Summer Supper Salad

Summer Supper Salad
4-6 servings

1 package frozen tortellini
1 package romaine salad greens
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 cup seasoned croutons
1/2 cup fresh shredded parmesan cheese
for dressing
1/2 cup mayonaise
1/4 cup milk
1  tablespoon lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and  pepper to taste

Prepare tortellini according to package directions.  Rinse under cold water until cooled.  Toss tortellini,  greens, tomatoes, croutons, and cheese in a large bowl.  Combine dressing ingredients, pour over salad and toss to coat.  Serve immediately and enjoy!

This is  a wonderful summertime salad and so easy.  You can even make the tortellini and the dressing ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to prepare the salad.  Since this can be on the supper table in minutes, it's a nice meal to have after a long summer afternoon at the pool.

Linked to Gooseberry Patch Recipe Roundup.

~my spot~

Every wife, mom, "maker of the home"

needs a spot to herself to call her own.

My spot isn't in the bedroom.  I share that room with Mr. H.  It isn't in the kitchen.  Even though that's my favorite place to be, there aren't any chairs in the kitchen. ;-)  And it certainly isn't the most comfortable seat in the living room.  If I chose to make that "my spot" it would always be occupied by someone else! 

This is ~my spot~.

It's in a little alcove off the living room,

that we call the "library".

It's perfect.

When I sit there 

I am accessible to everyone,

but still a little bit removed from all the action.

I have all my books on one side of me,

the fireplace and my desk on the other side.

I sit in "my" rocker.

The rocker I rocked both of my babies in.

The rocker I hope to rock my grand babies in. :-)

This was the first piece of brand new furniture that

Mr. H. and I picked out and bought on our own.

We had been married two and a half years

 when we got it,

but up until then every piece of furniture we 

had ever owned had been a hand-me-down. :-)

Mr. H. found the rocker by himself and 

when he took me by the store to show it to me

I fell in love.

All the rockers we had looked at had seemed so big 

and I told him this one was just my size - 

my feet touched the ground! ;-)

The fabric on my rocker is looking a little worn,

so I have it draped with the quilt that was on

our  bed when we were first married.

We talk of having my rocker reupholstered one day.

Maybe in a faux cowhide!

When I know I have some time to linger in my spot,

I like to make sure to have a nice drink.

Usually coffee in the fall and winter,

but my summertime choice is a big mason jar of tea...

fresh brewed, lots of ice, unsweetened, with lemon. :-)

And, sometimes a snack.

In summertime?  Fresh strawberries!

In the winter?  Usually something not so healthy. ;-)

As you can see I have Miss Daisy's bed placed

conveniently close by.  Though when I am not in my spot

she tends to enjoy spending time in it,  too.

I usually have my current knitting project next to my rocker.

And I keep other projects in a basket right behind me,

along with current magazines and catalogs I like to look through.

This is also where I keep my

"stack" of library books.

Oh, how that stack gets tall in the summertime!! 

I love to have the chess board right here, too.

My son and I are in mid-game as usual.

From my chair I can think about my next move. ;-)

The view in front of me when I'm sitting in my rocker is the front door.

I like this since I can see anyone driving into the drive.

And, right behind me is the barnyard 

where I can easily check on the chickens 

and Miss LuLu. :-)

Sometimes I can go days 

and be so busy  that I never get a chance to sit down

in my special spot.

But, it's always there waiting for me.

Do you have a spot to relax in your home?

If not, I hope you decide to take a little time 

to carve out a special place just for you. :-)

Linked to A Wise Woman Builds Her Home.

I haven't washed my face in weeks...

What??

Let me rephrase that. ;-)

I haven't washed my face with soap in weeks. :-)

For about six weeks now,

I have been using the

oil cleansing method,

and I LOVE it.

I was skeptical at first

but thought it was worth a try.

I wasn't having any trouble with my skin,

I was just attracted to the simplicity of the method,

the cost savings,

and after reading about it, 

it really does make a lot of sense.

I have been very pleased with the results.

I love how my skin looks and feels before bedtime, 

And for me, that's saying a lot!

I don't go anywhere without my makeup.

If the barn needs paintin'... ;-)

The method is simple.

A blend of castor oil - the wonder oil,

and a thinner oil - I use olive oil. 

You blend the two according to your skin type.

I have balanced skin

so I use a blend of 20% castor oil

and 80% olive oil.

I blend it up, give the bottle a good shake,

put the olive oil back in the pantry,

put the castor oil back in the medicine cabinet,

and I'm good to go for several weeks.

I do the method in the evening 

and then simply flush my face with cool water in the morning

before I apply my makeup.

Read about it!

And, if you give it a  try, let me know. :-)

Menu Plan Monday

Supper Menus

June 27th - July 2nd


Monday
caesar salad with pasta, rosemary bread
Tuesday
braided sandwich loaves, potato chips, strawberry shortcake cookies
Wednesday
mexican frito salad
Thursday
tba
Friday
homemade pizza, olive garden salad, chocolate chip cookie pie
Saturday
tba

Linked to Menu Plan Monday.

All done! :-)

So excited to be finished with my first knitted

baby blanket!

I will be starting my next project today!! :-)

"I saw a delicate flower that had grown up two feet high, between the horses' path and the wheeltrack.  An inch more to right or left would have sealed its fate, or an inch higher.  Yet it lived to flourish as much as if it had a thousand acres of untrodden space around it, and never knew the danger it incurred.  It did not borrow trouble, nor invite an evil fate by apprehending it."

~Henry David Thoreau

The Crepe Myrtles are in Bloom!

I love that there are crepe myrtles in our front yard.

There have been crepe myrtles 

in every place that Mr. H. and I have lived

over the past seventeen years. :-) 

There was a crepe myrtle 

at the first little apartment we lived in,

the duplex we lived in when our daughter was born,

the first little house we bought 

and were living in when our son was born,

the house we built,

and now this house we live in now.

Different homes,

same pretty crepe myrtles outside.

At this house we have 

a purplish pink one,

a white one,

 and a dark pinkish red one.

Even in this long drought we're in right now,

it's the middle of June and the crepe myrtles are in bloom. :-)

It's the first day of summer!

"Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; 

to me those have always been the two most beautiful words 

in the English language." 

 ~Henry James

True Grit

A Cool Snack Treat

grapes +

skewers +

a few hours in the freezer =

Yum!!!

These were such a huge hit at my house.

The perfect treat to eat in the swimming pool. :-)

Thanks for the idea Heather!

Linked to Gooseberry Patch Recipe Roundup.

Happy Father's Day!

~The History of Father's Day~

Father's Day was first observed on June 19, 1910 in Spokane Washington. Sonora Smart Dodd (Mrs. John B. Dodd) of Washington State proposed the idea in 1909 after she had attended a Mother's Day service.


Mrs. Dodd wanted to honor her own father. William Smart, who had been a Civil War veteran,  raised six children after his wife died in childbirth.


President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of a national Father's Day in 1924. It took until 1966 when President Lyndon Johnson declared the 3rd Sunday of June Father's Day officially in the United States of America, but this was only for one year. On April 24, 1972, Father's Day was assured annual recognition by Presidential Proclamation.

.:paper quilting:.

Have you heard of "paper quilting"??

I just discovered it the other day.

What a neat idea!

I followed the instructions I found

here

to make a thank you card for my sister-in-law...

that does "real quilting". :-)

The lady in the video has her own 

youtube channel

with lots of neat ideas for crafting cards.

A Joy to my Heart

Mr. H. and I have so enjoyed the garden this year.

I haven't decided what I like better -

actually eating the wonderful produce 

or watching Mr. H. beam from ear to ear 

when he comes inside each day with a t-shirt full

 of freshly picked vegetables!

In today's bounty was a little ear of corn!

Flag Day

I Am Old Glory

I am the flag of the United States of America.

I fly atop the world's tallest buildings.

I stand watch in America's halls of justice.

I stand side by side with the Maple Leaf on

the worlds' longest undefended border.

I fly majestically over institutions of learning.

I stand guard with power in the world.

Look up and see me.

I stand for peace, honor, truth and justice.

I stand for freedom.

I am confident.

I am arrogant.

I am proud.

When I am flown with my fellow banners,

my head is a little higher,

my colors a little truer.

I bow to no one!

I am recognized all over the world.

I am worshipped — I am saluted.

I am loved — I am revered.

I am respected — and I am feared.

I have fought in every battle of every war

for more then 200 years.

I was flown at Valley Forge, Gettysburg, Shiloh and Appomattox.

I was there at San Juan Hill, the trenches of France,

in the Argonne Forest, Anzio, Rome and the beaches of Normandy.

Guam, Okinawa, Korea and KheSan, Saigon, Vietnam know me,

I was there.

I led my troops, I was dirty, battle worn and tired,

but my soldiers cheered me And I was proud.

I have been burned, torn and trampled on the streets of

countries I have helped set free. It does not hurt,

for I am invincible.

I have been soiled upon, burned, torn and trampled on

the streets of my country. And when it's by those whom

I've served in battle — it hurts.

But I shall overcome — for I am strong.

I have slipped the bonds of Earth and stood watch over

the uncharted frontiers of space from my vantage point on the moon.

I have borne silent witness to all of America's finest hours.

But my finest hours are yet to come.

When I am torn into strips and used as bandages for my wounded

comrades on the battlefield, When I am flown at

half-mast to honor my soldier, Or when I lie in the

trembling arms of a grieving parent at the grave of their

fallen son or daughter, I am proud.

MY NAME IS OLD GLORY. LONG MAY I WAVE.

by Howard Schnauber

Bible Quiz Day 77

Answer to question 76 - Zacharias, Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-45)

Question 77 - Jesus was buried in a tomb that belonged to _________ of __________.

Farm Fresh Pasta Sauce

8 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 cup finely chopped bell pepper

2 quarts fresh roma or grape tomatoes

1 tablespoon fresh (or 1 teaspoon dried) italian herbs 

salt to taste

Sauté garlic, onion, and bell pepper in oil until vegetables begin to soften.  Blanch tomatoes and remove skins.  Add tomatoes to the pan and saute for several minutes.  As the tomatoes begin to soften mash them with a potato masher.  (Do this carefully or you'll have tomato juice all over you!)  When all the tomatoes are mashed thoroughly, add herbs and salt.   Cover, lower heat and simmer sauce for 30 minutes or until ready to serve.   Enjoy over your favorite pasta.

Menu Plan Monday

Supper Menus
June 13th-18th

Monday
angel hair pasta with farm fresh pasta sauce
Tuesday 
fajitas, spanish rice, guacamole, pico de gallo, tortilla chips
Wednesday
make your own nachos (using leftover fajita fixings)
Thursday
out for supper
Friday
out for supper
Saturday 
breakfast for supper

"Hem your blessings with thankfulness, so they don't unravel." 

~Author Unknown

.:chess:.

My talented Daddy (builder of the hearth bench and the barnyard stool)

made a beautiful, heirloom chess board for our family for Christmas. 

On his last visit he brought me a little matching

box he had built...

to hold the chess pieces. 

The chess board is getting a lot of use this summer!

My son and I decided to start a summer long chess match.

Every time we finish a game, we just start another 

and play whenever we both have time.

Nine games in so far...

I'm down by one game. 

He's good.

He's been good for awhile. :-)