{TH} read :-)

I'm linking up this week with the all new

at The Simple Woman -

where we share what we are reading 

and what we are crafting.

This week I am reading, Thinking in Pictures - My Life with Autism

by Temple Grandin

I'm crafting a knitted cowl

to match a knitted cap.

Link up what your reading and crafting at {TH} read! 

Menu Plan

Supper Menus

July 7th-13th

Sunday

homemade pizza

Monday
mexican frito salad 

Tuesday
fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, dinner rolls

Wednesday

tacos, spanish rice, refried beans, tortilla chips, picante sauce, guacamole

Thursday

hamburgers, french fries, baked beans

Friday

leftovers

Saturday

out of town

Linked to Menu Plan Monday

Homemade Maple Syrup

so quick, so simple, so easy

so good :-)

In a saucepan pour -

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

Don't stir.

Bring to a boil over medium heat.

Let boil for 10 minutes or so.

Remove from heat.

Add 1 teaspoon maple flavoring.

Pour over pancakes, waffles, or french toast.

Store in the fridge.

Will thicken upon standing.

Just heat in the microwave before each use.

Enjoy!

Linked to Share Your Cup Thursday #64  

From the Farm Blog Hop #41 

Farmgirl Friday #116 

Les Miserables

No vision and you perish...

"No vision and you perish;

No ideal, and you're lost;

Your heart must ever cherish

Some faith at any cost.

Some hope, some dream to cling to,

Some rainbow in the sky,

Some melody to sing to,

Some service that is high."

~Harriet Du Autermont

Homestyle Macaroni Salad

Homestyle Macaroni Salad

8 to 12 servings

2 cups macaroni

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1/2 red onion, diced

1/2 cup mayonaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar

2 teaspoons mustard

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cook macaroni according to package directions; rinse under cool water.

To macaroni add bell pepper, celery, and onion.

Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt and pepper.

Pour dressing over salad and mix thoroughly.

Chill before serving.

Enjoy!

Linked to Share Your Cup Thursday #63 

Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop #115

From the Farm Blog Hop

Cake Mix Cookies

I've never made "cake mix cookies" before today.

But, I think I just became a big fan!

Cookies made using a cake mix are really quick and easy.

I used a recipe I found from Cookin' Cowgirl.

Cake Mix Cookies

makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen cookies

1 box white cake mix

1 tsp baking powder

2 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup sprinkles

Combine first 5 ingredients.  

Stir in sprinkles.

Roll into balls, place on parchment lined cookie sheets, and bake at 350° for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and leave cookies on cookie sheet for 5 more minutes.

Place cookies on rack until completely cool.

Enjoy! 

My family tried a few and then I put them away for our 

4th of July cookout this evening! :-)

Linked to Share Your Cup Thursday #63

Farmgirl Friday #115 

From the Farm Blog Hop

Happy Birthday America!

(my patriotic perennials from 2011)

Happy 4th of July to each of you!

I hope you enjoy a day with friends and family

celebrating our beautiful country

and being thankful for the 

land of the free and the home of the brave.

July Daybook

FOR TODAY

July 1, 2013

Outside my window...

are dogs, a cat, kittens, chickens and a pig

 who never cease to entertain us :-)

I am thinking...

about the cool front that blew in last night 

and how very nice the weather has been today

I am thankful...

for food grown in our backyard

In the kitchen...

I made strawberry banana pops this afternoon

I am wearing...

an Aggie t-shirt and running shorts

I am creating...

more organized, streamlined areas of my home

in hopes that when I go back to work in the fall

homekeeping will be easier 

I am going...

to the beach in two weeks! :-)

I am reading...

"Thinking in Pictures - My Life with Autism" by Temple Grandin

and I just finished "Muscle and a Shovel" by Michael Shank

I highly recommend both! 

I am hoping...

to read several more books this summer 

I am learning...

to be better at recycling

Around the house...

I'm cleaning and organizing room by room

I am pondering...

what I want to can this summer

A favorite quote...

"We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have,

but rather recognizing and appreciating what we do have." ~ Frederick Keonig

One of my favorite things...

butterflies

A few plans:

to have some friends over for the 4th of July

A peek into my day... 

treating the chickens to some lettuce

Linked to The Simple Woman's Daybook - July Edition

Roasted Squash

Our squash plants have done really well in the garden this year.

And even though boiled and buttered is my favorite way to eat them,

I've been on the look out to find new ways to prepare our bounty.

This evening we had roasted squash and it was really good.

I chopped up several crook neck, one large zucchini, a purple onion and one clove of garlic.

Then, I tossed the veggies in an 1/8 cup of oil and added some salt and pepper.

I baked them at 450 for about 30 minutes.

They were very tasty. :-)

From the Farm Blog Hop #40

Strawberry Banana Frozen Yogurt Pops

You'll need -

1 lb strawberries

3 bananas

1 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Pour into popsicle molds and freeze.

Enjoy!

Makes approximately 12 pops.

Linked to Wise Woman Linkup July 3rd
Share Your Cup Thursday #64

National Blueberry Month

July is national blueberry month!

I thought I'd share some of our favorite recipes that use

delicious, fresh blueberries.

Here's our top ten, in no particular order. :-)

Blueberry Pancakes with Blueberry Syrup

Blueberry Scones

Heart Healthy Blueberry Muffins

Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping

Blueberry Quick Bread with Vanilla Sauce

Blueberry Crumb Cake

Blueberry Crostata

Blueberry Lemon Tea Cookies

Blueberry Cobbler

Blueberry Hand Pies

Linked to Homestead Barn Hop #117, 

Wise Woman Linkup July 3rd

From the Farm Blog Hop #40

Share Your Cup Thursday #63

Farmgirl Friday #115

Menu Plan

Supper Menus
June 30th - July 6th

Sunday
leftovers
Monday
country fried ham, old fashioned stuffed tomatoes, roasted summer squash, country white bread 
Tuesday
fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, zucchini onion pie  (just zucchini, the chickens didn't lay me enough eggs to make the pie!)
Wednesday
spaghetti with marinara sauce
Thursday
4th of July cookout - hotdogs with all the fixings, deer sausage wraps, homestyle macaroni salad, baked beans, chips, veggies and dip, watermelon, chocolate eclair cake, firecracker cookies
Friday
out for supper
Saturday
leftovers

Linked to Menu Plan Monday

~summertime peach smoothie~

2 peaches, peeled, pitted and chopped

1 banana, frozen

1/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt

1 tablespoon honey

Place all in a blender and blend until smooth. 

Enjoy!

From the Farm Blog Hop #40

~every moment~

"The true way to live is to enjoy every moment as it passes, 

and surely it is in the everday things around us that the beauty of life lies." 

~ Laura Ingalls Wilder, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Farm Journalist: Writings from the Ozarks 

Linked to Wise Woman Linkup July 3rd 

Asian Quinoa Salad

This Asian Quinoa Salad was planned for supper this evening,

but Mr. H. decided he wanted to go out to eat.

So I whipped it up to enjoy for lunch today and tomorrow.

Quinoa, purple cabbage, red bell peppers, edamame, cucumber, and carrots!  Yum!

~milk and honey~

I've been on a kick lately of making one of my favorite 

homemade breads - Milk and Honey Bread.

This evening I gifted out a loaf to my secret sister at Bible class.

Tied up with a sweet yellow ribbon. :-)

Linked to Homestead Barn Hop #117