Cooking once; eat several times

Monday morning, looking into the refrigerator and seeing a package of ground beef and one of chicken breast tenders, I knew I would be cooking today. I like cooking several main dishes one day and being able to eat for several days, like a mini smorgasbord. I checked in the cooler for available veggies: bell peppers, summer squash, zucchini, and fresh eggs.

I began with a egg/veggie/ham casserole for the Farmer’s breakfast.

Looks good, doesn’t it.

The Farmer brought in a butternut squash that had split, so although I hadn’t planned on baking squash, now it was on the list.

Ready for the oven.

Yummy!

The ground beef became meatloaf, most of it filling bell peppers. The part left was baked for sandwiches, one of my favorites.

One can of salmon and a can of mackerel became a salmon loaf using the Farmer’s mother’s recipe.

I baked both the bell peppers and salmon loaf at the same time.

I was adequately fueled by coffee.

Next, I attacked the chicken breasts tenders, Spike, Seasoned salt and flour coated the chicken and fried in olive oil. We’ll have these for dinner tonight, Chicken Alfredo.

Cooking results: which night do you want to come to dinner?

Now I’ll go back to my quilting, thinking to bake oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips and chopped walnuts.

Oh, I did clean up my mess!

I’m enjoying playing house in this kitchen. Yes, this is the whole of the kitchen. At the left edge  of the picture is the refrigerator. Not a lot of counter space (understatement) but pleasant and homey.

Published in: on September 26, 2011 at 3:10 pm  Leave a Comment  

On My Mind – The beginning, the ending and the beginning again

On my mind …

 This is a Friday photo feature that anyone with a blog can join. To take part, post a photo on your own blog, write a short caption explaining it, and link it back to here from your blog by saying you’re part of “On my mind…
I’ve been thinking about this for several days every time I look out at the garden. Here in California, September is the beginning of fall and the garden shows its age.
May I show you what I see:
Sunflowers- June 22
today
Cucumbers June 22
Today
Tomatoes  June 22
Today
As I wandered around to the back of the tomatoes and cucumbers, I found this new beginning;
Beets, carrots, spinach, and turnips
Through all the starts and stops, this Farmer is still found on his knees.
  To every thing there is a season,
and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
Ecclesiastics  3:1-2
Published in: on September 23, 2011 at 11:46 am  Leave a Comment  

Five Minute Friday – Growth

We write bold and beautiful and free. Unscripted and unedited. We just write without worrying if it’s just write or not.

Growth

Start

During these first days of fall, I walked through the garden and realized the garden was getting old and tired.

This garden has grown, and bloomed,

and produced day after day after day.

Now is the ceasing,

the garden is growing brown,

it is withering,

the produce is sparse and small.

During the first days of fall, I found new beginnings

new growth

new promises

new hope

and the farmer still on his knees.

Stop

Adding pictures now.

Published in: on September 23, 2011 at 10:54 am  Comments (3)  

A to Z about Me

I have read several lists of ‘100 things about me’; this is the first A to Z I’ve seen. Filling this out was fun, and I learned a little and remembered more.

A- Age:  62 and I get my first social security check the third Wednesday in October, 2011
B- Bed size:  Full, remember we live in an eight ft wide trailer
C- Chore you hate: bathrooms, enuf said
D- Dog’s name: no dog now, I was real fond of Rosie the wandering basset
E- Essential food/item: catsup
F- Favorite color: I’m drawn to all shades of yellow in nature, but seldom wear it
G- Gold or silver: not into jewelry, my favorite watch had a woven gold and silver band
H- Height: 5′4 3/4
I- I am:  thankful
J- Job: learning to live in the now
K- Kids: 5 – 3 girls and 2 boys, all adults somewith families of their own. I have 12 grandchildren, 1 son-in-law, 2 daughters-in-law
L- Living arrangements: We live very contentedly in a 8×27 ft RV as assistant caretakers of the 7 acres on which the church we attend is located.  We share the grounds with the head caretaker and 27 chickens and three stray cats who think they belong here (coz they get fed, tender hearted head caretaker).
M-Mom’s name: Frances, she is absolutely MOM #1
N- Nickname: When I was young, Mom called me Lessie, the Farmer calls me Hon, the kids call me mom, the grands call me, grannie
O- Overnight hospital stay: 5 babies, twice for a ruptured bowel (one illness), multiple times for complicated gall bladder/pancreas episode
P- Pet peeve: Having a car hurry to pull out in front of me causing me to break for it when there is a mile of empty road behind me
Q- Quote from a movie: …my very favorite quote is the scripture in the Old Testament in  Malachi 3:6  ” For I am the LORD, I change not; . . .”
R- Right or left handed: I’m a right handed
S- Siblings: I am the oldest and only girl with 4 brothers
T- Time you wake up: no sooner than I have to
U- Unique thing about your car: it always has sunflower seed shells on the floor
V- Vegetable you hate: bok coy at least in the recipe I used
W- Ways you run late: I  always think it will take less time to get somewhere than it does, so I leave later than I should
X- X-rays you’ve had: teeth, knees, abdominal, neck, back, chest,
Y- Yummy food you make: no one has turned away from my Chicken and Rice and I make a killer meatloaf, both original recipes from my Mom
Z- Zoo favorite: giraffes, and I could spend a lot of time watching farmyard fowl, chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys…and I have.

Published in: on September 18, 2011 at 9:04 pm  Leave a Comment  

One Thousand Gifts and a Scripture –7

Today I’m adding to my list of One Thousand Gifts:

61.  Young ones learning and helping plant corn.

62. Zinnias, such happy flowers

63. and Sunflowers, one of my favorites

64. wind dried sheets

65. Bobo and his Lady, watching them make me smile

66. black tree silhouettes

67. Evidence of many hours, the Farmer works in the garden and around Cozy Acres

68. Nothing like fresh tomatoes, all I want

69. Memories

70. A peaceful place to visit, won’t you come?

The Scripture I read this morning:

  Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters,
and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress;
so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God,
until that he have mercy upon us. Psalms  123:1-2

Published in: on August 18, 2011 at 12:08 pm  Leave a Comment  

Wordless Wednesday — August 17, 2011

Wordless Wednesday, post a picture without many words to tell the story of today.

Bounty

Just one of many tomatoes, planted and watered by the Farmer,

increased by the Father.

Published in: on August 17, 2011 at 4:35 pm  Comments (3)  

On My Mind — Sunflowers

On my Mind is a Friday picture post hosted by Rhonda at  Down to Earth. Rhonda lives in Australia, I enjoy learning of the differences and of the things that are exactly the same on both sides of the earth.

down—to—earth.blogspot.com/2011/08/on-my-mind_12.html

Amongst the squash in the Farmer’s Garden,
He plants sunflowers for his daughters and me.

POEM TO A SUNFLOWER

I see you there in glory shining bright,
Following the sun and its path of light.
Standing tall above all others in the field,
You grow, conquer, and do not yield.

The little birds take great delight
In playing round you, from day to night.
With your petals of yellow and leaves of green
How very easily you are seen.

But there is more to you than first sight,
More than beauty and grander to delight.
Every beautiful aspect that appears,
Gives praise to the Father dear.

He made you a part of creation,
And you praise him in glorious celebration!
The beauty that within you is expressed,
Gives testimony to his greatness.

Sunflower, how I long to be like you!
Glorifying God in all I do.
Following the Son and His path of light,
To worship Him in His glory shining bright.

I can learn from you, my friend,
With every breath, praise to God, I might send.
With all of his creation telling the story,
Might I, with you, proclaim His glory.

~By Katherine R. Lane (April 19, 1995)~

Published in: on August 12, 2011 at 3:14 pm  Leave a Comment  

When you don’t get what you want…

“Experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want.”  the Farmer.

Many times over many years our family has heard the Farmer repeat this statement.  And today it was said again.

This spring the Farmer started planning and planting the garden. He started seeds in little pots. He planted many plants on his hands and knees. He put in the drip system lines, so vegetables would be watered and not weeds.

This spring the Farmer was diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer, stage 3, 8-9 out of 10 on the Gleason scale.  ” The doctor says I have this thing wrong with me but I don’t feel anything” said the Farmer.  The  Farmer under went a biopsy, CT scans and   a MRI. He  took oral hormones as a first step in treatment. He received a hormone shot as the second step.  Calypso beads were inserted in the prostate gland to be able to line up the radiation correctly. A body form was made to insure being very still during radiation.

Yesterday was picking day, the Farmer got up early to start picking while it was still somewhat cool. He had to stop to make a 10:30,  Dr’s. appointment.  The radiation schedule was set, Monday through Friday at 2:00pm, for 8-9 weeks, starting September 7th.

Yesterday I heard,  ” I’m bummed.” quietly and solidly. He didn’t finish picking the garden.

The Farmer has never voiced discouragement. It didn’t matter what happened, good times, happy times, hard times, loss times, pick up and start again times, thankful times…there was always a sureness that we would make it through.

Has the Farmer lost his faith? NO!    Does He doubt God’s plan? NO!   Is He human?  Oh, Yes!  Is He grieving, yes.  Will He come through this battle with victory and praise, YES!  Not just because He is the Farmer, but because He is God’s Farmer!

Today I heard  as he smiled, “Well, this wasn’t what I wanted to experience,” as he stepped off the deck , walked back out to the garden to finish the picking.

The Farmer plants flowers for me and I love him.

Published in: on August 11, 2011 at 4:28 pm  Comments (13)  

What Happens at Family Night gets posted!

Family night was a fun place to be! Everyone but two were able to come, Aunty A and Cousin C were very much missed.

The boy cousins 12 and under arrived in the afternoon with pool time with Uncle A and Uncle D.  Most got some SPR (swimming pool rash); ALL had a great time.

I see some SPR on this Guy…but he doesn’t see us!

Our menu included Grandpa T”s tri tip shish kabob with zucchini (from the Farmer’s garden, mushrooms, and onions, rice  a roni, rolls, salad with cucumbers and cherry and yellow pear tomatoes (from the Farmer’s garden, and three kindsa  pickles.  Chocolate cake, cinnabon cupcakes, mint chocolate chip, strawberry, and bo’nilla ice cream. YUM!

Aunty M and  Aunty E use their time to advantage.

Some serious thinking occurred.

And a little educational reading happened.

SEVEN birthdays ( we had missed June) and ONE anniversary were celebrated.

A rousing sing a long kept us laughing.

Uncle A read us the story of David and Goliath, several thought provoking comments were added by the listeners.  Pray was made for dear ones far away but close in our hearts, and for near ones with special needs, and for all Little I’s friends.

Ten people were able to be thankful, I wish I had written them down. The variety of blessings are beyond number, and always worth the telling.

The Old folks left (Uncle b and the Farmer), the younger battled it out on the Wii

A serious player

and a somewhat lopsided game of 5 Crowns was played in the dining room.

Some of the crew!

Thank you Uncle A and Aunty A for extending again your warm welcome to your home for our family’s night together.

(PS. The quilt in the back ground of some of the pictures was paper pieced and quilted by Aunty E.)

Published in: on August 1, 2011 at 2:29 pm  Comments (10)  

Saturday’s Veggie Stand

The weather is hot.

The Garden is producing.

The Farmer is picking.

Shouldn’t you be at the Veggie Stand on Saturday Mornings?

At 7:30 the Farmer loads up the trailer to take all the stuff that makes up a veggie stand to the end of the driveway. He loads veggies, chairs, foot stool, bags, pop-up shade umbrella, tables, eggs, box of quilts, rack to hang sweaters, rope, clothes pins and a weighing scale.

then poof it is all set up! (Apparently no one thought to take pictures while all the work was being done.)

 Quilt’m – Sunflower Designs  offered for sale three quilts and a set of pillowcases.

Sweaters for toddlers and infants knit by the Farmer’s Wife.

The signs are simple, and will be replaced with new ones telling all that the veggies are pesticide free!

                             

So now if you’ve nothing better to do on Saturday Mornings between 8:00-12:00, come over, visit a while and maybe you’ll find something to take home with you.

Published in: on July 24, 2011 at 3:47 pm  Comments (1)  

The Simple Woman’s Daybook — July 12, 2011

  TODAY is  July 12, 2011
Outside my window…bright sunshiny clear blue skies with a refreshing breeze, tis cooler this week.

I am thinking…about our starting the Farmer’s market this evening, before and after Bible Story Time. and on Saturday mornings.   Lots of zucchini, yellow crooked neck  squash, yellow and green scallop squash and cucumbers are ready for sale.
I am thankful for…the hard working Farmer who is married to me.

From my learning rooms…learning how to adjust to retirement life and a 24-hour husband. Someone said, ‘You marry for better or worse, but not for lunch’. At one time I thought this funny, now….well,  it can be a challenge.

From the kitchen…I’ve gathered ingredients for fresh peach scones with mock devonshire cream,

I am wearing…jean skirt and t-shirt

I am creating…a wall hanging with Kaye England fabrics

I am going…to have to shake off this summer time laziness, in the heat it is so easy just surf the blogs or read a book.

I am reading…Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case by Agatha Christie and Plain Perfect by Beth Wiseman, a Daughters of the Promise, Amish story and listening audio book The Dark Door by Kate Wilhelm. Quite a variety.

I am hoping…my friend and I can visit our friend in Washington.

I am hearing…the Farmer’s tractor working in the garden

Around the house…my desk is drowning in a sea of invoices ad receipts needing to be rescued to the file or the trash can

One of my favorite things…hearing the bird song as I awake

A few plans for the rest of the week: purchasing backing and batting for baby/lap quilt, and attending a special services this weekend, the speaker is coming from Havana, Cuba. She is the Church of God congregation’s  spokeswoman to the Communist government. She is in her 70’s and has held this position for years. Our pastors have visited Havana several times during their Conventions and our congregation has helped with the congregation’s financial needs.

Here is picture I am sharing…

Scripture:   Jeremiah 4:3  For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.

Join Simple Woman’s Daybook and  me to pause and reflect on Tuesdays

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Published in: on July 12, 2011 at 5:04 pm  Comments (1)  

The Farmer

The Farmer’s love is growing a beautiful, weed free garden.

His father was a vegetable truck gardener in the central valley, CA from the time the Farmer was about 4-5 years old. The Farmer began planting beans and corn at that young age. As he grew older, he worked in the garden before and after school. He and his Brother dug burr clover and johnson grass from the flower garden as a way to work off excess energy for Mama.

When we bought our first property, an acre, He began gardening on his own. Over the years, we moved sometimes we had a garden sometimes not. When we bought a nice home on 1/2 acre in Carmichael 13 years ago, the Farmer began gardening again in earnest. I told him the garden was fine, but too many times the weeds took over, I really didn’t want a garden all weedy, since the garden would be the main view from our deck.

The Farmer developed his drip system of watering and mulching between the rows.  We had three huge sycamore trees that dropped millions of leaves each year and these were shredded used as mulch and tilled back into the soil each fall. His garden had no weeds!

From his consistent labor a garden grew that was the envy all who visited.  2010 was the last year he had a garden at this property.  This is last year’s garden:

Then we were able to move our RV trailer on the Church’s property to help as caretakers, October, 2011.

and the seeds of garden came with us.

There is a peace about gardening, not too many people will fuss with the Farmer about when he plants and what he plants. Not too many people offer to weed or lay watering lines or pound posts to stake tomatoes and cucumbers.


The Farmer doesn’t really want or need the advice or help, it is his creation.  He plants. He waters. He hoes. He ties and stakes. He weaves the cucumber tenderals into the field fencing.  God gives the increase and blessing.

Both God and the Farmer stand back smiling looking at their handiwork and say, “It is very good.”

Published in: on July 11, 2011 at 6:49 pm  Comments (2)  

The Simple Woman’s Daybook, June 28

TODAY is  June 28, 2011
Outside my window…rain, rain, rain, here in Sacramento, my husband, the Farmer, says the weeds are getting fed

I am thinking…about different books I want to read. I was  just reading ‘what’s on your bookshelf’ many ideas.

I am thankful for…the cooler weather, even if it brought the rain.

What I am learning … after attending the memorial service Saturday of my nephew,  I was shown many different aspects I didn’t know, what do people see when they look at me?

From the kitchen…the Farmer is trying out new coffee press to make a strong coffee ‘tea’ that is then diluted and refrigerated for iced coffee or heat it up in the microwave.

I am wearing…almost worn out denim skirt and flowered t-shirt, no shoes

I am creating…a dress for Miss A (daycare child) is cut out

I am going… day by day

I am reading…Alice in Wonderland, I have never read it before.

I am hoping…

I am hearing…audio book, The Banker, by Dick Francis and raindrops

Around the house…laundry to be put away

One of my favorite things…Yellow roses

A few plans for the rest of the week: two days off, no daycare, maybe I can get over to the long arm machine and finish quilts in a pile

Here is picture I am sharing…

Golden Celebration gift for 2010 wedding anniversary

Scripture…  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. Psa 107:27-30

Join Simple Woman’s Daybook and  me to pause and reflect on Tuesdays

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Published in: on June 28, 2011 at 6:19 pm  Comments (2)  

Simple Woman’s Daybook, June 21,2011

    TODAY is  June 21, 2011
Outside my window…Hot sunshiny clear blue skies and cuttings from grapevines that are growing bright green leaves

I am thinking…To thank God in all is to bend the knee in allegiance to God Who alone knows all. Ann Voskamp

I am thankful for…air conditioning and fans

From my learning rooms…recent message to me: Pray Hard. Life is Short. Pray for solutions.

From the kitchen…My mom’s Burger Beans, simplified but just as yummy; and first fresh zucchini and yellow crooked neck squash from the garden.

I am wearing…jean skirt/ red t-shirt

I am creating…a knitted afghan based on variation of log cabin pattern, next to last section almost finished, then final border section.

I am going…to have to be very careful with finances the rest of this month.

I am reading… The Choice by Nicholas Sparks

I am hoping…(first thing in my mind) cooler weather tomorrow!

I am hearing…the air conditioner roar, yes

Around the house…not much, retirement has its benefits.

One of my favorite things…coffee ice cream with chocolate syrup

A few plans for the rest of the week:…Wed.-watching grandsons (3), Friday – dinner out with in-town and out of town family, Sat, Memorial service for nephew (49)victim of motorcycle/deer accident,

Here is picture I am sharing…

The Squash. melon, cucumber part of the Farmer’s garden.

Scripture…Ecclesiastes 3:1  To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

Join Simple Woman’s Daybook and  me to pause and reflect on Tuesdays

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Published in: on June 21, 2011 at 5:58 pm  Comments (3)  

The Simple Woman’s Daybook – June 17

TODAY is  June 17, 2011

Outside my window…Bright sunshiny clear blue skies and a garden loving this hot weather, I can almost see growth from one day to the next.

I am thinking…how much writing down specific thoughts helps center me.

I am very thankful for… family and friends, especially when news is received of hard health battle beginning.

From my learning rooms… God is reviewing with me His promises of never failing grace.

From the kitchen…my kitchen has kinda been on strike, just making do with leftovers the past couple days, do today on goes the chef’s hat.  A bucket of fresh picked yellow crooked-necked squash is on the counter ready to be added to the menu.

I am wearing…black tee and cream skirt, barefoot until time to head out shopping.

I am creating…the quilt from last entry is stalled, I need to do (by tomorrow) a small wall hanging for “Bread and Butter” quilt group using pattern and fabric by Kaye England, a favorite quilter and designer.

I am going…to the grocery store, to Rite Aid, and then to make the rest of today

I am reading…the sequel to A Friday Night Knitting Club, Knit Two by Kate Jacobs. I enjoyed the first book this is the second of three in the series.

I am hoping…the weather isn’t too hot today.

I am hearing…birdsong, because the lawn mower was just turned off as Uncle Bob sweeps the sidewalk.

Around the house…not too bad, a little cluttered, and laundry to be done (soap to be gotten when shopping.)

One of my favorite things…eating breakfast out by myself, taking my time with a good book.

A few plans for the rest of the week: quilt club-Saturday, church services and family for lunch (all 20 of us I think)-Sunday; next week the car needs to be serviced, daycare with little Miss A, kinda of normal stuff, I like normal unexciting.

Here is picture I am sharing…

This morning’s picking, yellow crooked-necked squash, thanks to the Giver of increase and the Farmer.

Scripture:   I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 1Corinthians 3:6

Join Simple Woman’s Daybook and  me to pause and reflect on Tuesdays or whenever I can get to writing my thoughts.

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Published in: on June 17, 2011 at 10:46 am  Leave a Comment  
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