too!  Today, these same boys, as teenagers, aren't afraid to get down on the floor with the younger ones and play their hearts out with swords, blocks, or story-telling.  Little boys, get out those blocks!  Little girls, play with those dolls--and help take care of mama's babies!!

By the way, I still pray for daughters!  Who knows?  :)    And soon enough, I may have daughters-in-law, and the dream of granddaughters.