“When one has tasted watermelon

he knows what the angels eat.”

~Mark Twain

Recipe for a Birthday Party :-)

Take some balloons,

a few streamers,

some "flower" leis,

parasol straws, :-)

and pretty plates for pizza.

Stir in a few sea shells,

soda pop on ice,

and the mandatory jelly bellys.

Add water!

Warm in the sun for several hours.

Soon you'll have a house full of giggly girls and lots of fun! :-)

"There is beauty in homely things which many people have never seen. For instance, do you know

Sunlight through a jar of peach-plum jelly;

A rainbow in soapsuds in dishwater;

An egg yolk in a blue bowl;

White ruffled curtains sifting moonlight;

The color of cranberry glass;

A little cottage with blue shutters;

Crimson roses in an old stone crock;

The smell of newly baked bread;

Candlelight on old brass;

The soft brown of a cocker's eyes?"

~Peter Marshall

Enjoy the beauty that is all around you

and have a wonderful weekend!

Peach Cobbler

Peach Cobbler 
12 servings

8 fresh peaches - peeled, pitted and sliced into thin wedges
¼ cup white sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 cups flour
½ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
½ cup boiling water
6 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine peaches, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Toss to coat evenly, and pour into a 2 quart baking dish. Bake at 425° for 10 minutes. Combine flour, 1/2 cup white sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in water until just combined. Remove peaches from oven, and drop spoonfuls of topping over them. Sprinkle entire cobbler with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Bake until topping is golden, about 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Linked to Mom's Crazy Cooking.

Country White Bread

Country White Bread
2 loaves

2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
2 cups warm water
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
¼ cup vegetable oil
6 ½ cups flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water. (Let water and yeast sit about 5 minutes, then stir - it will dissolve easily.) Add sugar, salt, eggs, oil and 3 cups of flour; beat until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Divide in half and shape into loaves. Place in two greased 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 375° degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes then remove from pans and cool on wire racks. Slice and enjoy!

Delicious for sandwiches! :-)

Linked to Down Home Cookin' Recipe Linkup and
Little House Living's Old Fashioned Recipe Exchange

If any little word of ours
Can make one life the brighter;
If any little song of ours
Can make one heart the lighter;
God help us speak that little word,
And take our bit of singing
And drop it in some lonely vale
To set the echoes ringing.

If any little love our ours
Can make one life the sweeter;
If any little care of ours
Can make one step the fleeter;
If any little help may ease
The burden of another;
God give us love and care and strength
To help along each other.

~Author Unknown

illustration courtesy of www.allposters.com
"Summer at the Brook" by Johan de Jong

Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping

Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping
18 muffins

3 cups flour
1 ½ cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup oil
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
2 cups fresh blueberries
½ cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
¼ cup butter, softened

Combine 3 cups flour, 1 ½ cups sugar, salt and baking powder. Combine oil, eggs and milk. Mix with flour mixture, just until combined. Gently fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top. Mix together sugar, flour, and butter with fork; sprinkle over muffins. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 400°. Enjoy!

The dishwasher is washing dishes.
The washing machine is washing clothes.
The dryer is drying towels.
The oven is cleaning on the self clean cycle.
Yes, my "servant girls" are busy tonight. :-)

"...she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls."
Proverbs 31:15

Organizing a Boy's Room

Organizing Junkie hosts a monthly "Organizing Roundup". This month the category is children's bedroom organization. I am sharing how we "corral" :-) my son's room. I have found that boys tend to have more sets of toys than girls do - so we have a lot of tubs to keep everything sorted. Toys are so much more fun to play with when they are organized! :-) After years of hearing this, I think my children are starting to agree with me. ;-) Please visit the Org Junkie to check out more participants in this month's organizing roundup.

Under my son's bed we keep tubs of toys in two layers.

The ones in the back he doesn't play with as often.

His favorites are in the front.

More of his favorites are at the foot of his bed.

These tubs have have play sets in them.

These smaller tubs are in his closet.

I picked up these hanging cubes on clearance at Wal-Mart.
They were a little flimsy until my husband secured the shelves with tie wraps.

And here is a view of his whole closet. A small bookshelf organizes his books, board games and a few big toys. On the top shelf we keep suitcases, backpacks, and some more big toys as well as a few large tubs of baby/toddler toys to bring out when we have young guests.

All of the containers in my son's room are the Sterilite brand that Wal-Mart sells. I do take a lot of kidding about all of them. But, I accept my addiction (and so does my husband!) I joke that some women like diamonds...for me it's Sterilite tubs!

"What we see, often depends on
what we are looking for."
~Author Unknown

illustration courtesy of www.allposters.com
"Summer Daisy" by Peggy Abrams

First Day of Swimming Lessons

My son is a seahorse,

my daughter is a crocodile,

...and I feel like Esther Williams in my water aerobics class! ;-)

Quilted Memories

I am participating in the "I Remember Laura" Blog-A-Thon hosted by Quill Cottage Blog. This week the category is "quilted memories". Please visit Miss Sandy to see all the other participants!

I am fortunate to have a cabinet full of "memories". Both of my grandmothers were very talented seamstresses. My paternal grandmother knitted, crocheted and did alterations in her home. My maternal grandmother sews, embroideries, crochets, and quilts. There is always a quilting rack set up in my grandmother's home. Her hand stitched quilts are the most incredible things to behold - the tiny, precisely even stitches are amazing. She always embroideries her name and the date on the back of each quilt. I am blessed to have many of her creations in my home.

This first quilt is a baby doll sized one that my Grandmother and I "made together" when I was little. I think the part I "helped" with the most was picking out the fabrics!

This beautiful quilt my grandmother made for me while I was in college.

This quilt, also made by grandmother, is very special. When I look at it, I can see the materials she used for many of the dresses she made for my sister and I while we were growing up.

This quilt was made by my husband's great aunt. I love all the different fabrics and have always called it our "crazy quilt".

We received this store bought, wedding ring pattern quilt as a wedding gift.

And this one, also store bought, covered our bed during our early marriage. Our bedroom decor and tastes have changed over the years, but this quilt will always bring back memories of that time.

This very feminine, fan pattern quilt was also made by my grandmother.

She has made a special quilt for each of our children. This one is our son's.

And this one is our daughter's.

All of my quilts are kept tucked neatly away...at the ready for warmth, comfort, and memories whenever they are needed.

I am participating in "The Simple Woman's Daybook" -
please visit The Simple Woman Blogspot to join in the fun!

~for today~
Monday, June 2, 2008

Outside my window...
there are blue skies, white puffy clouds, and lots of sunshine!

I am thinking...
about my husband.

I am thankful for...
good health to enjoy the day.

From the kitchen...
I'll be making Italian food for supper.

I am creating...
a summer schedule.

I am going...
to the grocery store.

I am wearing...
a pink t-shirt, blue jean capris, and flip flops.

I am reading...
homeschooling curriculum catalogs.

I am hoping...
to be productive today.

I am hearing...
the hum of the computer and the ticking of the clock. (The children are reading!)

Around the house...
there's Monday's laundry to do.

One of my favorite things...
long summer evenings.

A few plans for the rest of the week...
swimming lessons and finishing up the details of my daughter's birthday party.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing for you...
the summer sky from my back window.

Supper Menus
June 2nd-7th

Monday
italian chicken, potato gnocchi with pesto, tomato and mozzarella salad
Tuesday
thai spicy peanut chicken, coconut ginger rice, lemon grass and chile soup
Wednesday
angel hair pasta with marinara sauce, ceasar salad, garlic toast
Thursday
chef salad, country white bread, peach cobbler
Friday
take out pizza
Saturday
steaks on the grill, baked potatoes, lettuce and tomato salad, watermelon

Supper on the Deck

There are many different ways to cook corn on the bar-b-q, but we've found the tastiest and easiest way is to just put the ears right on the grill - no need to pre-soak. Rub a little oil on them first, and in about ten minutes they are done and so very yummy!

Linked to Gooseberry Patch Recipe Roundup.

How to Make a Lattice Pie Crust

Roll out pie crust. Using pastry wheel (or pizza cutter), slice crust into nine 3/4" pieces.

Lay 5 pieces over crust.

When doing this, pick up every other piece so that the ones left will all fit nicely on the pie.
You will not use the end pieces.

Peel back every other piece.

Lay one piece just to the right of the middle of the pie.

Fold the three pieces back over.

Fold back the other two pieces, lay down a piece and fold the two pieces back over.

Do the same thing on the other side of the pie...

...and you're all done!

Seal around the edge and flute.

Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on the top if you'd like.

To keep the edges of my pie from browning too quickly, I use to cover the edges with foil. Using this inverted pie plate is even easier! The one I use came from one of those over-size store bought pies - it's the perfect size to cover a nine inch pie plate - just trim out the middle!