Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Song: There is a River by Jars of Clay

There is a river that washes you clean
There is a tree that marks the places you've been
Blood that was spilled, although not your own,
For all of your tears, are the wages for things you have done

And all of those nights
Spent alone in the darkness of your mind
Give it up, Let go
These are things you were never meant to shoulder

There is a river that washes you clean
There is a tree that marks the places you've been
Blood that was spilled, although not your own
For all of those tears, love will atone

So, give up the right
To control the waves that empty out your life
Above wild skies
Are the rays that break the shadows we design

Give it up, let go
These are things you were never meant to shoulder
Give it up, let go

There is a river that washes you clean
There is a tree that marks the places you've been
Blood that was spilled, although not your own
For all of those things, love will atone

I know the world can turn in different ways
Most of the time, we're simply hanging on
And under the signs of how we all behave
We might find the place that we belong

There is a river that washes you clean
There is a tree that marks the places you've been
Blood that was spilled, although not your own
For all of these things, love will atone

For all of those nights, that you cried all alone
All of your tears, love will atone



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Monday, September 28, 2009

Happy Homemaker Monday

hhm


Thanks to Sandra for hosting!


The weather in my neck of the woods:
It was hot yesterday, but the rest of the week it's calling for low to mid-80's and low humidity. I can deal with that.


One of my simple pleasures:
Sitting on my front porch and enjoying the view and the breeze.


On my bedside table:
Mentholatum, 7up and lots of kleenex.



On my TV:
No TV here.



On the menu for tonight:
I wish I knew. I've been so sick this weekend I haven't given it any thought.



On my To Do List:
Figure out tonight's dinner.



New Recipe I tried last week:
Nothing last week, but I did make homemade hamburger buns last weekend. They were so good! Anyone want the recipe?




In the craft basket:
Both handles are done, but I did not pay attention the keeping the right tension in my yarn. Now one is longer than the other. I'll probably have to make another one. LOL



Looking forward to:
Getting over this sinus infection and feeling human again.


Homemaking Tip for this week:
My tip jar is empty.




Favorite Blog Post of the week (mine or other):
Not much blog reading the last few days.

Favorite photo from last week:






Lesson learned the past few days:
God is always speaking to me, but I can't hear him if my head and heart are cluttered with worry and anxiety.




On my Prayer List:
Friends
Family
Fellow bloggers



Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:
Romans 12:2 Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect His will really is.



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Friday, September 25, 2009

The weather and other things

Tristan brought me a specimen today.


I have to admit I don't mind too much. The weather here was so hot all summer that going to the pond to "hunt and shoot stuff" just wasn't much fun. Then it turned rather rainy. But we've had a taste of fall here this last week or so. I just love it. I love sleeping with the windows open and not running the air conditioner. Yesterday and today have been so perfect weather-wise it reminds me of Colorado (where I live in my dreams). Blue, blue sky, gentle breezes and wonderful temperatures.

This kind of weather renews me.



This crawdad, however, not so much.



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Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Cheesy Corn Chowder

or...Potato Corn Chowder...or...Cheesy Potato Chowder...or...Cheesy Potato Soup...I could go on, but I don't think you really want me to. I don't care what you decide to call this deliciousness, I just want you to make it on some cool autumn evening. And don't forget the warm, buttery rolls to dip into it's goodness.

My good friend Connie gave me this recipe years ago after I had the soup at her house. Thanks Connie!

We like to have this on the first day of fall, and this year the weather cooperated splendidly.

Cheesy Potato and Corn Chowder
Serves: a bunch

5 potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
5 cups milk (raw milk with the cream stirred in is divine)
4 chicken bouillon cubes
5 T flour
frozen corn (however much you like)
ham, cubed or bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 lb velveeta cheese, cubed (I know, it's not good for you, but it just really works here)

Boil potatoes in some water and drain. Dissolve bouillon in milk and then whisk in the flour. Add milk mixture to pot with potatoes. Start heating milk, making sure to not let it curdle. When milk is almost boiling, add in the corn and ham to heat them up. When the soup is very hot, (you really have to watch it, just a minute too long and the milk will begin to stick to the bottom and burn) add the cubed velveeta and stir constantly until it's melted and heated through. Serve immediately.


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Saturday, September 19, 2009

Snapshots of a Saturday: Wrapping Up Waco





snapshots-of-a-saturday5



<center><a href="http://www.lifeonthehayfarm.com"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2538/3712146438_74ae990414_o.jpg"/></a></center>






I'd love to have you join my new photo meme! Here's the rules (they're easy, I promise!):

*Any photos you post must be your own.
*Nothing vulgar or obscene, please.
*Mr. Linky will go live late Friday night and you'll have as long as you like to post your link.
*Try to post pictures of your Saturday adventures, but if you have another day you'd rather share, feel free.
*The photos don't have to be from the same day you post. They can be a recent adventure, or something from long ago.
*No subject is too mundane. If you'd like to share, we want to enjoy!
*Please link back to LOTHF by grabbing the header from above. Thanks!

That's about it. I hope this will inspire us to take our cameras EVERYWHERE (well, almost) in case of spontaneous adventure.

I'm a little late in posting this but here, finally, are the last photos from our trip to Waco. These are from the Mayborn Museum at Baylor University. It has lots of neat Texas history artifacts and also a fun hands-on science museum as well.

The thing I was most fascinated with was the Mammoth Site. Now this is a reproduction of the actual site, which is not open to the public yet. The floor was a glass grid with all the fossils underneath. Very cool!















Our favorite part of the science museum was the bubble room.













I've really enjoyed sharing our trip with y'all! Thanks for coming along!



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Thursday, September 17, 2009

Slow Cooking Thursday: Cheesy Shredded Pork Tacos

Be sure to join in with Sandra for her Slow Cooking Thursday. Thanks for hosting Sandra!

Cheesy Shredded Pork Tacos



This is one of my family's favorite recipes of all time.

1 Boneless Pork Roast
1 cup salsa
1 small can green chiles
1 tsp cumin
2 cups shredded cheese
4-8 oz cream cheese, softened and cut up

Salt and pepper roast. Depending on it's size and the size of your crockpot, you might want to cut it up into a few large pieces to make it fit. Add salsa, chiles, and cumin. Turn crockpot on low and let cook for at least 8 hours.
When roast is done, remove it from the crockpot, leaving the juices, and shred it. Return roast to crockpot and add 2 cups of your favorite shredded cheese along with 4-8 oz of cream cheese. Turn crockpot on high and let cheese melt, stirring occasionally.

Serve with warm corn tortillas and all your favorite mexican condiments. Mmm...I'm getting hungry!


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Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Butter...it's the beginning of everything good

I was making some butter this afternoon and realized that I'd never written a post about how I do it. I've had some requests to do just that, so this is as good time as any, right?

Making butter always makes me smile because it brings to mind an I Love Lucy episode where Lucy, Ethel, Fred, and Ricky take a trip back to the "gay 90's". This meant that they couldn't use any inventions that came after 1900. I don't know about the historical accuracy of the episode, but the results, as usual, are hilarious. The girls bet the guys that they could stick it out longer, and one of the things they have do to is make their own butter and bread. At one point, Ethel comes into Lucy's kitchen and asks how long you have to churn milk to get butter. LOL Well, that gets straightened out and Ethel comes in later with a good size amount of butter that she finally churned with Lucy's help. Her best line is, "All this butter and it only cost $23.10." Oh no!

Well, Lucy's bread baking escapades didn't go much better. She uses way too much yeast and ends up with the biggest loaf of bread I've ever seen. (Some interesting trivia: the loaf of bread in the episode was real and the cast and crew ate it after the show was taped.)


I'm glad I can make butter quickly and easily at home without churning by hand and without spending a lot of money.

Our family buys raw milk from a local dairy that still has the cream in it. I let the milk set and after the cream has risen, I skim it off. You can definitely use store-bought cream though.

I put the (very) cold cream in my food processor and turn it on. Then, I listen. Making butter is all about listening and learning what the different stages sound like.

First, it's just sloshy, like you would expect. Then the cream starts to thicken as it gets whipped. It even sounds thicker.


After several minutes, it starts to sound sloshy, and this is when I know the butter curds are separating from the cream.


After the curds have separated, I pour them into a strainer to strain off the buttermilk.


This is not thick, cultured buttermilk. This is a very mild milk with lots of whey. I've used it place of milk and buttermilk in baking with great results.


Lastly, I wash the butter to remove the excess buttermilk. I do this by pressing the butter against the inside of a bowl while running water over it and letting the milky water run off. This water can be given to your pets to drink or just put down the drain. The more buttermilk that's left in your butter, the faster it will spoil. Now I salt it very slightly and refrigerate it.

And that's it! Don't forget to make pancakes or waffles or biscuits with the buttermilk you strained off so you can try that yummy butter!


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Monday, September 14, 2009

Happy Homemaker Monday

hhm


Thanks to Sandra for hosting!


The weather in my neck of the woods:
Glorious! It's been raining for several days and the temps are awesome! Lots of windows open here!


One of my simple pleasures:
Listening to the rain from my comfortable couch.


On my bedside table:
iPod



On my TV:
No TV here.



On the menu for tonight:
Not sure. Thinking about trying one of the soup recipes for our Vita-Mix. It's finally the right kind of weather.



On my To Do List:
Lunch with a good friend today. Maddy's first art class tomorrow. Bowling on Wednesday and then the dentist on Thursday. Whew!



New Recipe I tried last week:
Haven't tried anything new lately.




In the craft basket:
Both handles are done, but I did not pay attention the keeping the right tension in my yarn. Now one is longer than the other. I'll probably have to make another one. LOL



Looking forward to:
Finally finishing up with sharing our trip to Waco with y'all.


Homemaking Tip for this week:
Make time to visit Carrie at Farming on Faith. She has lots of great homemade cleaner recipes. As I run out of commercially made items here at home, I'm trying more and more and loving them!




Favorite Blog Post of the week (mine or other):
Sorry to say no time for much blog reading. I had to hit the "mark all as read" button on my reader this morning. Over 100 posts! Goodness!

Favorite photo from last week:




Lesson learned the past few days:
That I can do this. All of it. (Are you tired of this lesson yet? I must tell myself everyday that I can do this. There is always something that Satan will use to defeat me. But in Christ, I CAN do this...all of it.)




On my Prayer List:
Friends
Family
Fellow bloggers



Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:
Joshua 24:15 But if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve...But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.



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Thursday, September 10, 2009

Busy, Busy

Wow, I have not posted in a few days, thought it sure doesn't seem that way. This week has just flown by with all the things we've had going on. School is in full-swing and since my kiddos school at home, this does not give me more free time, but less. I've been working a little extra this week to make up for the kids being sick last week, so even more free time is taken there.

But hopefully tonight (no promises!) I'll be back to take you on the final part of our Waco trip. Here's a preview of the highlight of our visit to the Mayborn Museum:

Monday, September 7, 2009

Down by the crick

There's a creek bed not too far from our house. The kids love to go there to dig for fossils. I usually beg off when Ron suggests that I go too, but this time I decided to be a good sport and tag along. I'm glad I did! I think I had just as much fun taking pictures as the kids did exploring!






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