You Know It's Hot When...

... the plants are trying to get inside.



Remember this big guy?

Thinking he (or she??) might be stinging nettle I could use for my teas, I left it alone, but now am afraid to use it...

Besides, it needs a good bit more than my little kitchen shears to cut it down now.

Anyway, I was looking out my kitchen window and

Hello there, may I come in?

I know you're in there...

Thankful Thursday and a Filmstrip

I don't normally do Thankful Thursdays, but I was feeling thankful this morning, and it's Thursday, so...


1.) A well little guy. My oldest son had been sick with a stomach thing for about a week. He's doing much better.

2.) Grandmas who spoil above sick child with her video game system that she was not using to help pass the time whilst recuperating.

3.) Other Grandmas who spoil tired momma with a new microwave and a fan-balancing kit, so we can get those ceiling fans really going!

4.) That our house is no longer the local sweat lodge!!
Thanks to all who know who you are.


5.) Lessons being learned and being able to be thankful in the midst of painful and humbling lessons. God doesn't give up on us. Let's just say I don't blog about EVERYTHING.

6.) Showers- I am grateful to be able to just turn on a hot shower at will.

7.) Being the first one up and having a few minutes to myself.



And now for the film. I've been listening to a lot of things from the Natural News site lately, and they mentioned this video:

Of course, we probably already knew this (crunchletes), but there it is. I've been known to stand in the aisle and read and read the labels deciding whether to buy something or not.  We've been eating a more than usual amount of convenience foods lately with the heat, but hopefully that is over now.

Reminsin'... Or Summer Music Series (Perhaps)

Music keeps coming up for me lately, so I've been revisiting some of my old favorites.

Kansas..I used to LOVE Kansas...(don't snicker.) Yes, I was a classic rock chic and still guess I am at heart.  I always thought that perhaps I was born a bit too late, much of the music that moved me was just a teeny bit before my time.  Becoming increasingly convinced that that God uses everything to draw His people, He used music to get to me..as I'm sure He does a lot, it works. I was extremely standoffish about any and all music for a season, but that season is closing.


I think I bought the Leftoverture cassette in the discount bin at Target back in the day. (Carry On)...

I still have it btw, with my initials (pre-married initials) scratched into the plastic, I'm not sure why I did that.
I played that tape so much.



I was a googilin' about the other morning and saw that the lead singer had a falling out with the main song writer back in the early 80s. Digging further, I found that the song writer had become a Christian and the resulting lyrics that came from that was not well received by all in the band. I'm not sure how it all panned out, but here is a neat little testimony from that Christian.

Interesting. Those early songs were written by someone looking for the truth as I was back then.

Grateful

I'm grateful today. 

We are cool (not in hipness but in temperature). 

God is good. 

The Body of Christ is good.

And THIS Time I'll Be Ready

Thank you all for your great comments and ideas about the heat and the cooking thing. We are having delightfully cooler temps for the next couple of days in which I will get some things done ahead of time.


I am baking a double batch of bread today and baked four loaves of banana bread yesterday.  Anything oven will get done today and then just reheated over the next swelter that is upcoming.

From NOAA:

You gotta love the glowing hot sun....

And, I found that ice went pretty quick, so I'm getting ahead on that, too. As with everything else, this is a learning curve and experience will hopefully teach preparedness.


Now, with things a-ready, we can enjoy the heat!

I got a kick out of this..I guess I've been having some "Charlie Brown moments" lately:

The Crockpot is my New BFF

Since our air conditioning isn't working, I have had to make some choices about how to cook without making it hotter in here.  It was 90 degrees in this house yesterday and there was no bleeping way I was going to turn the oven on. I had read that you could make meatloaf in the crock-pot, but wasn't ever interesting in trying it. I couldn't imagine letting it sit in the grease and stuff.

Out of desperation, since the Mr. likes meatloaf sandwiches for lunch (and that's all I had) I gave it a try last week and yesterday made a bigger one.

Needing some kind of rack, so it wouldn't be sitting in the drippings (eeew) I used a veggie steamer with the middle taken out. It is flexible and fit just right.

It turned out wonderfully, better I think than in the oven and it only took about 3-4 hours on the high setting. Not bad for a 3&1/2 pound meatloaf.

Next, since I had some time left and was feeling adventurous, I wanted baked potatoes for supper. I only made two and set them in the crockpot, washed and with no foil, a little water and set that on high. That took about 2 hours.  They did not get the crispy skin you would get in the oven, but got cooked and were just great with chili on top!


You may be wondering why I didn't use the microwave for the potatoes...that's broken too.


I had planned to bake bread yesterday, but scrapped that idea and took my dough and rolled four tortilla sized balls out and cooked them on the stove top tortilla style. They were great. I sent three of them with hubby today and ate one to test it. I put the rest of the dough in the fridge and will make more today.

I'm researching possible using the crock-pot to bake bread, but can't today, it will be busy with other things.

Hooray! Who needs the oven? Now, a couple more slow cookers are on my wish list:)

This is Kind of Where I'm At.. . .

A fellow bloggeress posted this several weeks ago. I have since read it through a couple of times and I can see exactly what she is saying:

The following post was birthed from a letter to a blogger’s question, regarding John Piper’s and Rick Warren’s theology.  I didn’t want to leave a book-length comment and opted to send an email instead. My intent was not to debate anyone’s theology but to address some thoughts that I’ve been struggling with for quite some time now. The question was merely an invitation for me to finally exhale…
I’ve edited the letter as a blog post, and have stuck a few extra thoughts between the lines for clarification (well okay, a few more than a few extra thoughts).

Dear ____,

In a recent email, a friend seemed a bit worried about sounding too mythical, and I knew exactly what she meant on so many levels! To make what could be a long story very short, it seems that some bloggers are walking tiptoed on eggshells… (ask me how I know).

I’ve been dubbed heretical because I would not take sides with rudeness; have been defriended and snubbed because I don’t join ‘ism clubs, hunt for heretics under every rock, or throw the baby out with the bathwater… (and I don’t even go out of my way to ask for confrontation). But, enough about me already.

But wait…there’s more.   read on!

I've been doing quite a bit of stepping back lately, wondering what it is that I do believe and why. I have been surprised that even when I think I am completely only taking doctrine from the scripture was very unsettled to discover that that wasn't the case in all matters.  We all bring traditional baggage, preconceived notions, personal preferences and experiences to the party even when we are sure we are not. 


I like what Petra said about always being teachable...that is not being tossed to and fro, or "double-minded" but being clay in the Potter's hands, so to speak. He does let us go on in bad thinking or wrong theology for a time, for a reason.  


I pray often "don't let me be deceived!", but I have to trust Him in all things.



Trust Him, not any "ists", "isms", or creeds.

Photo from here

 

From the beauty of creation, to the soul of every last being...HE is in control.

Random Saturday Thoughts

Line dried towels are delightfully crunchy, having an exfoliating effect..hmmm?  Pretty fancy..I feel like I've been to the spa. Wait, I've never been to the spa, how does that feel?

It's very "vewy" quiet..shhh no one is up yet and speaking of that.....

I always have it all together and am neatly dressed, polite, smiling with fresh hot bread in hand and never need any time to myself or a break from the noise. I welcome children from around the neighborhood to also enjoy in my hospitality and I never get stressed out or irritated.









A lovely sight...my motherwort patch in the morning sunlight..

It attracts lots of fuzzy buzzy bees

I need to go and get my dd a new swimsuit for an upcoming swimming event. She seems to keep growing...what is up with that?  I can only imagine what is out there.




About shopping, I have been getting some sticker shock at the grocery. I'm wondering now if I stick to getting the organic and non gmo stuff I have been or just get what's cheap. I don't know, maybe they've beat me down. The kids are eating machines and it's not going to get any better.




Blog following: I have gone through the last few days and have unfollowed some blogs on my list-nothing personal. There was just getting to be too many and many that had oodles of followers.  I don't want to follow any just for the sake of a follow-back, which was important back when we (I) started this thing, since we considered it a money maker (laughing hysterically). I just want to be honest about it, so from now on I will only follow blogs I have every intention of "following".  I will totally understand any unfollows here too:)



Passage to meditate on today (the version is Young's Literal..I wanted to mix it up a bit)


but it is great gain -- the piety with contentment;for nothing did we bring into the world -- [it is] manifest that we are able to carry nothing out; but having food and raiment -- with these we shall suffice ourselves; (1Timothy 6: 6-8)

What's Happening

Central Indiana summer haze

 How's it going out there in bloggy land?

It seems that I have nothing to say...gasp!


That can't be right.

I've been praying that the Lord would help me use my two ears and one mouth more proportionately..(I have two hands to type, though, so the analogy breaks down a bit)and He has granted this petition with a complete lack of anything to say here.

I am listening ,though, and someday will hopefully be able to blog about some of the things I am learning- but not now.

So anyway, here's a few pictures from around the compound:

My tea garden is on hold, but it is the perfect spot to make sun tea:)

A little broccoli, tomatoes, and potatoes are doing well for now

That's popcorn over at the right. (non gmo)

 

My motherwort patch..it's really tall!

Still waiting to see what this big guy is.

Our  "pine cone" tree died...bummer

I guess that's it for now.