Elephants and Skeletons

I know you like funny stories and design tips. I can't deliver that today. I have been awake since 4 a.m. The more the sun rose, the worse I felt. I had high hopes for today, but I am sick...not just physically.

I have a feeling if we tiptoed into your home and quietly opened your front door we might see an elephant or two sitting in your living room. Mine? Oh, I have several on any given day taking up lots of space...especially in my heart.

What's that rattling noise in my closet?  Do you hear it? Do you have that noise, too? It's those pesky skeletons again. Somebody must be trying to see what all is in there again or maybe they are making room for another one. People love those...in SOMEBODY ELSE'S closet. Have you noticed? They love to feast on other's famine. We are all guilty of joining that feast at one time or another.

This summer the ladies in our church are embarking on a study of biblical womanhood.
I am trying to attend with a totally open heart...like I have never heard of this concept. That's hard to do...but I need this study. I need guidance in how to handle all these "elephant" situations. My heart is full and empty simultaneously.

Does that make any sense? How can you be overwhelmed with grief and joy at the same time?
I know I sound like a loon...but that's where I am.

If you are down in this dark hole with me, please, know you are not alone. If you hear somebody blowing her nose..it's me. I am right there..but better yet..we have a Friend there too and He's there with us for the long haul. With His help we can hold our heads up and climb out. My prayer is that you and I may come to truly realize that. Hold on..not to me..but to the One's hand that can steady and strengthen us.

God bless you,

From Salad to Mushrooms and Back Again!!

My mother in law's old green wheel barrow was taking up too much real estate in the garage. Plus, its flat tire made it a behemoth to move around....so when I saw these wooden salad bowls at the thrift store...I had a vision...of a little herb garden. It would be tended by gnomes, with a little help from me. I could have all kinds of herbs for our summer salads!  Here go the steps:

Kilz the bowls and spray both inside and out with
gloss paint.
I used Rustoleum 2X coverage...in RED.

Handy Hubby cut some oak branches and screwed the
mushroom tops into the branches. I only have
$3 invested in the salad bowls, so if they don't
last for years and years...that's quite ok.



Up close....now play around with the placement.
(I painted the barrow, Lagoon, also Rustoleum,
and drilled holes in the bottom of the barrow
for drainage. I covered the holes with pottery
shards to help with drainage.)
Dirt and potting soil were then added.

Make sure you really firm up the dirt around
your mushrooms.
Plantings were mostly Italian type herbs.
I added some flowers and lavender and
an assorted gnomes and a little bird.

Promptly at 6:30 the next a.m., I, in my pj's
and robe, attached vinyl dots.

All that's left is to add mulch and a few
pots of flowers around the bottom to
hide that flat tire!

While on a mushroom roll, I decided to take
a broken planter and an unused birdbath bottom
 to make a larger mushroom...someone said
"a fire hydrant!"...haha

This morning promptly at 7:00 a.m. I filled my
coffee cup and went out to survey. The mulch
really looks nice. I would show you how nice
but I am having trouble adding new pictures..
so just take my word for it, it's cute!

Hope you are having a productive, peaceful day!

ANGELA

Over the River and Through the Woods....

Thanksgiving's on its way!! I have always had the most difficult time making dressing (southern for "stuffing".) Once we threw it out to the birds and they flew away...so when I found this recipe for Crock Pot Chicken and Dressing, I thought, "Why not?" I am SO glad I tried it...it's not the usual throw everything into the slow cooker and walk away. The prep time is longer, but it's worth it...this is THE BEST DRESSING ever! I found this recipe here:  http://www.mommyskitchen.net/2012/10/crock-pot-chicken-dressing-happy.html
I must say, her blog on this was much prettier than mine! I am still getting used to Windows 8 and a new laptop. Either way, you will enjoy this recipe. I promise.

Read recipe all the way through before attempting. Here are the ingredients and instructions.

                             Bake 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts for about  40-45 minutes
                                                                     @ 375 degrees.
                                     (The recipe called for 5 but my family doesn't like that
                                                                     much chicken.)
                                                     Reserve broth from baked chicken.

Chop 2 stalks celery and 1 small onion
 (This is to be added to cornbread mixture below)

1-2 t. sage, 1 t. salt, 1-2 t. poultry seasoning,
and 1 t. pepper.
Add to cornbread mixture below.

Make two cornbreads from 2 packages of mix or use your own recipe.
 I used corn BREAD mix...NOT muffin mix!
(Muffin mix is sweet.)
Toast a hamburger bun or two pieces of bread.

Crumble and combine cornbread and 1 toasted hamburger bun
or 2 pieces of toasted bread.
Add spices.
 

Boil two eggs, peel and chop. Add to cornbread mix.

At this point, add one can of Cream of Chicken soup,
two cans of chicken broth and any chicken broth from the cooked
chicken breasts to the cornbread/bread mixture.
I used my Kitchenaid mixer to gently combine the mixture.
 

Melt one stick of butter.

Shred chicken breasts and get ready to add to cornbread mixture.
Add shredded chicken and melted butter to cornbread mixture.

Tip: I shred my chicken while it's warm with the mixer.
Add shredded chicken (after the butter) to the cornbread
mixture.

Tip: Melt butter in small bowl in microwave.

Tip: I have discovered Reynolds Slow Cooker liners!!
Greatest invention EVER! Add liner to Crock Pot.

Set on high for 4 hours.
Add 1/2 can of second can of Cream of Mushroom soup to bottom of liner.
Spread around the bottom.
Add all mixed ingredients to Crock Pot
 and  add the other 1/2 of the soup to the top.
The original recipe called for layering.
I did NOT do this, but feel free to.
I like the chicken throughout the dressing.

Tip: I keep a colander in the sink and put all egg shells,
cans, paper, etc. in it. At the end of the process,
I just toss everything into the trash can.

At the end of three and a half hours, check the dressing.
Mine began to cook too much around the edges.
After all, the ingredients were all cooked before they
went into the pot.

I must say, THIS IS THE BEST DRESSING I HAVE EVER EATEN!!
The dressing was moist, the chicken was tender and it was seasoned
just right!! My only question is, could we leave out the chicken
and just have plain dressing? I think so!!
PLUS: My husband LOVED it!!
After 36 years of trying, I did it!!

Let me know what you think!

Angela

Hello and happy summer (almost)!

So much has been going on here.

My husband has retired after 42 years of work

and we are adjusting to that.

So many tasks to do that have been set aside until

"One Day"...

One day has finally arrived!



My June 2014 Better Homes and Gardens

magazine arrived last week.

I was so busy that I tossed it into the

"One Day" pile and forgot about it

until today.

On a quick drive out of town to see #1 Little Sister

and family today, I grabbed the mag to read.

May I say that it was the best issue I have read in a great while.

So many beautiful pages...

filled with all sorts of sensible, affordable information.

I have changed my opinion...I used to think of

BH G's as a "granny" magazine...

not any more!



This month was the announcement of the BHG Blogger Award Winners!

They awarded two awards for each category...one was for Readers' Choice

and the other was for Editors' Choice.

I couldn't wait to go through and visit the sites.

Here were a few of my favorites.
(I am a very, very minor league blogger...these gals are Major Leaguers!)

Visit them when you can...you won't be disappointed.

 I really loved some of the colors and furniture choices in this blog.

Good before and after shots.

 This blog's author is funny and while some of her DIY projects are

a little more modern than my traditional tastes, many of you

will love them.

 Anything with the word Nest in it catches my eye.

Great eclectic projects. You will want to browse all night.

Wish I had seen this blog a long while ago. If you like to entertain,

this one is for you!

Try these out and let me know what you think.

Get a copy of the June BH&G!

 

Blessings,



 

A Look At Home

This week, two incidents have given me pause to examine some feelings. First, I have reconnected with some old friends from Grenada over the past few months and have enjoyed exchanging pictures of days gone by with them. Second, I received a decorating book that I ordered with the recommendation of another blogger. I knew I was wrong when I ordered the darn thing...too many pages were filled with things I could never have. I once had a pastor who said he threw away all the catalogs that came to his house. That they just set in motion a yearning for more and more things. How true.

As I mentally put the book aside, (still in my pajamas) I grabbed my camera and out the door I went.
I quietly absorbed the country stillness, the birds at the feeder, the gentleness of the breeze. I photographed "our land" from different angles.

This photo is the road "home". Every time I turn onto it, I feel a peace come over me. It's not grand...just a country road, but it signals that I can leave turmoil behind, if only for a while.

 

When I sit on my back porch, these pastures are my breathing space. Nothing fancy, just a few horses and some donkeys, a few rolling hills. But when I hear the hooves beat, and see them gallop toward their feeding area at dusk, it just can't be beat.

 

I enjoy sitting on my back porch when it rains and watching my rain chain flow.

 

 My birds that come to my feeders never disappoint me.

 

...and those that choose to nest with us every year are like loyal friends.

My friends are a lot like my favorite birds...there's the chickadee who always flits around, is friendly, kind,  shares with others and ALWAYS gives me birdseed as one of my Christmas presents! There are two cardinal friends. They are loyal, always present, and bring beauty and calm whenever they are around. Then there's my mockingbird. She is not afraid to tell me the unvarnished truth...she frequently states, "Stop the Madness!" and pulls me back when I overdo (..she also eats Mexican with me because my husband won't!) Now that's true friendship. My bluebird friend and I can be away from each other for many weeks, but when we get together, we pick right back up where we left off.

 

Below is my feeble attempt at gardening. I bought the tomato plant that was the largest and already had a tomato on it....lol.  My flowers really show off sometime and wither hideously other times. But I don't give up...every year I make space for some sunny little faces that give me immense pleasure when they decide to cooperate!

 

My point in this diatribe is that I really cherish my family, friends (both old and new)  and surroundings. I am satisfied..(if I had a workroom and a dining room, I'd be 100% satisfied). I don't love "things" like I used to. Instead, I love people and places that give me fond memories. I would rather somebody else be pleased or delighted than experience those feelings myself. No, I am trying to send out a "humble pie" vibe. It's just the plain truth.

I don't have to have a showroom house, inside or out. I used to think I did but not anymore. I consciously choose a home with integrity...furnishings with comfort...objects that have sweet memories and people with character and loyalty over showroom any day!

Blessings to each of you,

Angela