~Keurig Love~

Well, I'm on the Keurig bandwagon now.

I got one for Mother's Day and for the past week I have absolutely loved it.

I got a couple of boxes of our favorite k-cups at the grocery last week.

But then my amazon order came in of 36 different kinds and 

that sent me from keurig believer straight into keurig love! ;-)

My whole family had fun looking at all the different kinds!

And, then I loaded up my carousal. 

The assortment came with plenty of coffees of course, plus hot cocoas and ciders,

teas and decafs,

and flavored varieties.

I said this one, called "dark and handsome" must have been sent for Mr. H. ;-)

My daughter and I said we'd fight over the "pumpkin vanilla creme" one. 

(Of course I'll let her have it though!)

The first one I tried was the "peanut butter and jelly sandwich" crazy cup flavor!  How fun!

I plan to also get an insert that keurig sells were you can just use your own regular coffee in your machine instead of the k-cups.   

But, for a while I will love, love, love the novelty of a whole coffee shop sitting on my kitchen counter!

I am just loving my Keurig.

I can't wait to have company over and have them be able to select and make

 any hot beverage they'd like.  How neat is that?! :-)

Flowers, flowers, everywhere!

I just love how our property explodes with 

black eyed susans every May!

Literally hundreds everywhere you look.

I just had to snip a few to bring inside to enjoy. :-)

Pristine, manicured lawns in the 'burbs have never been for me.

I like the woods where there is always a surprise at every turn. :-)

Homemaking

“It's sad if people think that's (homemaking) a dull existance, [but] you can't just buy an apartment and furnish it and walk away. It's the flowers you choose, the music you play, the smile you have waiting. I want it to be gay and cheerful, a haven in this troubled world. I don't want my husband and children to come home and find a rattled woman. Our era is already rattled enough, isn't it?” ~Audrey Hepburn

Six Years Blogging

Well, my six year blogging anniversary came and went without me realizing it!  

On May 4th, six years ago, I was home one evening sick with a cold and I decided to start a blog.  

On that first day I shared - 

my first menu plan, 

a picture of Daisy, 

a favorite recipe, 

a quote, 

a movie I was watching, 

and a poem.

2,363 posts later…

 and the rest is history!

Thanks for visiting all these years. :-)

And, if you've never said hello, I'd love to meet you!

Menu Plan Monday

Back to menu planning after nine long weeks!  Woohoo!

Supper Menus

May 12th-18th

Monday

leftovers

Tuesday

texas chili, country cornbread muffins

Wednesday

potato soup, grilled cheese sandwiches

Thursday
leftovers

Friday

baked lemon chicken with new potatoes and vegetables, lettuce and tomato salad, rustic bread

Saturday
invited to friend's house for supper

Sunday dinner

pot roast, lettuce and tomato salad, dinner rolls

Ma Ingalls

“This earthly life is a battle,' said Ma. 'If it isn't one thing to contend with, it's another. It always has been so, and it always will be. The sooner you make up your mind to that, the better off you are, and more thankful for your pleasures.” Little Town on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder

National Strawberry Month

May is National Strawberry Month!

You can go here to find lots of our favorite strawberry recipes.

And her are a few more!

~strawberry delight~

~strawberry shortcake cookies~

~strawberry cupcakes~

~strawberry syrup~

It's Dewberry Time!

"I smile when I look back at the troubles that have strengthened me.  What seems to be insurmountable struggles then are now beautiful ornaments illuminating my soul."

~Dodinsky

Our Favorite New Potatoes

Dig up three or four potatoes per person.

Scrub under cool water.

Boil until tender.

Toss with butter.

Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Enjoy!

~Fresh Garden Onions~

"The first supermarket supposedly appeared on the American landscape in 1946.  That is not very long ago.  Until then, where was all the food?  Dear folks, the food was in homes, gardens, local fields, and forests.  It was near kitchens, near tables, near bedsides.  It was in the pantry, the cellar, the backyard." 

~ Joel Salatin, Folks, This Ain't Normal: A Farmer's Advice for Happier Hens, 

Healthier People, and a Better World

Home is Where the Heart Is

Sometimes I find myself missing our house in town.

The house where I could keep the floors clean

because we had sidewalks and paved drives.

The house where I had picked out every paint color, floor covering, counter top 

and light fixture.  And everything matched!

The house where I could walk to the corner store if I had to.

Four years ago this week, we sold that house and bought a quirky home in the country that someone else built.  And, in my opinion, very little matches!

I never seem to linger on my thoughts of missing that house in town too long though

because I quickly remember this home is where I hear our duck quacking 

and splashing outside my window.

Where I have wildflowers in my front yard.

Where I don't have an HOA telling me what I can and can't do.

Where I have room to roam and room to breathe.

And where I have pets that feed me breakfast. :-)

Home is where the heart is.  And my heart is certainly right here. 

Lone Spring Kitten

Reeces had a spring litter of kittens in early March.

She had two - a gray and a tiny calico that didn't make it.

We didn't see much of the little gray kitten the first month.  Reeces kept it near the back shed mostly.

I would see it just for a little bit usually in the early evenings.

It looks so much like little Leche from last spring.

It's been coming out in the yard a little more and more

and doing a lot of playing with Chiclet and Chupa.

The kids named it "Luttrell" since it was the lone survivor this spring.

And this weekend Reeces let it start coming on the back porch.

Luttrell loves cardbord boxes as all the cats do. :-)

Red Potatoes from the Garden

We've been digging up potatoes as we need them and boy are they good!

Bring them in, cook them up.

From ground to plate in less than 30 minutes.

It just doesn't get any fresher than that!  Yum!

Lots of good news! :-)

Good news on Donald -

Earlier in the week we were having to put her in the water during the day and then move her into the pet porter at night.  If she tried to walk anywhere she just ran into things.  It was so sad.  And she wasn't eating much.  But, after just a few days of healing, her right eye, (as you can see in this picture taken yesterday) already is looking so much better.  Her left eye is still scabbed over, but it looks to be healing really well, too.

I was really encouraged Friday evening when she went into the pet porter at dusk all by herself.  She was also doing good yesterday, and today she was swimming, eating, walking around and QUACKING.  It was so good to hear that sound again!  On Tuesday Mr. H. had really wanted to put her down, but I ask him to wait.  I am so glad that we did.  She just needed a little time!  She is definitely on the mend. :-)

Good news from the kitchen -

I am on the mend, too, and today marks the six week point for my recovery.  I have a doctor appointment this week and should find out how much longer I'll be wearing my lovely neck brace. ;-) Anywhere from 2 to 6 more weeks.

During this recovery time one of the hardest things for me has been not being able to cook for my family.  This should not come as a surprise to anyone that knows me or has been reading here very long. ;-)  The first few weeks after the accident, I really couldn't do anything at all, cooking or otherwise.  Our church family brought several meals to us.  Mr. H. made some simple meals. My school family blessed me with several restaurant gift cards.  And we had simple sandwiches or cereal for supper some evenings.

Then as I started to get better, I made a meal or two.  I remember being so proud of the first meal I made all by myself a few weeks ago - some simple pasta with jar sauce and frozen garlic bread.  I felt like I'd climbed Mt. Everest! ;-)  My mexican frito salad was on the menu last week.  Mr. H. browned the ground beef and I did everything else.  Again, so proud! ;-)  

As Easter approached I really, really wanted to make some or our traditional foods in a simplified way using a little help from kraft, pillsbury and marie callender! ;-)

We had some ham slices cooked in the crockpot,

green bean casserole,

mashed potatoes (the only truly homemade from scratch thing!),

shells and cheese,

crescent rolls,

and deviled eggs (well those were homemade, too, actually really homemade - straight from the backyard, haha!)

The meal went over very well!  My son ate two huge plate fulls!

Cadbury eggs and individual coconut cream pies and carrot cakes from the frozen food aisle rounded out the meal! 

And, of course, the best news -

"Be of good cheer.  I have overcome the world." 

John 16:33 

Our's was a happy and very memorable Easter Sunday.

I hope your's was, too!

Catching Up! :-)

I must apologize over my lack of posting during the last few weeks.  My family and I were actually in a car accident five weeks ago and I sustained some injuries.  I am on the mend now and I have definitely been learning some lessons in patience and thankfulness.  Our life has been moving at a slower pace, and I'm not able to do all I'd like to do, but there is still life going on around me and thankfully I'm still able to capture it with my camera and share it with you! :-)

An Orchid

I've never had an orchid before!

A friend from high school came to visit me last month after the accident 

and brought this beautiful one to me.

I've really enjoyed it and I've watched several new buds bloom.