All around the house

I am swamped with stuff. It all started when I decided that my workroom needed some tweaking...

Thus began the happy little game of musical belongings (known at old time birthday parties as musical chairs) that has consumed nearly every room in my house and my entire week!

To give you just a little taste of the chaos...

the upstairs computer moved downstairs
the workroom armoire moved to the hall
the hall cedar chest moved to the the workroom
the office barrister case moved to the workroom
the vintage cupboard moved to the office....

and on and on it goes! Books, supplies and equipment all have to find new homes.

Am I glad I started all this?

Ask me in a week.

What's that? You don't see any pictures?

Do you honestly think I would take - or show - pictures?!?

In fact... I wonder where my camera is....

My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:2

Seek and ye shall find

My "dearly-beloved" loves to find little out of the way shops that require a sense of adventure, an undauntable drive for a bargain, and a bar of soap when you're finished. I was in on the excitement the other day.

It was my second visit to this shop. The first time, I talked myself out of a couple of things. I regretted those decisions as soon as I got home and determined that, if I visited again, I would buy anything I wanted (I am a very discriminating shopper) that was cheap and unique. Of course, the things I saved for "next time" last time, were gone, so I made sure I looked in, under... all the preposition words!... everything that I could reach.

I found something I love. It was tarnished and dirty and unusual... and cheap! I grabbed it and never let go. Want to see?

Before #1........


Before #2...........


After #1........


After #2


All this beauty for only..... $3 and some elbow grease! I can't wait for Thanksgiving, our church Christmas Tea, our family Christmas, anything!

I can't wait to see what I find on the next visit.

For the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but God looketh on the heart. I Samuel 16:7

Breakfast with Mama

A meal with my mother has always been an event.

Always at a table, properly set - no cartons or store packaging in sight (with the possible exception of ketchup) - on a beautiful tablecloth. I grew up assuming that was how dinner was served everywhere.

Years of dinners with my own family were much the same. It wasn't until I had an empty nest that I started to relax the "rules"... an occasional meal in front of the TV didn't seem so distasteful.

This past week, we spent a few days with my mother. Every morning we started the day at a breakfast table that was beautiful. It really didn't matter what was in the bowls, or on the plates, with flowers on the table and colorful place settings, it was a treat to arrive in the dining room.


I think I'll quit being lazy. Gracious living is worth the effort.

But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. II Thessalonians 3:13

The inferno

Every October, our church has a hayride/bonfire for the adults. The wagon chugs down little traveled country roads, while we sing old songs (many that I don't even know!) and watch for deer or any other wildlife not frightened away by our noise. When the hay wagon finally returns to the barn, we all gather in a field around a 3-story pile of wood... there is a moment of silence as we listen for the "whoosh" and then, wow, the mother of all bonfires dances before our eyes.

Everyone loves the fire. They look forward to it and back upon it with great appreciation for the skill required to build such an inferno.

What they don't know, is long before the cornstalks begin their dry rustle,


... "inferno fever" sets in here at home.

Far behind our house, tucked in the midst of some trees, a column of broken pallets begins to grow. My dearly beloved, the inferno master, says he needs "125, but I could get by with 100."

He spends hours searching out the free fuel, loading it into his trailer, all the while picturing the expectant crowd... anticipating the "whoosh".


It's a lot of pressure for a working man... but he wears the title, "inferno master", with great joy.

There are things you do because you have to.
There are things you do because you should.
And then there are the things that embody the utter joy of being alive!

The bonfire is in 12 days. We'll have video... maybe you'll get to hear the "whoosh".

For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy... Ecclesiastes 2:26

The end of the tales

Paul Harvey has a lock on the phrase, "The rest of the story", but that won't keep me from sharing my own version of the rest of the stor(ies) in my week.

Story #1 - The grape juice has rested the prescribed amount of time. In spite of my best efforts, it continues to taste like watery Kool-Aid. I now consider Welch's a bargain... at any price!


Story #2 - The Bible cover has been at work for almost a week now. Because I have a distaste for the noise of Velcro and zippers, I pulled out my stash of old buttons and created a silent closure. So far... it's doing great!



Story #3 - My shoes. Ah, my lovely shoes... the ones with the toe stitching and button detail? (What is it with me and buttons lately?) An e-coupon for 15% off and the promise of free shipping forced my hand. They came. I tried, and tried, and tried to convince myself they were comfortable. The box is already winging its way back to dot-com-land. They were so beautiful... sniff.


Now you know.

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand forever. Isaiah 40:8

Wait... wait...

How can you tell a person that has no friends? Check out the produce department at your favorite grocery store. She's the one buying zucchini.

With that fact of Midwestern life firmly in my brain, I plant zucchini every year... hoping against hope that it will grow. It never does. This year, my plant produced 3 small zucchini - and two of those were pecked away by wild turkeys that wander through our yard.

I was rescued from a public admission of friendlessness, by a widower at church who generously shares everything that he grows... tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, and this week, grapes.


I accepted the 2 big bags of white and green seeded grapes, wondering what in the world I was going to do with them. (Zucchini is easy - there's bread and cake and pickles and casseroles!)

After a bit of searching, I found an old cookbook with a recipe for juice. It wasn't too complicated, so I washed, simmered, and strained the grapes.


Now I'm in the required 24 - 48 hour waiting period.

I did take a little taste while it was still hot... I'll let you know if there is some magic in the waiting. I sure hope so.

... the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let your patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. James 1:3,4

Project Organization

I love being organized. It is such a difficult thing to accomplish (and maintain) that notice must be taken when even one little corner is conquered.

Drum roll please...

Ta da! My coupon holder.


With markets falling, inflation looming, uncertainty everywhere, coupons are more important than ever. (If I had access to emoticons, I would add a little winking smiley face here) The fact is, I am weary of the I-know-that-coupon-is-in-this-purse-somewhere routine that I go through with every trip to the store.

The holder is made using just a small portion of one leg from a pair of discarded jeans, along with a couple of fabric pieces from my stash. (Note: I even pulled my cams [yeah, my machine is re-e-e-ally old!] out to reinforce the pocket edges.)


The front and back are sewn right sides together, leaving an opening to turn it right side out.


In less than 2 hours - plus the time to add the unessential buttons - my money saving program is ready to go.

Today the coupons... tomorrow the... ummm... well, maybe coupons are enough for a while.

The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. Lamentations 3:24

Good, bad and yummy!

I rarely bake anymore. There aren't enough people here to consume the goodies, so that leaves me to shoulder the responsibility of preventing wasteful living... oh...do let me be blunt! Waist-full living!!!

Today, I was the designated cook for one of our church families that just had a baby. To round out the meal (why do all these common phrases suddenly take on a second meaning when discussing dessert?!?) I decided to use some of the zucchini that is piling up here. I had a recipe from the newspaper, all the ingredients and I was cooking! Oops, baking! Between my new oven (that hasn't burned anything yet!) and a great recipe, this is the final result.


Here's the recipe... just tell yourself that this is one serving of green vegetables.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Butter and flour a 9x13x2 pan.

2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 stick butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk (I used milk soured with lemon juice)
2 cups grated unpeeled zucchini
1 (16 oz.) package semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Sift 2 1/4 cups flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl.

In a large bowl, beat sugar, 1 stick of butter, and oil until well blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk, in 3 additions. Stir in zucchini.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and nuts.

Bake in preheated 325 degree oven for 50 minutes (45 minutes for me) or until tester comes out clean.

Serves 12.

Enjoy!! This cake is really good - ignore the fat grams and sugar. There has to be some fiber in there somewhere!

How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth. Psalm 119:103