WATCHING AND WONDERING…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SIMPLE WOMAN’S DAYBOOK…one more week of June

My own version of the Simple Woman's Daybook for today…

Outside my window...lots of cumulus clouds floating by, gradually joining together to become some scattered thunderstorms later in the evening I imagine.

I am thinking…Laziness overtook me late in the day… should have gotten myself out of this chair and gone to camp meeting at our church’s campgrounds…it’s beginning tonight.  (Different preachers for the next four nights, giving us their input on Matthew 25 and our ‘going’)

I am thankful for...having lunch at Red Robin’s with friends and CollegeGirl today, then spending the afternoon ‘talking’ about ‘stuff’ as she’s in between semesters…she’s working on a few  ‘TV show’ and ‘film extra’ sets…some pretty good part-time work; and, she’s met a couple of ‘stars’.  Or, I should say they’ve met ‘my star’…yea, that’s better!

From the kitchen...the hand-cranked ice cream bucket is waiting for its bath before going back to the basement…maybe I’ll keep it upstairs for a while and make another batch.  The peach/vanilla was AWESOME!…and there are leftovers

I am reading...FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS (WWII Iwo Jima flag ‘raisers’)

I am creating...a crocheted baby outfit for a little girl that will be arriving in July. 

Around the house...my guest room continues to call out to me to ‘empty me, please!’.  It’s my ‘put it here in the interim room’ and the interim has run out, I believe.

On my MP3 player this week...talk radio…

One of my favorite things:  finding a really good recipe that is easy to remember.

One of my least favorite things...watching the squirrels eat the bird food after the raccoon destroyed the ‘squirrel stopper’ bird feeder.

 A Simple Grace Note: Our new pastor preached his first sermon today; it’s a bittersweet time (our last pastor was here 12 years).  Will begin ‘praying our new pastor up as he and his wife transition.

My simple devotion:  Freedom is ours in Christ…no need to hide ourselves behind a veil.  Christ as our intercessor, sits next to His Father (physically) while showing His ‘whiter than snow’ face speaks loving Words to cover our ugliness…this IS grace.

2 Cor. 3:15-18   ^“Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers “Israel's” hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

A Picture to Share:

1/2 can condensed milk

4 peeled/chopped peaches

tsp. vanilla

4 c. soy milk

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 c. Splenda

Thirty minutes of churning …MMMMMMMMM, good! 

THIRTY WEEKS DOWN, 22 to go…

JOINING SARA AND GROUP
SUNDAY, 7/22
Slept late having spent most of the night with an unhappy tummy…no pics that day




MONDAY, 7/23
BS&K and I spent late morning cleaning and sanding the chairs I picked up for FREE at a local restaurant that was closing.  On my way home, I stopped and bought a ton of veggies from a road-side market who carries, bar none, the BEST tomatoes I’ve ever put in my mouth. 











TUESDAY, 7/24
Here it is cooked…oh my goodness, gracious!  Bless the Lord for our bounty, for He provided.











FRIDAY A.M.
BS&K and I worked hard stapling new covers on the cushions…I borrowed her picture, thanks!













FRIDAY P.M.
We were part of the billion+ people throughout the world watching Great Britain kick off their Summer Olympics. 

I still think Daniel Radcliffe should have been in his Harry Potter costume and lit the cauldron…how awesome would that have been?





















SATURDAY, 7/28
Leftovers were for lunch, but later in the afternoon I decided to make some beer bread (using a new beer we’ve found)…it made it taste like sourdough.





HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK, EVERYONE!

THISnTHAT...WHATCHA COOKIN?

Caught up on blogging while sipping my morning coffee...played a couple of rounds of 'Family Feud' and 'Wheel of Fortune' on my laptop...since our cable company decided to move the gameshow network to the "upgraded" service, I don't get to watch it anymore.

Ran to the post office to mail BabyGirl's coat...found it on the settee this morning.  Traffic around the square was crazy busy...and I had waited until later in the day to go.  I thought it would be a fairly quick trip...WRONG!  (I do try to avoid running into the 'lunchtime' errand runners).  Anyway, the box is on its way so it should arrive in a couple of days before the onslaught of the next 'frigid' weather.

The temperature was dropping rapidly as I returned to the house...guess it's coming in quicker than I had thought.  My clean dishes were calling from the nightly-run dishwasher so I rescued them from their temporary spa before immediately adding more dirties in their place. 

Watched Ina Garten for a little bit...not too impressive today.  Put away the final batch of Christmas items in the basement and grabbed some of the dinner fixings from the freezer. 

Jenny @ Flutterbye Chronicles is  wondering what different things we're cooking lately.  My last dinner was 30-minute easy and hubby went back for seconds, always a good sign!


I had a quart of leftover, diced butternut squash... so I  tossed it into a pot with a packet of Sazon Tropical, a tablespoon of coconut cream, a tblsp./butter and a 1 1/2 cups of water...after boiling it down, the immersion blender whirred it into a wonderfully colorful, flavorful and full-of- nutrients soup to have alongside the Bird's Eyes Voila (garlic shrimp/pasta/corn/carrot/broccoli and warmed Hawaiian rolls...yummo!

The evening was quiet while I knitted the shawl I started last week, DaddySkoot napped off and on under a blanket while CHUCK was taking down Alexi Volkoff... before Chuck's sister gave birth to a baby girl while Chuck was proposing to Sarah in the hallway...how can you sleep through that? hahahah

What fun did you have today?  Come on over to Flutterbye and tell us what you've been cooking... ;)

ANOTHER 'NO-BAKE' in case you need a quick recipe

No-Bake Fudgy Snow Balls

Servings: 21 • Serving Size: 1 cookie • Old Points: 1 pt • Points+: 2 pts

Calories: 69.5 • Fat: 3.8 g • Carb: 9.2 g • Fiber: 2.2 g • Protein: 2.1 g

15 pitted dates

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup whole roasted unsalted almonds

1 tbsp honey

2 tbsp water (or more if needed)

3 tbsp confectioner's sugar

Add almonds to your food processor and pulse until ground. Add dates, cocoa powder, honey, and water. Mix until it forms a sticky mass. If it seems too dry, add a little water, 1 tsp at a time. Wash hands and using damp hands (keep sink running) measure 1 tbsp and roll into a ball with the dough. Set balls on parchment paper.

Put confectioner's sugar in a bowl. Roll balls in your hand and then roll in sugar.

Can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.

Thanks, Gina...

Jer. 33:3

"Call to me and I will answer you

and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."

Blessings,

COOKIE ANYONE?...COOKIE EXCHANGE

JOINING the Bowyers FOR A GREAT COOKIE EXCHANGE...at such an opportune time...I can have some new cookies to keep out through the Holidays.  My selection is an EASY PEASY...I like easy peasy, don't you?!

Orange Bites
1 box of vanilla wafers - usually 12oz

1 6oz can of frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

1 box of powdered sugar - 16oz

1/2 cup butter

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1 cup toasted, shredded coconut (optional)

Crush the vanilla wafers until fine.

Mix vanilla wafers, orange juice, powdered sugar, butter, and chopped pecans.

Shape the mixture into walnut-size balls.  Store the bites in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator. (If you like toasted coconut, you can roll them in some coconut before storing.)

Makes approx. 5 dozen cookies.

So easy - yet so delicious!


Jer. 33:3

"Call to me and I will answer you

and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." Blessings,

BERTIE & ME, WHAT A DREAM!...AND A WINNER!

On March 6 I had a Saturday Giveaway opportunity...and the drawing was supposed to have been on Sunday night 3/14/10. Just wanted to say "I'm sorry" and ask you forgiveness in NOT getting the giveaway handled(due to many reasons, let me just say).

Finally, today the names of those who posted from 3/6/2010-3/14/2010 were added into random.org so WE HAVE A WINNER. The top name after hitting the random order number button,

There were 48 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

Chari@HappyToDesign Timestamp: 2010-03-23 18:23:23 UTC...

so, Chari, send your 'snail mail' name and address to me at Skoots1Mom@gmail.com and it will be on its way to you!

SECONDLY, THESE ADORABLE CUPCAKES CERTAINLY CAUGHT MY EYE...

AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE GIVEAWAYS TO GO ALONG WITH THE.

One such giveaway is for BERTIE...the below blender.

Kacey and Francesca are eager to hear our stories about birthdays, parties and the like giving reasons we would like to have BERTIE come live at our house.

Well, I would so love for Bertie to come live at my house...so I can give my current mixer to someone who doesn't mind a noisy kitchen.


Hubby 'kinda' listened and bought me a stand mixer one Christmas...hhmmm.


I've STRUGGLED to MAKE IT into a Kitchenaide...but, a Kitchenaide it ain't. It is certainly an IT.


IT's bowl truly holds onto the base but when I need to remove it for cleaning, IT hangs onto the base as if I'm going to torture it with my dish detergent and scrubby...."No, you can't make me go!", IT screams.


IT also roars like a lion when on LOW (I've not been brave enough to put it on HIGH, IT might might fly off the base and out through the roof off like a jet engine...or IT might report me to the Department of Family and Mixer Services for unfair labor in my kitchen.).


Finally, it's WHITE...I like white, really...but, everything in my kitchen is either stainless or black ("but it was a GOOD deal"...so he said)


Oh, Bertie, I long for your saying "adios" to Francesca and Kacey, long for our times together bidding "so long" to IT and llong to form a lasting relationship while we mix, whip, knead, and cream our combined talents creating tasty treats for my family and all those who will want to meet you!

Jer. 33:3

"Call to me and I will answer you

and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."
Blessings,

FALL INTO FLAVOR: Sweet Potatoe Biscuits (Martha-Stewart style)

Joining Linda @ 2nd Cup: http://2nd-cup-of-coffee.blogspot.com/2009/11/pepper-fall-into-flavor.html for her Fall Into Flavor meme:

...this recipe is from MARTHA STEWART LIVING...yummo!

I'm not good at coming up with my own recipes so I count on those online or in my books...

We absolutely LOVE sweet potatoes in our house and these are delicious when you have the time to make them from scratch with whole sweet potatoes...a great addition to Thanksgiving :)

"Call to me and I will answer you

and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."
Blessings,

FALL INTO FLAVOR 1/5

Joining Linda @ 2ndCup

It's Fall...

when I think Fall, I think PUMPKIN

So,

I'll start with the EASIEST recipe I've ever made...

PUMPKIN MUFFINS

1 can 'pumpkin pie mix'

1 box, yellow cake

Mix ingredients, pour into greased muffin tins, bake 20-22 mins in 350* oven

That's it!! :)

FALL also brings different Messianic/Jewish celebrations...Sukkot was most recent...this is from BETH ADONAI (a Bible Based (Old and Renewed Covenant) Congregation worshipING the way Yeshua/JESUS and his disciples did. They celebrate the feasts and practices of the Torah as they experience Mathew 5:17 where Yeshua said "I have not come to abolish the

Torah or the Prophets, but to bring them to their fullness.")

(Sukkot is first mentioned in the Bible as the name of the first stopping place of the Israelites on their journey out of Egypt in

Exodus.)

Genesis 33:17

“Ya’acov went on to Sukkot, where he built himself a house and put up shelters for his cattle. This is why the place is called Sukkot [shelters].”

The word "sukkot" actually means "woven". These shelters (booths) were woven together from branches and leaves to

protect the animals from the sun, so sukkot later came to mean the hut or booth with the "woven" roof. Since we are

commanded to build a hut or booth on this holiday as a reminder of G-d's sheltering care for us, this feast is called

"Sukkot". (One booth is a "sukkah", and being a feminine noun, in Hebrew the plural becomes "sukkot".)

Leviticus 23:42-43

“You are to live in sukkot for seven days; every citizen of Israel is to live in sukkah, so that generation after generation of you

will know that I made the people of Israel live in sukkot when I brought them out of the land of Egypt; I am Adonai your God.”

WORKS 4 ME WEDNESDAY

RECENTLY, I became sick of sticking my fingers while reaching for the corn holders in my kitchen drawer...

you know the kind I mean...

the yellow, little plastic ears of corn with the two steel pins that you skewer into the ends of your REAL ears of corn--so you can roll them in the corn coaster or plate,

and gather all the rich butter before you chomp down on the luscious, little white/yellow morsels of sweetness!

I don't have any fancy ones, or cute ones like you find on the internet:

(thanks FunniestGadgets.com)

Oh, back to my original discussion...

holes in my fingers each time I cook corn...

the little steel skewers are deadly when they are free in my kitchen drawer, especially when they are floating in the back behind the silverware drawer in the dark.

Plato, the Republic/Greek author & philosopher

in Athens (427 BC - 347 BC) said,

"Necessity, who is the mother of invention."

SO...I cut a sponge to fit in the bottom of a wide-bottomed plastic cup (that fits in my drawer)...then "stabbed" all the corn knobs into the sponge so they'll stay in one place and not be "laying in wait" for my fumbling fingers to be pierced by them in the dark! I probably should try to market this idea but at the moment I don't have the capital to run down that idea through the patent office.

Anyway...it WORKS 4 ME!!

Now, my fingers are much happier....

now like Dr. Seuss's, THE 5,000 FINGERS OF DR. T, my fingers are happy like Bart's (Tommy Rettig).

He didn't enjoy his piano lessons with the mean-spirited Dr. Terwilliker (Hans Conried) because he figured his fingers and time were better spent playing baseball (http://filmfanatic.org/reviews).

Now I play me some piano, but I don't take lessons anymore and I don't have Dr. Terwilliker making me practice; however, I do enjoy using my fingers to crochet without having to feel the holes in my fingers from the corn knobs...

life is good again!

So,

for more WORKS FOR ME WEDNESDAY,

GO TO:http://rocksinmydryer.typepad.com/shannon/

Proverbs 7:2-3

Keep my commands and you will live;

guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
Bind them on your fingers;

write them on the tablet of your heart.

Pears, Apples, and Pie, Oh My!!...FALL INTO FLAVOR

My mom has fruit trees in her yard...various apples, pears, and even two pecan trees. Back in August when I visited, the pears were the size of a large golf balls. Well, a little more time, and they are now the size of a fist.

She visited last weekend on their way back home from having gone to Katie's second birthday party...and she brought me two sacks, one of pears and one of apples!

I have washed, peeled and sliced each bagful and now am deciding what to do with the golden, scrumptious pieces of fruit.

My first endeavor was a fresh pear crumble pie...and it is not low fat...but it sure is good.

PEAR CRUMBLE PIE
Printed from COOKS.COM
1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell

4 c. peeled and cored pears cut in eighths

1 c. sugar

3 tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 c. flour

5 1/3 tbsp. butter

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. mace

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. grated lemon rind
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix pears, lemon rind, 1/2 cup sugar and lemon juice

nd arrange in unbaked pie shell.
Combine flour, remaining 1/2 cup sugar and spices.

Cut butter into flour mixture until crumbly.

Sprinkle over pears.

Bake for 45 minutes or until pears are tender.

The first fruits of the treats she shared with me were not going to be in a "calorie counting" dish.

Next time I'll be good and make it with splenda, low fat margarine and whole wheat flour, but for now, we're enjoying the "fruits of their labor"...and loving every bite.

Isaiah 27:6
In days to come Jacob will take root,
Israel will bud and blossom
and fill all the world with fruit.

FOR MORE WONDERFUL "FALL INTO FLAVORS", GO TO 2nd Cup

http://2nd-cup-of-coffee.blogspot.com/2008/10/fall-into-flavor-week-3-pluralism.html

with "Linda, Lidna, or Liddie"--whichever u prefer...We love her, call her lots of names cause she makes us LAFF!