FRESH FROM OUR GARDEN!

 I was so excited to make a fresh salad fresh from our garden.

 There are 2 kinds of lettuce and arugula. They are so crisp and tender! So the main part of our meal is salad.

 Mom wanted a salad but she is not dressing and therefore she wants all meals in her room so I made her a separate salad. John does not really care for tomatoes so I will add them to my salad. All I added was cukes, carrots, onion and red and green sweet peppers
 I had some beautiful tilapia thawed and decided to fry that in Panko crumbs.
Panko flakes (or crumbs) are Japanese breadcrumbs. When used for frying, they produce a
lighter, crunchier coating that´s more tender and delicate. They seem to absorb less oil and stay crisp longer
than regular crumbs.

 I season mine with Italian seasonings and Hot Hungarian Paprika.

On the other side of the plate is flour with freshly ground sea salt and freshly ground pepper with garlic powder. I dip the fillets in the flour than in milk with 2 beaten eggs with a good dash of hot sauce. They go into the panko crumb mixture and this is what you get.

  I allow them to air dry on my rack for about 5 minutes and than fry them in a good oil. I added the brand of Panko Crumbs box that you can get in most grocery stores. My favorite panko crumbs come from Trader Joe's.

  My husband gave me a compliment that any cook wants to hear...."This fish is the best you ever made and sure is better than what you get when you eat out". The salad was the star of the meal to me.

I want to show you the raised bed John made for me. We have rabbits that eat greens they tell us so he re-purposed a above the ground swimming pool that was trashed. He is a genius when it comes to using  materials. Our neighbors brought us the plants we have in this one.

I have 4 of these. One has my garlic and a few onions and the other two are waiting for seeds to plant herbs. This week I hope to get them and get them started. The danger of frost is about over for this area.
 We cannot afford vegetables at the cost they are now and so I am praying this garden will give us a wonderful yield.

I WON!

I first got a notice that I won a book from Michelle over at Give A Girl A Fig. If you never have visited this blog than you need to go and visit. It is so pleasing to the eye and easy to find your way around. But more than that she will inspire you to be a better woman for your family and for the Lord. I look forward to her posts and I am never disappointed.
Thank you Michelle!
http://giveagirlafig.blogspot.com/

Here is what I just opened. I have wanted this so much. The Lord does know the desires of your heart.

 A day later I got a email from Ruby for Women to tell me I had won a book there. Now I never win but I do so love to encourage ladies by leaving comments. I have already read some of this book today. I know I can recommend it by the things I have gleaned. It is called "I DO" by Gladys Hunt and Keith Hunt. I will share more from this book I am sure. Make sure you visit all the Christian Ladies at Ruby for Women at:
http://rubyforwomen.ning.com/

  Earlier this week a package came for mom from a sweet lady I met through another blog. She wanted to make a shawl for mom and she sure did! It is beautiful and so soft and mom loves to wrap herself up in it. She allowed me to have it to take a photo but wanted to make sure it would be right back. If you want another great blog to visit make sure you go to see Plain Pam. I want to say she is a real Titus 2 lady and if you read what she writes you will learn. I have tried many of her recipes and they sure are good! She is a dear Mennonite lady.
http://plainpamsblog.blogspot.com/
Here is the shawl.

 Last thing I want to share is something I signed up for to share. It is called Celebrate Urban Birds and the poster, sticker, lesson ideas and sunflower seeds that came today are simply beautiful! You can get yours here:
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/celebration/GettingStarted/kit

 I sure had a good week when it comes to the mail and friends.

EMPTY NEST OR A NEW ADVENTURE

 I thought today I would use my felt bears(that I love to make) to share a topic near and dear to my heart. I simply loved having my 3 children at home. In fact I hated when breaks were over and they had to go back to school. I missed them so much when summer vacation was over and back they went. There are 7 years between the girls and 8 years passed when Ryan joined us. I really got to enjoy each of the children alone because of the years between. I liked that. Our home always seemed the place the kids friends gathered and I welcomed that. One way to learn to know their friends was to have them around and join us in fun. It was not unusual for one of their friends to live with us for a season. I often got up late when they needed something to eat and make it and join them. These were happy days for me.
 When my oldest left home I missed that girl so much. I missed her friends and I missed all the ups and downs we had. When her daughter was born I learned the joy of being a grandma and keeping her daily was so much fun. She was a good baby, a girl that loved to be read to and learned quickly. Than her baby brother was born and I had 2 to watch while their parents worked. He was a cuddle bug! But this all came to an end when we moved to Atlanta. That was the year the second daughter left for college too and I was really at a loss. I felt emptiness and really was not prepared for these feelings.
 With Ryan I homeschooled him and that gave me wonderful time to spend with him. We often had tea mid afternoon and that was the time we learned about a composer and listen to the music, or I would read a poem and we would learn about the poet or we read a book and learned about the author. Those were precious times to this mom! It was during this time that my husband's mother came to live with us and his uncle. So we had to turn our energy to their needs to. After Uncle Joe died and Nana declined Nicole moved back home to help me. I relished the time I had with her again. She was now a grown up lady and I was proud of her.
Several days before 9-11 Nana passed away and the loss I felt was something I cannot express. She had not known me for a long time but she was indeed My Mother-In-Love!
 Soon I watched  the 3rd one leave the nest and move south. I remember crying that night. It was quiet. There were no more work shirts and pants to iron for Ryan. No more "mom can you make me a peanut butter sandwich" and I would tell him he could and he would say "but mom you make the best ones ever" and I would do it.
 John and I made a major move and Nicole left home and she was my TV Buddy. I missed that. I missed having lunch with her. I missed her hugs! I missed her!

 The move was sure a new adventure! I still had that hole in my heart because the kids were all gone. I did go through a time of grief but I also opened my eyes to what was ahead of us. I began to feel excitement at all we could do and my husband who I loved and I were becoming closer to each other and worked with each other. Our passion for nature was something we embraced. We went places we wanted to go and enjoyed what we wanted to. Than Ryan came home again. I loved him being there but I knew it was for a season and understood that was the way life is to be. There is much I could write about but I think I will end this entry by saying all 3 are married and now we have a fourth grandchild that I got to watch and play with. Being a grandma is the best!
 I shared all of this to say that empty nest feelings are so real.
The term “empty nest syndrome” was created by psychologists in the 1970’s to define the sense of loss or depression that parents often feel when their children leave home. What I found is that this is the time we should learn to rest and reflect. It is a wonderful time to set goals for you and do the same with your husband.
I learned to really journal and look back at the times I nursed my babies, played with them and did all the "firsts" in their lives. It is also the time I really got to take the time to grow closer to God. It was the time to down size and simplify and to really enjoy my stitching.

I learned a lesson when I read the following verse....
As an eagle that stirs up her nest, that flutters over her young, He spread abroad His wings and He took them, He bore them on His pinions. Deut. 32:11 AMP.

A mother eagle  feeds the young eaglets for a long time, but soon the mother eagle frantically flaps her wings over the nest and, of all things pushes the eaglets out of the nest. They plummet down from that high mountain crag.  We think what a horrible thing that was to do but before those little eaglets have fallen very far the mother eagle swoops down underneath them and catches them on her wings and carries  them back up to the nest again.This practice is repeated over and over again, until the eaglets are flying  on their own but they always return to the nest. The mother eagle can push them out of the nest, and it isn't necessary any more for her to catch them. They now can fly about by themselves and they came home.One day they do fly away and are on their own.  This is what we do with our kids....we have them at home and feed them with both groceries and God's Word. We play with them and learn with them. We teach them about the world and all they can do......they begin to fly with our help as they grow older and they do come home. But one day they get married and go out on their own as the Bible says they should. We are there to offer advice when they ask for it but they do have to live their lives. To me this is when we have our real ministry......we pray and we pray because we now have time to do this.
 I am here to tell you a Empty Nest is a blessing from God we need to embrace!

A Perfect Day for A Walk

                 "Expect to have hope rekindled.  Expect your prayers to be answered in wondrous ways.
                  The dry seasons in life do not last.  The spring rains will come again." 
                                                     ~Sarah Ban Breathnach
 We were asked by our neighbor to watch their 3 small dogs this week-end. I had to go over by eight this morning to let them out and feed them. This is the picture that met me this morning as I pulled up the shade. I love our dogwood tree and it is so full of blooms. The birds were singing and the squirrels were scampering about and I stopped and thanked the Lord for all the nature He gave us to enjoy. He wants us to stop and enjoy and lift our hands and hearts to Him with all the praise we can muster. That is our thanks to Him.

 I took this as I came home this evening. I love the shadows on the blooms. You see one of the many projects John is working on. This was some sort of parking area and he wants it to be all grass and friends can all pull around to the back of the mobile home. Remember this summer when we bought this place the yard was weeds head high. I appreciate all the hard work John has done.

 This just came up wild and this is the first I saw blooms on it. Anyone know what this is? I know the butterflies love the blooms! They just would not allow me to take their pictures.....wonder why?

 I love wild violets. As a child I would find a patch of them and sit down and pick a hand full and hurry home to put them in a vase. My grandma loved them and I would take her some in the spring. During this move my antique cup and saucers disappeared. That still hurts! I had about 8 different ones and a tea pot. But they are in my memory and that is what counts.

 Our neighbor has these around his mobile home but they do not know what they are called. Maybe one of you can tell me this too.

I found a big patch of these too. The pink is so pretty.

 My seeds are coming up and some are doing good. I hope we can soon put the out in the garden. I have tomatoes, hot peppers, Brussel Sprouts, and herbs are growing each day. I have some raised beds with arugula, cabbage, broccoli, Chinese broccoli, 2 types of lettuce, onions, garlic, spinach and rosemary. I soon can cut some arugula and lettuce and I am excited about that. I am seeing with the price of groceries I need to put up as much as we can grow.
 I have some ideas to keep me using my blog more. So check back soon.

The Wonder of a Child and mom.

                                           While we try to teach our children all about life,
                                           Our children teach us what life is all about.
                                                       ~Angela Schwindt~



  Mom has really been on a down mood lately. She has been staying in bed most of the day and seldom coming out to see what is going on. Several neighbors have come by and wanted her to come out and visit but she refused. I am back to taking 3 meals a day to her in her room. We have offered to take her with us but it is always a "No". The doctor suggested I do not ask her again and make her ask me. So we will try that.
 Mom does not want me to take in breakfast until noon so she can sleep. Today the neighbors granddaughter came over to visit. I am making her a felt book with dolls and each page of the book will have a room and she can play with the dolls .....it is a grown up version of a busy book. Catie is 5. I started to get mom's tray together and she asked me who that was for. So I told her. She decided she would carry the tray with me and I figured it was worth a try. She opened the door and said in a happy voice "Good Morning. Time to get up." Mom looked surprised but just had to smile back at the happy face greeting her. Catie told mom what each thing was on her tray and told her she needed to eat it all. She than took in the things I am working on and shared them with mom and just kept chatting. She saw the picture of dad and asked who he was and mom told her. She than told the child that she just wanted to die and go to him. It was quiet in the room and as I went to the room to rescue Catie I held this,"Well, so what? We all have to die. We do not go to a person because we go to God.
Don't you know that?" Mom was sure taken back. Catie kept on playing until her dad came by to get her.
Mom came out of the room and said that girl was sure smart. She went back to her room but I know she has something to think about.

 Children are a gift to us. They help us see what life is really about. They love in an unconditional way and they look at us with awe and learn from us. Catie saw a lady that needed love and a friend and so she did what she could to give mom that. Mom looked rough but Catie did not see that. At one point mom asked her if she knew how old she was. Catie thought and replied "15 I think." Mom laughed and that was music to my ears. She told her she would be 89 in June unless she died and Catie wondered why she would want to do that. When she left she told mom she feels sorry for her......That should be food for thought too.

 This poem is one I love and I want to share it with you.

God Made Little Girls
Author: Unknown

God made the world with its towering trees,
majestic mountains and restless seas,
then paused and said, "It needs one more thing."
Someone to laugh and dance and sing,
to walk in the woods and gather flowers,
to commune with nature in quiet hours.
So God made little girls
with laughing eyes and bouncing curls,
with joyful hearts, and beautiful smiles,
enchanting ways and feminine wiles.
And when He'd completed the task He'd begun,
he was pleased and proud of the job He'd done.
For the world when seen through a little girl's eyes
greatly resembles paradise.

OUR TRAIL and more....

I love to walk this trail! I love the brisk air that sends scarlet, yellow, orange and brown leaves chasing each other.......I love the greens of the pines, holly and cedar trees that are now so very clear as you see the landscape changing. The shuffling of leaves under my feet is simply a fun sound that takes me back to my childhood.

John took these pictures as he and Sparky walked. Sparky seems to love fall too.
I added some of my favorite Autumn quotes under the trail pictures.

"October gave a party;The leaves by hundreds came-The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,And leaves of every name.The Sunshine spread a carpet,And everything was grand,Miss Weather led the dancing,Professor Wind the band."
- George Cooper, October's Party

"Listen ...With faint dry sound,Like steps of passing ghosts,The leaves, frost-crisp'd, break free from the trees And fall."

- Adelaide Crapsey, 1878-1914, November Night

"Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn."

- Elizabeth Lawrence

This is standing in front of John's shop looking toward our home. He has lots of ideas to do natural landscape from seedlings in the wooded area. When you see this next year I know it will look better. We plan to replace the back door in one of the next months. This door had been entered by force too and was repaired so we could get by. John planted grass in all the bare yard. On this side of the car was a fire pit that I cleaned up. I look 6 wheel barrow loads of garbage back to the trash pile. It took me hours to do that and 3 loads of ashes on top of that.

I had to watch for the many needles in this mess......since there was not a stove in the house the neighbor said they cooked out in the fire pit as they would have a party that lasted a week or more......she was one scared lady and I sure do understand.

John loves this shed. He has organized inside and has a really nice work area. When we came here you could not even see this building. In the front was a mound of rotten wood, mangled tin and all kinds of junk along with bags of garbage. There were old tires and containers full of empty cans of lye and stuff that they used to make meth.....it was a sobering sight. John spent days working through all of this and than burning what he could.

BEFORE AND AFTER

Our front yard is such a wonderful and beautiful spot. Fall is beautiful and this dogwood tree is really a brilliant red.

I have meant to do this ever since we moved to Franklin, Ga. But as you all will see we had our work cut out for us. It has been the most rewarding adventure of my life. I have been so thankful for John's ability to see what needs to be done and the fact the Lord allowed him to have the strength to do it along with the help of Ryan and our friends Douglas and Jane. Without the 3 of them we would not have been able to do it as quickly as we did.

These pictures only show the before pictures after we took out bags of garbage out so that we could walk and see the place. The other reason is many of those bags contained raw garbage and the smell was a killer!

This is the kitchen before we cleaned it up. It had not had a stove of refrigerator for a long time. We were told they were sold to make the meth....The roaches were in plenty in this kitchen....it gave me a fit to even be in there but I toughened up and got it clean! Than as I cleaned John came behind and caulked so they would be sealed out. The furniture left here was full of stains, roaches and the smoke smell....the combination was horrible. We kept nothing.....

This is looking out the kitchen window now. John loves his plants and so we added the stand for the winter. I love doing the dishes and watching the birds. Our land goes back the path in the center of the picture.

The dinning area was piled to the ceiling with bags and boxes. This was a horrible build in that was also full of roaches and we had to pull it out so we could add a bit of room for our dinning table.

The dinning area is now a wonderful place to eat. I have the table set for John's birthday here and the pecan pie cake I made was a real keeper! We had our neighbor couple over for the meal and I used the china that Nicole gave me several years ago.

The living area was full of garbage and 2 huge sofas. The door had been forced open by the GBI when they did the raid on this house. Our friend Kenny was helping change the locks. This carpet was blue at one time.....these folks had at least 4 dogs in here and had never cleaned the carpet......full ash trays were in plenty and you would not have dared to sit on the furniture!

I am so thankful that we could change the carpets and make the living areas a wonderful place to be. I watch birds from my chair and just feel at such peace. We gave away over 1/2 of our furniture and stuff but we have now what we need. I like that we could simply our lives.

The yard was full of trash.....beer cans....an ugly fire pit with 5 gallon cans cans for seats all around it. John collected 45 tires from all over the yard. The barn/shed was full of 7 couches and garbage bags to the roof. It filled a 30 foot construction dumpster and John had to haul off a ton of junk beside that and burned wood for 5 days. We still have the tires to get rid of the tires.

The front yard had stuff growing as tall as we are and it took days to mow it down....all we had was a push mower and the neighbors joked it was a bush hog for John. But he got the job done.

I have more pictures but I think you all get the feel of the place......It is now a wonderful home and we love it! There is much work to be done but that will come. Right now John needs to rest and get back his strength. You all come and see us!