Seasonal abundance

Many of you are enjoying the last of the garden produce. We savor all the fruits and vegetables that are in season as they deliver the best flavor at the lowest price. I think that it is the same with life. Instead of going on an expensive vacation to a distant place, enjoy an hour or two celebrating the seasons at home. Be thankful in whatever weather, relax and enjoy God's seasonal abundance. Gather a fall bouquet, have a picnic, light sparklers, take a deep breath and relax. Just take joy.

Harvesting happiness

If you are willing to look you will find gifts of happiness all around you. Simple things; a favorite candle, sunshine, birds singing in the morning light, life's little wonders. I don't depend on big events or huge achievements to find my happiness. It comes from the daily blessings that I sometimes take for granted. You are rich if you have food, shelter and good work to do. So harvest some happiness today and enjoy life's simple blessings. Better yet~share those simple gifts with others!! Take joy. Take peace.

Short night~sore throat~take your vitamins

What a strange night! Acquired a sore throat yesterday evening so went to bed about 9:15 and laid awake until 11. Then I was up at midnight, 2, 4 and finally at 4:30 I just got up for the day. I may have had a little sleep between all those intervals. It will be interesting to see what I get done for today! I take a combination of flaxseed oil, fish oil and a multivitamin so maybe the recovery will be quick. Thinking of that this morning made me realize that I need to fuel my faith with spiritual vitamins; prayer, Bible reading, quiet time with God, meditation. I think when the sun comes out and the darkness of the night leaves that I will go for a long walk. It will nourish my soul and I'll get some extra Vit D!!

Snicker, snicker, snicker

Every morning I pack a lunch for LaVern to take to work, 5 days a week, all those weeks in a year. I try to put in a surprise once in a while and since he loves chocolate and since Snickers were on sale, today at noon he had a surprise in his lunch!! (snicker, snicker) I included alittle note to tell him how much he is appreciated. He called to thank me AND to tell me that he knows that size Snickers are NOT purchased individually so he knows there are more!! (snicker, snicker) I advised him that they were well hidden so I could spread the joy for alittle longer. (Maybe I'll move them each day to a new hidding spot, snicker, snicker)

The mess

It's been said that with age and life's experiences you learn and grow wiser. LaVern and I must still be the younger generation, we are not old! Yikes! Enclosed porch being opened up and deck will come off. I can just see it! I hope it is still this fall when I see it! (Love you LaVern)

Native American Day

In 1968, Ronald Reagan signed a resolution calling for a holiday called American Indian Day, to be held the fourth Friday in September. In 1998, the California Assembly passed AB 1953, which made Native American Day an official state holiday. South Dakota passed a similar resolution in 1990 celebrating the second Monday in October.

Positive thinking

I can make it happen. I will make it happen. It happened. A watermelon grew from seed that was planted in a cardboard box greenhouse by an eight year old boy as a Cub Scout project. Wish you were here Reid!

Watch your language

What you say mirrors what you believe. It is easy to be unaware of the "chatter" that runs through your mind when you are busy doing other things. I find myself saying things with my mouth but my mind is somewhere else. I need to slow down and become conscious of my thoughts. I can substitute faith-filled statements for words of disbelief. Think about this: instead of saying "I can't afford" say "God is my source." Positive affirmation: instead of "I can't" say "I will." With the troubling economic times that we are in right now, thoughts of worry fill alot of people's minds and we all need to use the power of praise as a reminder of God's love and care for us. Praise God and pray for one another.

Today's tasks done

Peanut butter cookies out of the oven
Two loads of clothes hanging on the line
Wool picked out for a new rug
Cowboy cookies stirred and ready to go in the oven
Veneer chiseled off the back of a chair and sanded
Bathroom cleaned
Chickens tended
Sanded, cleaned and repaired a small wash stand
Upstairs "junk" room rearranged
I'd like to go out and work on the mess where we tore down the old garage but my back is hurting something fierce! Kind of been oncoming and I just didn't slow down. Probably didn't help to sit on bleachers most of the day last Friday at the Standbred auction and probably won't help sitting again on bleachers this Saturday at the Maryville, MO. draft horse/mule auction! Oh boy, just had a phone call and I guess I am going to pick up a couple horses and men and take them to MO. at 5 this afternoon so I better go finish those cookies!! Take joy.

Favorite things

Tillie Rose and The Cat

Pumpkin Spice Latte

I have a dear sister-in-law who lives in Greeley, CO. and works at a preschool. At Christmas she receives all kinds of gift cards, but quite a few for Starbucks, and then when we go out for a visit she treats me to a drink from there. (For me it is really a TREAT). I just heard from another friend that the Pumpkin Spice Latte has made its annual re-appearance and after some extensive browsing on the web I found a recipe that is real close. So, for those of us that live hours away from a Starbucks and those of us on a budget, here is the recipe:

Pumpkin Spice Latte

makes 1-2 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups milk

2 tablespoons canned pumpkin OR 1 teaspoon of Torani Pumpkin Spice Syrup(???)

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons vanilla extract (yes, that is tablespoons)

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1-2 shots espresso (about 1/4 cup OR 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee. I actually even tried it with making instant coffee; 1 tsp. to 6 oz. and that was good also)

Directions:

In a saucepan combine milk, pumpkin and sugar and cook on medium heat, stirring, until steaming. (I brought it to a simmer) Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and spice, transfer to a blender and process for 15 seconds until foamy. If you don't have a blender, don't worry about it - just whisk the mixture really well with a wire whisk. (Whisk works fine, it will still get foamy)

Pour into a large mug or two mugs (this makes 2 nice size coffee mugs full). Add the espresso or coffee on top. I added about 1/4 cup of coffee per each mug.

Optional: Top with whipped cream and sprinkle pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg or cinnamon on top. In my opinion, this is a given, not just optional.

I halve the recipe when LaVern isn't home or doesn't want one (which is not too often and he isn't a big fan of pumpkin)

Yummy! Perfect for fall, cool weather. Take joy in simple things.

Frost?

I think we may have alittle frost this morning. Too dark to see yet, even with the full moon! I was going to fire up the wood cook stove this AM but I'll have to wait for LaVern to rise as I think he wants to clean inside it just a bit. I wonder how many of you will rise and turn on the furnace this morning. I have both wood boxes filled with wood. Will get more stacked on the porch and my kindling wood bucket full. I have been gathering all sorts of candles, mostly tapers, from the thrift store. Going to try making some firestarters by filling paper egg cartons with sawdust and then you pour melted candle wax over those. Break off one egg holder when you need a starter and light it.

My plans today: hitch up the horse to the buggy and run over to my neighbors. If I have time I'll go on in to Diagonal and mail a package. Back home, leave the horse and drive to Creston with the stock trailer. Will do my errands while there and then pick up two Big totes of dry ice. This time of year our Amish neighbors' ice houses are empty so for a few weeks they rely on dry ice to cool their milk until the weather gets cold. We can only get two totes in the trailer so will be making two trips to Creston today. I have lots of recyling to take in so today will be a good day to get that done. Tomorrow's plan: getting up at 5 AM and going to Redding and pick up a horse and two Amish friends. Two more friends are going from our area and I am taking my buggy horse to an Amish buggy horse auction. There will be buyers from all over the country, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin and I am certain some really NICE buggy horses. My gelding just isn't traffic safe enough to satisfy me so I'm not going to feed him this winter but look for a different horse. I'm pretty sure I won't be able to afford a horse from this sale but it will be fun to look. Kinda like window shopping at the mall!

Take Peace

Peace is not the absence of trouble, Peace is the presence of God.

For laughs

My friend, John posted this on FB and I just had to pass it along. We think kids are exposed to all this unhealthy stuff, but remember this?
Me, behave? Seriously? As a child I saw Tarzan almost naked, Cinderella arrived home after midnight, Pinocchio told lies, Aladdin was a thief, Batman drove over 200 miles an hour, Snow White lived in a house with 7 men, Popeye smoked a pipe and had tattoos, Pac Man ran around to digital music while eating pills that enhanced his performance, and Shaggy and Scooby were mystery solving hippies that always had the munchies. The fault is not mine!

Sparks, Kansas show

Another great show and sellout in two days! We are so blessed by return customers and new ones! Thank you so much! The first two days the weather was a scorcher. 98 degrees plus and the humidity made it miserable. Then a torrential rain Saturday afternoon left us soaked and lots of water everywhere. But I still had a great time and have signed up for next spring! I once again did not get out to get pictures but did manage to take a couple near my booth. Did alittle shopping myself and saw a couple ideas for things I want to make. I'm looking forward to winter and rug hooking now! Catching up on laundry here at home. Slowly unloading the tents, etc. from the show. Weather is just awesome here, 70's during the day and low 50's at night. I love fall! Take joy.

The Twenty-Third Pound

My appetite is my shepherd.
I shall always want.
It maketh me to sit down and stuff myself.
It leadeth me to my refrigerator repeatedly.
It leadeth me in the path of "Burger King" for a whopper.
It destroyeth my shape.
Yea, tho I knoweth I gaineth,
I will not stop eating for the food tasteth so good.
The ice cream and cookies,
they comfort me.
When the table is spread before me,
it excites me, for I
Knoweth that, soon I shall dig in.
As I filleth my plate continuously,
my clothes runneth smaller.
Surely bulges and excess weight
shall follow me all the days
of my life and
I will be fat forever.