Friday, April 30, 2010

Loving Where I'm Living

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[119/365] "Each leaf, each blade of grass vies for attention.  Even weeds carry tiny blossoms to astonish us."

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My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, in safe dwellings, and in quiet resting-places. Isaiah 32:18


Thursday, April 22, 2010


[110/365] otis

This dog is going to do me in. He loves to be outside, but has NO common sense. He runs all over the place and loves to chase rabbits. He comes in with briers in his fur, and cuts and scraps from running through bushes. Tick checks happen several times a day since he comes inside. The girls worry about him if they hear him howling, but I know, he is on the scent of something.

Then, he crashes! Rotten dog!!

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Delicious Stir Fry

Tonight we didn't want to spend a long time on the evening meal. The guys had to go back out to work and frankly it was hot in the kitchen. The weather and well, us too, demanded a stir fry.

Side note: I love working in the kitchen with my girls! We clean, chop, stir, check on and basically work in symphony (think crowded, klutzy symphony) together. It is such a blessing to be able to pass on knowledge and learn from them.

Ok, so take some chicken breast and cut into strips and cook in a skillet. Remove to a bowl and add about 1/2 cup of water to the skillet. Add veggies, any kind. Cabbage, onion, broccoli, red pepper, and so on. Don't over cook, you want to retain the color and texture. I don't care for mush... yet anyway, I still have my teeth!

Prepare noodles or rice.

You can buy or make a sauce. Everyone has their favorite. Tonight Hannah made ours from low sodium soy, toasted sesame oil, red pepper flakes, rice wine vinegar and sugar. Much lighter than the commercial sauces.

DELICIOUS!!!

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Cost: 3.00 to 4.00 per person

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Hannah & a Magazine

[100/365] readymade!

Hannah and her blog Honey and Jam are in the current issue of Ready Made!! She is the second listing under "Fav Follows", but she is there.

I continue to marvel at how God is leading her. I try hard to not over advise, but allow her to do as she is led; not easy for a momma. She has just done what comes natural to her and allowed God to place her where He desires. She has not pursued contacts, but allowed them to come to her.

She is truly getting an education. She works hard to learn so much in so many areas of her craft. I would imagine that she spends more hours in a week here learning than she would in 3 college classes. And still she is seeking to take classes online.

Hers is a different road than the 'traditional' college approach, but one that has proven right for her. We have certainly learned to not limit God when it comes to higher education.


For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corn. 5:7


Monday, April 5, 2010

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Us(*addition)


new life

I haven't talked much about what our family is doing to simplify our lives. Due to economic restraints we have tried to find ways to cut back. For health reasons we have worked to improve our diet. To help the environment, we have implemented several things.


We have actually recycled for quite awhile. Plastic and glass are all put aside to go to the recycle center. It has become second nature to all of us. We also compost which reduces our garbage.

We make our own clothes detergent and it has worked well. In warm weather the clothes and towels go on the line outside. We moving to homemade cleaning supplies.

Mostly we cook at home. It is so much cheaper, we can avoid the preservatives and it tastes so much better. I work to buy what is on sale also.

Right now we are working on removing high fructose corn syrup from our diets. It is so many things it is ridiculous. Ketchup, pancake syrup, drinks, jellies, salad dressings, etc. We also try to cook mostly fresh vegetables and have added more fruit.

[93/365] happy easter!

Our chickens provide us with fresh eggs and we are planning to add to the flock this year. Fresh eggs are so different from store bought.

(70/365) my favorite[76/365] sauteed green beans

This year we are going to focus our garden on what we use most. Then work to put up as much as possible for winter. We will grow tomatoes for ketchup and sauces. Green beans are a favorite sauteed.
We use a lot of peppers and onions. The girls want to grow more strawberries for jam.

We also want to reduce our food miles. This will take some work to find where we can find the foods we want within 200 miles of our home. Of course the farmers market where we sell in the summer will provide much of what we do not grow. The biggest challenge will be finding meat at a price we can afford. (sorry, not giving up meat!)

I am sure I have left out some things. I'll update as I think of them.


* We have used cloth towels in the kitchen for a long time now. I thought getting rid of paper towels would have been difficult, but it wasn't that hard.

photography by Hannah Queen

Saturday, April 3, 2010

[92/365] pretty

Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave he rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine -
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Oh My Word!

Hank Johnson, a Democratic congressman from Georgia, has become the subject of ridicule after comments her made during a recent session. In a recent House Armed Services Committee hearing last Thursday, Johnson expressed concerns that a marine build-up could "capsize" the island of Guam.

Hank Johnson during the House Armed Services Committe hearing. (youtube.com)
Adm. Robert Willard, head of the U.S. Pacific fleet, was testifying about a planned military buildup along Guam. Johnson leaned into the microphone and said "My fear is that the whole island will become so overly populated that it will tip over and capsize.

Willard, showing the discipline that makes a military man, waited a beat and then replied, "We don't anticipate that."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0iB2lCicG0&feature=player_embedded


Giveaway At Honey and Jam!!!


Hannah is giving away this little honey of a pie plate over at Honey and Jam. Head over there and enter NOW!!!!

Pie+Dish+in+Sky