Jam Up and Jelly Tight

Shhhhhh.... don't tell anyone I 'borrowed' this most darling photo from Susan Branch's latest newsletter. I had to, because you just had to see what a cute idea she had for the lid's hat!!

 

Leave The Light On

After these rise, and get cooked, they will be Superman's treat for tonight.

For the second rising, I place them in the 

oven with the light on, cover them with a cute, light dish towel (cute, optional), and that makes them so 

cozy and happy that they rise beautifully.

Hurry and rise! We want to get you in our bellies!

Tea For Two

Back in the day, I would not have friends over unless my house was SPOTLESS.

sillier than silly

While it is nice to have a welcoming home, it's even nicer to have a 

welcoming heart!

So, housework unfinished... 

... a girlfriend and I ignored all else but sinking into the couch for a

peaceful afternoon 

of

chit-chat, pie, and iced tea. Oh My!

It's so much fun to sit and gab. 

Sometimes, as you probably know, 

it's easy to slip into careless chatter.

You know the kind, where our words are

NOT that kind as we mention someone 

who is not sitting cozily with us. Ahem...

Anyhoo...

beware... it just might get back to them, 

and, oh, would, that, hurt!

     Do not revile the king even in your thoughts,        

or curse the rich in your bedroom,
     because a bird of the air may carry your words,
       and a bird on the wing may report what you say.

Ecclesiastes 10:20

Lollygagging Allowed!

And don't you ever forget it!  :)

If you looooove fabric. 

If you looooove giveaways.

Then do not pass go, do not collect $200, just go straight to...

HERE!

Little Delights Make the Heart Merry :)

Looky! What do you see???

Yes! It's my daily planner. 

With. Nothing. On. It!

A far cry from last week's to-do pile up!

I can actually think. 

Imagine!

Such a simple delight for the innard parts!

...He leads me beside the still waters...

But this wasn't the only little delight of this morning.

Nope!

This next one was such a surprise that mirthful giggleness took me over. 

try it !Such Fun! try it

Wanting to take a break from Monday's tasks and pleasures, I decided to make a homemade mocha latte and sit with Jesus for a bit.

Being thirsty, I first filled up my mug with a little plain ol' water, and began to drink. For some reason, my eyes were drawn into the bottom of my favorite autumn mug (instead of looking around like a nursing baby does), and what I saw caused joyful giggles. 


Dots. Dots. Autumn, Fun, Dots!

And my mocha latte did get made and enjoyed, too, thanks to milk, dark chocolate, & instant Taster's Choice (they sent me ~ FREE ~ this cute little sample pack of six of their coffees. Sure makes mail runs exciting!).

This was another little delight in my day. If we look, they are all over the place!

Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

Psalm 147:1

Love That Library!

I love books!

Always have.

Always will!!!

But... these days, you have to own Fort Knox (and actually have it filled with gold bars) to be able to afford to buy any beloved books.

Thus, the library is the place for me!

While sitting in the swirling chair at my computer, even in my pjs, I request books that I see on Amazon, or that friends tell me about, or from magazine reviews. My doctor recommended a series of a "fun read" and our main library had every single one of them... which I loaded into my arms and lugged home. 

Twice now, I have had enough Amazon.com e-gift cards, which I earned from Swagbucks.com, to buy two books for only shipping costs. That was $45 dollars which did not come out of my pocket! Yay for that!!! (See what I mean? Two books, with a whopping cost of almost half of one hundred dollars! Fort Knox, I'm telling ya!)

Anyhoo, I purchased this Christmas book so that I can have my dad read it to me for the rest of my life, and when I die, my kids can hear their grandpa over and over. Coooool! (But not cheap!)

And this is all I have time for; my stacks of library books are waiting to be read!  :)

Not Ready to SAy Goodbye to Summer

No matter what, I am soaking up these last days of summer (even tho my BFF from another town came and decorated my home with all my fall decorations...)

The sun might retire earlier, the temperature of the pool water has dropped, and even though school begins very, very soon.... I'm not ready. Are you?

My BFF in town and her hubby came and had fish tacos with us tonight, and while the boys watched sports, she and I played Scrabble and jumped in and out of the pool.... with the pool light on! Like kids!

Remember those hot summer nights when you and your girlfriend would talk about boys and get wrinkly toes and fingers from being in the water so much?

Summmer....... love it!

What memories do you cherish from childhood summers?

Spicy Bean Salad

You knew it was going to happen!

It does every year!

Fall is scooting summer out the door. 

But summer is not a pushover...

While there's still a straggling amount of veggies in summer's garden, pick them for a Spicy Bean Salad lunch, and tote that and your latest magazine out to the yard and enjoy an end-of-summer picnic!
 
This is quick to make, so don't worry about that; I'm all for hurrying to get outside and drinking in the dregs of summer! 

Here's what you do...

1. Dump 15-oz cans of kidney, black, and cannellini (white kidney) beans into a colander. Rinse and drain them. (No, do not even think of skipping the rinsing. Once you see all the foamy ick you are washing down the drain, you will thank me for this process.) Pour into a darling bowl...mine is red and white polka dots, which was a Christmas gift last year.
2. 
   
   
3. Chop up a green bell pepper and lots of red, yellow, & orange sweet peppers, and also half a red onion. (I'd show you pictures, but the rest of them went awol...WAH!
4. Add small package of thawed frozen corn. (Kernels, not cob.)
5. In a 32-oz measuring cup, place the following: 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup each wine & balsamic vinegars, 2 TBSP lime juice, 1 TBSP lemon juice, 2 TBSP sugar, 1 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste), 2 cloves crushed garlic, 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, 1/2 TBSP cumin & pepper, 1/2 tsp chili powder (or more), and if you wish, one dash Tabasco. Stir well, pour half over bean mixture, and taste. Add more dressing to your liking.

 (This is a scanned picture from a few years ago. It's the best I can do.)


Enjoy summer before it takes its nine-month slumber!

The Best Part of Waking Up....

My default setting for arising early is called Superman. Since he has to arise and shine for work five days a week, there is no option for me but to groan and moan and slide out of our nice, cozy, comfy, scrumptious bed. I mean, the least I can do is fix that hard-working man a sumptuous breakfast (or at least place a bowl and spoon on the counter for his cereal).

Superman will often greet me with, "Good morning, Sunshine." But sun-shiny is not how I feel. I mumble back something incomprehenDible, and then pour the water in the coffeemaker. 

Must. Have. Coffee.

Really, I'm coming to the conclusion that I am a BRUNCH girl.

This morning, though, is Saturday!!!!  Yay!perhaps with a different husband ... I might get to be that brunch girl and stretch out of bed around 10ish... but, on summer weekends, Superman still arises early to beat the heat on his bike ride...

I can't win.

So, I join him. While making him a Spanish omelet, I decided to make me a verrrrrry healthy one, too. So, here goes....

~ roasted tomatoes and garlic

~ lightly sauteed (in extra virgin olive oil) green onions

~ one egg, three egg whites (dog gets the extra yolks; it's good for her coat... makes it shine like the sun) and lots of seasonings (a must with egg whites)

~ stir up the eggs as if scrambling them (makes a fluffy omelet), but stop before they clump together (in this picture below, I still had more stirring to do; the eggs need to be less runny than that); turn heat off

~ a little grated Parmesan... mmmmmmmmmmm

~ sprinkle on top

~ top half with two roasted garlic cloves and some of the tomatoes

~ fold over and top with more, if you dare, cuz they arrrre tangy; sprinkle with a bit of parsley ...and more cheese if you phleese

~ cover

... in the meantime, while eggs finish cooking ...

~ slice fruit and avocado and enjoy!

~ don't throw these scraps away yet! scrape off that extra avocado and slather it onto your face while you clean the breakfast mess, then later, wash it off, and voila - enjoy a sunshiny glow all day...it's the vitamin A ya know!

~~~~~You are now ready to greet the day~~~~~~

GOOD MORNING, SUNSHINE!  :)

Coffee, no tea, and Thee :)

While Superman rolls away on his morning bike ride, I am sipping coffee and talking to thee. One of my favorite things to do!

(Well, that, and dancing, reading, sewing, riding my bikes, winning at Scrabble, swimming, gardening, driving, yakking with friends (such as YOU), writing... ah... the list is unending! Since Superman says, "You can make a party out of paying bills, even!" you can tell that I love finding the small delights in life. And if I can't find them, I create them, and if I can't do that, then I have friends who help! yayayayay!)

Did you know I love coffee? Fun coffee (think Starbucks), black coffee, it's all the same for me - just gotta have it! In the winter, teas are my friends a lot more than in summer. Green tea is supposed to be very good for you, and white tea, and black tea (which looks brown to me; ever notice that discrepancy?), so every once in a while, I will toss all three bags into one mug and smile at my cleverness. (It is OK to smile at yourself!)

It's not my birthday today, but this ahead-of-its-time fallish weather (there's even yellow leaves on my front porch!) has me thinking of my birthday, and since I needed a mug in which to pour my yummer coffee.... well, I chose it. And my friend Lyn chose it for me last year, and what a wonderful gift, don't you think?

Starbucks is expensive, so today's brew was simply milk, the last few chocolates (58% dark) from the gift shop at Peachy Canyon Winery, and coffeemaker-dripped-coffee on top of more hand-dripped coffee, in hopes of imitating Starbucks' coffee's boldness. It worked!

Oh! And LOOK! A new pen holder for my purse! Every time I pull out this emptied chocolate tin (and, no, I'm not going green---JUST PINK), my BFF getaway with Shannon will be another happy rerun! (See... more delights. They are in every nook and cranny of our lives!)

Find something delightful in your day, and tell me all about it!

A Girly Girl!

Age doesn't matter! 

This girl is going to call herself a girl till I've gone to heaven and my eyes fall on my beloved Jesus' face!

Aprons with ruffles help a woman feel like a girl... that can twirl... and put on dangly, sparkly earrings.... and... and, OH!... it just makes cooking dinner such a delightful occasion!!!

This apron is so cute & fun & ooooLLaLLaLLaaaaaa, and Superman comments every time I wear it (I'm dying if I'm lying lol). What girl could help but tie it on when a husband, whose majority of vocabulary got left on Krypton, actually utters the words she longs to hear - "CUTE."  (He might be talking about the apron, but I am reallly thinking he is talking the whole package, living apron stand (moi) and all!

If I ever find fab as awesome as this apron's, I might make them and sell them, so that the whole world of women (WWW) can twirl and swirl and find joy in being a girl!

A wise girl builds her house...!

Old-Fashioned Summer

I did it!!

This month's Schnibbles quilt is finished! 

* You know how finishing anything creates deep within a wonderful feeling, that just gurgles and bubbles and splashes out into joyous joy. *

So, you'd think the name of this quilt, "Joy Luck," would be fitting~ * ~but I can adorn it with no other name than   "Old-fashioned Summer," because my mind would wander off to restful summer places as each stitch found its happy home in my little quilt. (This quilt was supposed to have a darling border added, and I did cut all the pieces, sewed them together, and arranged them around the quilt. But I couldn't do it. Adding them would have made my quilt too big to be a homey tablecloth over my new/old vintage table.)

....Be still and know that I am God....  Psalm 46 (you'll find this verse in there)  :)

 ....breezes twirling your hair... sips from freshly-squeezed lemonade with a sprig of mint leaves... mind disengaged from the world and locked into a good book... you're nestled in a comfy chair... in the shade in a pretty summer place... (remember that? that thing called summer relaxation, like a real old-fashioned summer?)....

With every Schnibbles I sew, there seems to be a lesson....  IT IS OKAY TO NOT BE PERFECT...  "Nono... don't give up!"... PATIENCE... perseverance... & with old-fashioned summer????  --- I learned that we do not live by feelings!!! No. We do not.

Feelings were telling me to lay down and take a nap. They were telling me to sit and read blogs (remember yesterday's lethargy?). but, had i done any of those, and obeyed my feelings, my feelings today would have been full of bummed-outness, because then I wouldn't have this darling tablecloth-quilt to accompany me to my summer place! And not only that, but I would have not been included in the Schnibbles parade, yet again! So, check those feelings before they later leave you with worse ones!  the end.  :)

To see the Schnibbles Parade *August 5th*  go HERE or HERE

Come back and see me again!

Building Blocks...

After a two-month hiatus, and the deadline merely two short days away, the push is on to get this month's Schnibbles done!

But I'm sooooo tired. 

And lazy.

Not anything like the day before yesterday's surplus of energy (why can't everyday be like that? Ummm.... what you eat plays into these surges or zaps. I ate a lot of very bad food this morning, and now I am paying for it with lethargy. You wanna hear the absurd reason I ate very bad food this morning? Because I've been eating very good food for a very long time and the scale refuses to prove it! Isn't that a silly reason to eat junk? Ever do this?? ).

Anyhoo, I'm going to grab a glass of water, then head into that sewing room with a mad purpose, even if I have to lay my lethargic brain on the sewing table every now and then.

wish me LUCK

the blessings of homemaking

You've heard me say it before, many, many times --

I LOVE HOMEMAKING.

Contentment in it is hugging me tightly this morning.

For some reason, I woke up full of energy; I could not wait to begin the day. This is soooo not usual. I like it!!!

About a year ago, my BFF and I each bought a homemaking devotional. She loved it, and I could never really get going in it. Not sure why. But today, in between my smiles, cleaning, laundry, thanking the Lord, and sewing, I have taken the time to sit on my little rocking love sofa and have scanned the pages of some good books....

This week's devotional (there are 52 weeks of devotionals to encourage a homemaker's heart) was on jam and fruit and the fruit of the Spirit. Encouraging!

Then, in my Bible, I've been reading Numbers and Joshua. Did you know that complaining is displeasing to the Lord, and that when we utter it, He hears every single moan, groan, wail, stomp? Yep... "And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it..." (Numbers 11:1a). {This was a great reminder for moi.}

Also, I read one chapter from a library book about men. Things women/wives should know. Secrets. Stuff to make us smarter in our relationships with the more muscular half of the world. So far, I am loving it! When I finish, if it's good and has lots to glean, I will give you the title.

I highly suggest going about your homemaking this way. Stopping to read not only refreshes you and gives your legs and mind a break, it also stimulates you to grow (unless you're reading romance novels...).

and let us consider how to stimulate one another

to love and good deeds

Hebrews 10:24 

 

Later... Liz

Broken Cord...

Tuesday is one of the few 'no sprinkler' days at our house. It's when I hang laundry and do yard work.

Like today.

Except, after hours of raking and pruning and sweating and praying, the cord got caught in the electric pruner/saw thingy. Oooops!

Did you know that a thick electric cord will NOT run your great tools if it's cut in half???? It's true!

This has reminded me that when we do not spend time with the Word, we do not run too well either. 

So, while I shower, you read your Bible, if you haven't yet today.  :) 

Psalm 29 would be a delightful choice....

Ciao!

Mama Mia! Mama Mia!!

Whether you say it in French or in English, it still comes out the same... or, hey, even in Italian  -- YUMMY!

Yard work has its arms crossed over its chest, one foot impatiently beating a quick tempo, but I refuse to be intimidated! 

Cook I must!

The plethora of juicy red tomatoes are begging me to play with them!

So, first...

Do you know how to easily peel a tomato? It's simple: Take the edge of your knife and carefully, but firmly, rub it all the way over the outer skin. 

Then, slice a bit off the edge, and peel away. (Tomatoes really are thin-skinned, so talk nicely to them as you gently pull it away from the bulk of the tomato.) You can also dip them in boiling water for a few seconds, then submerse them in ice-cold water, but sacré bleu!... too much work, too many pots to wash. 


So, craving Hillbilly Spaghetti (hitherto, HS), I decided to make a lighter version, using my own darling 'maters and slow-growing green onions. Yipppeeee! Jillian say that to be a "locavore", all you have to do is eat local food. And she's not talking the McDonald's just down the street! No, she is cheering for the local farmers. I'm all for them!  :)  However, Superman makes our backyard a VERY local farm, so hip hip hooooray!!! 


And, no... LOL... using my own garden's veggies does not make a recipe lighter (tho it sure does seem like it!!!), but in the case of the HS, I did not add the ground beef/turkey, the Italian sausage, and I replaced 1% milk for the heavy cream. Oh, and in place of the8-oz. thin spaghetti i used 4-oz whole wheat rotini ('cuz i had that at home). Next time, though, I will use 8-oz of the rotini. I just wasn't sure if the sturdier wheat pasta would suck up all the liquid... it doesn't. Hence, I had to add un-called-for Italian seasoned tomato paste.


Just used lots of cheese!  grin, grin, GRiN!


Anyhoo, just look how yummy! I had sooooo much fun today. Of course, my new brown-n-beige and yellow and orange apron added to the festive kitchen afternoon gala!! ooolaaaaawee! (I took a pic of myself, but it was too dark to see the fun of the thing.)

My very own grown, picked, washed, peeled, and crushed tomatoes...

Cooking is rather a beautiful thing, is it not?

I think so...


Jillian says to eat your A.L.L.I.U.M.S = onions, leeks, chives, shallots, scallions. They detoxify the bod!
Oookay...


(Just a side note... If you haven't seen Calamity Jane with Doris Day, rent it from Netflix and be prepared to be thoroughly entertained!)


Magnifico!!! muuuhwaaaaa...
(Superman loves to grow veggies, not eat them. So, to keep him from flying to that local McDonald's, the other pot you see over to the right, has his chili verde! ole...everyone's happy, happy!)

Want a taste of the sauce (pre tomato paste, cheese, etc., added)?

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMgood!

Cooking can be fun!


In case you lost the real recipe from the last time I blogged about it, go HERE. and here are my revisions....  :)  Buon appetito!

oh, lol, look what i just found. lol.... hope it helps you! 

A Little Husband Nurturning...

They were the best! Every single older woman God put in my path when I was younger, in person or through books or radio, was the best. Elisabeth Elliot, Elizabeth George, Elizabeth Prentiss, Shirley Dobson, Lee Ezell, Anne Ortland, and many, many, many more. We were all so fortunate to have these women teach us to love our God...and our husbands. And, thankfully, the Lord gave us the grace to have teachable hearts. 

We soaked up their words of wisdom, and then, squeezed out all of it upon our families. What a blessing!

One small nugget from those days was to "Nurture your husband." Oh-so-carefully we were taught to guard the 'couple-ship' of marriage. And that we did, encouraging one another daily with ideas, admonishing each other when we were being apathetic (and yes, we loved this, too. we didn't always like it, but we were hungry to be wise).

Anyhoo, after Superman returned home from a week-long business trip, I wrote a couple of notes to him. One is still on our bathroom mirror (tho... today, it must go when I clean that room). 

If it's been a while since you sent your Love a sweet little note, I encourage you to bless him soon. :)

(A card I sent Superman years ago, is still displayed amongst the family pictures in his office; these things do matter to a husband's heart.)

Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser, teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning.

Proverbs 9:9

^{7-12 (from The Message)} If you reason with an arrogant cynic, you'll get slapped in the face;
   confront bad behavior and get a kick in the shins.
So don't waste your time on a scoffer;
   all you'll get for your pains is abuse.
But if you correct those who care about life,
   that's different—they'll love you for it!
Save your breath for the wise—they'll be wiser for it;
   tell good people what you know—they'll profit from it.
Skilled living gets its start in the Fear-of-God,
   insight into life from knowing a Holy God.
It's through me, Lady Wisdom, that your life deepens,
   and the years of your life ripen.
Live wisely and wisdom will permeate your life;
   mock life and life will mock you. 

 

Ooooh, I so want to be wise! I bet you do, too!

:) 

Thankful Monday

The sun is shining, the sky is blue, I'm about to ride my bike and get great legs too. (ya, poet, don't ya know)

But, before I fly on my newly painted vintage Schwinn (Superman did a number on it... pictures to come as soon as my stickers arrive and get plastered on), I just wanted to invite you to join me in a Monday of thanksgiving. 

During my quiet time, I read this:

I will praise the name of God with a song, 

and will magnify Him with thanksgiving.

Psalm 69:30

Spurgeon said in his Treasury of David commentary, "How sure was our Redeemer of ultimate victory, since he vows a song even while yet in the furnace. In us, also, faith foresees the happy issue of all affliction, and makes us even now begin the music of gratitude which shall go on for ever increasing in volume, world without end."

My list of things to be thankful for has begun... 

Lord, thank You for....

Superman, Noah, Amy, Tim...

  A swimming pool...

    Grace...

      the ability to see in color... (and to be able to just SEE)

        for bloggerinas who will pour out thanks to You all day, too...

          that I was brave enough as a kid, tho always chickenhearted, to teach myself to ride a bike, because it is one of life's joys for me...

              for the blood of Jesus that washes me white as snow...

                 for tastebuds!  :)

                   that I can read...

                           Your Word to us...

and this is just the beginning! Got anything to say? Talk to me! :)

Happy Sunday!

With a slightly sore throat and a bit of a head cold,

I am for sure going to thank God for this day of rest! 

Superman came into our bedroom this morning and placed my cup of coffee on the nightstand (one of my most fav things he does for me), then said, 

"You've slept nine hours! That's enough for anyone; get up!"

Hmmmm....

I don't remember setting that particular alarm clock! 

Anyhoo, before I show you some pictures, a friend mentioned to me that I make Superman seem like he possess some mighty perfect powers. 

Well... lemme tell ya ---

There are times I want to step on his cape and make him trip (I know, not nice).

Or...

Maybe get a firm grip on his cape, begin whirling around and around in a circle till I could let go and send him off for a quick flight amongst the stars (a mini vacation lol).

Still, there's no one on earth for me but him.

In this day of giving up, walking out, and seeking our own wishes and desires and happinesses, choose to stay and obey the Word of God, rely on the Holy Spirit's power, the nearness of Jesus, and the unconditional, never-going-nowhere-away-from-us love of God.

.He is faithful.

Now, onto less important, but fun, matters....

I buy Pillsbury's boxed crusts. I would love to make my own, but not one - EVER - has turned out (except for the apple crostini one; have I ever shared that Barefoot Contessa recipe? yum... in the fall i will).

This one below I cooked on the barbie and DID NOT POKE HOLES IN.

And look -- it didn't shrink ten sizes!!!  :)

And you just knew I had to show you more summer treaures. 

I must!

They are little gifts from God's hand, every single day!

Thank You, Lord!

This is what I do with these beauties...

1.  Take a slice off the tomato I am going to use, and then placing my nose ever so close to the edge, I inhale deeply of the kisses of sunshine. A summer tomato's perfume is happiness! Don't eat one without the experience of inhaling! (Uh, through nose, not mouth.)
   
   
2. Slice thin, pop a few raw ones in my mouth, sprinkle with Meyer Lemon extra virgin olive oil, turn a lot of grinds of lemon pepper all around (the veggies, not the counter!), then grill till slightly browned and tender. Mmmmmm-m-mmm!
3. That frying pan has holes in it so that nothing, like fish, can escape into the barbie's fiery depths. I learned about it from my girlfriend, and now.. you heard it from moi. My pan came from Walmart or Linen's n Things, but I found it here, too. Happy Sunday!