What Is Your Persona Today?

I have many personas.  I don't mean different personalities, I mean personas like who I want to be right now or who I want you to see.  These are the many sides of me that come out depending on my mood.  I can have more than one in a day.  Right now I am the Suburban Country Lady sitting on my pink desk writing my blog!  We all have different personas.  If we didn't we'd either be quite boring or be bored with ourselves.

A simple definition of persona is the personal facade we present publicly.  This is how people see us and perceive us.  The other day at my hair appointment I complimented my hairdresser on how nice she looked in her outfit.  She usually wears jeans with a top and cowboy boots.  That day she wore an attractive dress with heels.  She thanked me for the compliment but went on to say she felt out of place and kind of out of body.  She said she used to dress up all the time but she somehow stopped doing that.

When I started seeing her my first impression of her was a sassy cowgirl kind of lady, but that day I saw her as a feminine professional hair stylist.  Either way, she does an excellent job with my hair.  When I started seeing her a year and a half ago I had short hair.  I told her I wanted to grow my hair long, keep it blonde and not have it look dorky in the process.  She managed to do that for me.  She turned me into a middle aged woman who felt frumpy and dumpy into a middle aged woman who feels perky and attractive.  Now I can use my hair for any persona I want to present to the world.  I can wear it up in a sophisticated style, I can wear a sassy ponytail or I can wear it down for a glamorous look.   

It is a known fact that how you dress will determine how people see you.  How you dress also dictates how you carry yourself.  If you are dressed formally you will glide as you walk, if you are dressed for success you will walk with confidence and if you are dressed casually you will walk with a swagger.   Personas can be fun and that can be useful.  When I run errands sometimes I feel like dressing up and being a confident and successful housewife!  Yes, you can be a successful housewife.  Other times I dress more casually and want to be seen as a easy go lucky, come what may kind of woman. 



You can use your personas to your advantage, too.  You can use them as a mood lifter when you are feeling down by dressing in some bright colors or wear a hat when you want to be mysterious.  You can be silly and frivolous by taking yourself on a picnic in a downtown park and be a people watcher or sit down in a busy mall and count the number of people walking around with cell phones up to their ears.  They will think you are a total loser who has nothing else to do, but you know better. 




Just follow your mood and see what persona you want to be.  You can start with the serious gotta get my work done person in the morning and end up being that silly hippy love child by the afternoon to that grateful blessed person in church tonight.  At least you know you are more than just a one dimensional cardboard cutout.  You are someone with substance.  Just go with the flow.

"For the Lord is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

and His truth endures to all generations."

Psalms 100:5

Curiosity

 I think curiosity is as important as imagination.  Having a sense of wonderment makes us all ageless.  Curiosity, along with imagination,  never grows old and it helps to keep us young.  Curiosity may have killed the cat but at least it didn't die of boredom.  How many times are your bored?  Or how often do you hear your children say they are bored.  Boredom stagnates us and gets in the way of enjoying life in the moment.



Our dog is curious about the feral cat.

I prefer to experience failure than not be curious.  Curiosity has
lead me to many adventures in my life.  Like when I  joined the Army.  I was looking for a way out of a somewhat mundane life I was living.  I was 23 years old, a two times college dropout in a dead end job.  I was curious where the Army would lead me and it was one of the wisest choices I ever made.  They used to have a motto that said "Be All That You Can Be" and in my case it was absolutely true.  As a journalist it was the perfect fit for me with my extreme curiosity. 

I had carte blanche to ask all kinds of questions, to meet all kinds of people, and to see many interesting things.  This was the perfect fit for me in the Army.  This experience helped me to use my curiosity in my professional life, also. The Army's eductional benefits provided me with my college education which eventually led to a career in the human resources field where I dealt, again with people from all backgrounds.  This is where my curiosity of the Army took me.

Curiosity drives me to experience new things all the time.  I took art classes at a vo-tech school and took an online writing college course and now I am taking horseback riding lessons.  My husband and I developed many new interests when we started camping.  Because we love American history we began visiting museums and this led to our collections of things from the past.  Our love of the outdoors led us to hiking and geocaching.

Curiosity places an important role in all these things because they require some degree of research. 
We buy books to read and research on the worldwide web.  Curiosity also plays an important role in my cooking.  I love to experiment and fortunately I've had more successes than failures.

Today's recipe of the week.

"Crockpot Vegetable Stew with Navy Beans"

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

4 carrots, sliced

2 potatoes, diced

4 celery stalks, chopped

1 can tomatoes

2 cans navy beans, drained and rinsed

1 small can of tomato sauce

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Put all ingredients in the crockpot, cover with vegetable broth or water.  Cook on low for 8 hours.

Serve with cornbread or a crusty hot loaf of italian bread.

Enjoy.

If you use your curiosity along with your imagination,  I guarantee you will not experience one boring moment!

"You will show me the path of life;

In your presence is fullness of joy;

At your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Imagine

Can you imagine not having an imagination? I've been giving this some thought today and, well frankly, I can't imagine it!  I have a very active imagination as you can tell from my opening sentence.

I accuse my husband of not having an imagination.  He is very smart and he is a very good man, but he is not big on unnecessary conversations.  One day while we were waiting for our breakfast at a local restaurant I was determined to get him engaged in some sort of conversation with me.  I asked him what would he do if he was being chased by some angry tribal natives with poison arrows to the edge of a roaring river full of large boulders and rapids with only a rickety wooden bridge to cross it and a hungry, ferocious angry bear on the opposite bank.  He just looked at me like I was some kind of crazy woman and then our food arrived.  He didn't answer the question.  I accused him, yet again of not having an imagination.

Thankfully the world is full of imaginative people.   Where would we be without our favorite authors, our movie producers and most importantly our scientists?  It takes a mighty big imagination for scientists to think up the things they come up with.  We wouldn't have made such great strides in medicine, computer technology, and space exploration if it wasn't for their great imaginations.



When my husband and I visit museums, historical sites and antique stores my imagination goes wild.  When I see items used by women in their homes I picture myself using these items.  I imagine using a pretty set of china, setting the table with it and beautiful silverware.  I imagine the clothes she might have worn at that particular meal and if it was a special occasion or maybe a Sunday dinner with her family.  This explains why it takes me longer to get through these places than my husband! 

Or when we visit old cemeteries, as I look at the headstones I try to imagine what their lives was like.  Many headstones give you just enough information to have a good idea of what kind of life a person might have lead.  For example,  "Anna May Smith, Beloved Wife, Mother and Grandmother.  She will be dearly missed by all whose lives she touched."  This was a woman who devoted her life to her family and left a loving legacy.  Or, "Pvt. John A. Smith, 76 Regiment, WWI Veteran."  This was a young man taken before he had a chance to grow old.  He will remain forever young because he gave his life to his country.  He probably had a girlfriend back home waiting for him who had to go on with her life.  She eventually married a good man, had children and grandchildren, just like Anna May Smith, but her first loved remained forever in her heart never to be forgotten.

Yes, imaginations are very important.  We need them to grow, to survive in a hectic world and to stay sane.  It is a way to filter out the ridiculous things we see every day.  So, the next time you're in a long line or waiting for a food order with someone who doesn't talk, look at a person near you and imagine who she is.  She is probably in the witness protection plan working for the CIA, speaks fifteen languages and can wrestle a 200 pound bear waiting for her at the other side of the raging river while she is running from crazy tribal people carrying poison arrows!   Try it, it's fun!

"Now faith is the substance

of things hoped for,

the evidence of things not seen."

Hebrews 11:1

Nature's Garden

Gardening is one of my passions.  Whether it's the vegetable garden, flower garden or the herb garden, I love to watch plants mature from small babies and tiny seeds.  Try as I might, I have learned that I am not the one in charge of what these plants are going to do.  I am a minimalist when it comes to fertilizing and insect control.  I stick to organic components such as our compost for fertilizing when we first plant and later I use organic pest controls when necessary.  Once they are planted, they are on their own.

Volunteer pumpkin plant

As they grow and start producing what they feel like giving us I am always surprised and pleased when I get volunteer plants that come out of our compost.  I have several cantelope plants with five melons growing among the tomato plants this year.

Nature's bounty

I was also blessed with some beautiful pumpkin plants that came up from last year's halloween pumpkins I tossed out in the backyard.  I harvested four nice pumpkins this week.  From these I froze four quarts.  All I did was thin the plants as they grew and watered them.  No fertilizer necessary!



Some people are very talented with their gardens.  They know all the right fertilizers and secret tricks to make their plants grow big and produce massive amounts.  They are ardent weeders and feeders and dedicate many hours to nurture their plants.  These are the people you want to befriend because they just might share some of their abundance with you.  I, on the other hand, am a bit lazy and am content to enjoy what I get.  What I don't get out of the garden, I buy at our local farmer's markets. 


I am a suburban country lady, not an experienced farmer.  I know my limitations and accept them.  I am perfectly content to accept what nature's garden decides to give me.  You never know what surprise you will encounter each day as you walk in your garden.   All I know is I am not the one in charge and I love that fact.

SCL

"As for man, his days are like grass;

As a flower of the field, so he flourishes."

Psalms 103:15

Recipe of the Week - Fresh Summer Squash Soup with Pistou

One of my favorite authors is Jan Karon.  She wrote a series of books called the Mitford Series with an Episcopalian priest named Father Tim as the main character.  The stories are set in a beautiful small town somewhere in the Blue Ridge Mountains intertwined with many colorful characters.  They are so eloquently written that you will be drawn into the drama and comedy of the townspeople.  You will experience a wide range of emotions in every book you read.

Homemade Relish I Canned

One of my favorite things about her books are the recipes.  Yes, food plays a very big part in the stories.  How can it not when there are wonderful folksy people and a church involved?   Some of the recipes I have copied and put into my cookbook scrapbook.  These include buttermilk biscuits, cole- slaw, pimiento cheese and many more.

 To experience these delicious recipes I suggest you march down to your local public library and start reading these fabulous stories.  There are nine Mitford stories.  Once you read the first one, you will be hooked.

This weeks recipe I created to use up some summer squash I bought at the farmer's market.  I made a large pot of it and froze the extra in jars.  This way I can enjoy some wonderful summer flavor on a cold blistery winter day and curl up with one of Jan Karon's delightful stories.

Fresh Summer Squash Soup

Ingredients:

4-6 yellow squash or zucchini  (I used both)
Onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable broth or water
Vegan pepper jack cheese or any cheese of your choice, shredded. You can use
parmesan, pepper jack or cheddar cheese.

Cut up the squash and put in a soup pot.  Cover with water or broth.  Add seasonings. 
Bring to a boil and cook until tender. 
Once it is done puree the soup in a food processor.  I used an immersion blender.
Blend until smooth.  Taste for any additional seasonings and add your cheese while it
is still hot.

This makes a nice creamy delicious soup.

Pistou

Pistou is a french pesto.  It is served with soups and fish dishes.

Ingredients:

2 cups of packed fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup of olive oil
Optional:  You can add 1/4 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese.
You may need to add more olive oil if the pistou is too stiff.

Blend in a food processor until it forms a paste.

Serve this separately and add a dollop to the bowl of soup.

Enjoy.


Have a wonderful weekend.

Cucumber Plants

"Man shall not live by bread alone,

but by every word that

proceeds from the mouth of God."

Matthew 4:4

Comfort Food

Sometimes we all have down days.  Times when we feel blue.  Of course there are many kinds of  legitimate mental illnesses that, like any illness, needs to be treated by a professional.  The kind if blue funk I'm talking about are those that can pass within a few hours or a few days.

When I am in a blue funk everything is exaggerated.  Today while I was weeding in my herb garden I got stung by a little bee.  Yes, you heard me right, I was stung, again.  But because of my mood I exaggerated my reaction and I felt like everyone is against me, even the bees.  When I am in one of these moods nothing seems to go right.  I broke a light bulb while trying to clean up the cabinets in my laundry room and then after I swept up the broken glass I managed to drop it on the floor again.  What's a poor soul to do?  Eat of course.

Comfort food was my only cure for today's blues.  I decided to fry everything I picked today.  I fried eggplant, green tomatoes and okra.  I love crispy textures, especially when it can't get any fresher than today's pickings.  Sandwiches are another kind of my favorite comfort foods.  Since I became a vegetarian I have missed some of my old favorites like a good reuben made with tender brisket and tangy sauerkraut, a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich with fresh tomatoes, a club sandwich and of course the ever delicious hamburger with a variety of toppings.  So I decided to share some of my modified vegetarian and vegan sandwich recipes that help me chase the blues away.

Boca Burger with Portabello Mushroom

This is best cooked on the grill but it can be cooked on the stove. 

You will need one Boca Burger brand Vegan Patty, one large portabello mushroom, blue cheese or any crumbly cheese of your choice, whole wheat hamburger buns, vegan mayonnaise or regular mayonnaise, lettuce, purple onion and tomato.

Brush the mushroom with olive oil on both sides then season with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder or any seasonings you like.

Place the frozen Boca Burger and the mushroom on a moderate heat grill until the burger is done and the mushroom is juicy.  This usually takes about ten minutes, if the burger is thawed is takes less time.  Put the crumbled cheese in the mushroom until it melts.

To assemble,  spread the mayo on the buns, add the burger, the mushroom, sliced onions, lettuce and tomatoes.  This is a double hand burger that is juicy and delicious.  I'm sure you will be hooked once you've tried it. 

Grilled "cheese" sandwich

The ingredients for this simple sandwich is whole wheat bread, vegan cheddar cheese, or any sliced cheese you like, and organic Smart Balance whipped butter spread.

Spread the butter on both sides of the bread, layer two to three slices of cheese on once slice and top it with the other slice.  Cook on a medium hot skillet until it is brown, crispy and gooey with melted cheese.   You can also add a tomato to this sandwich before cooking for a delicious flavor.

Eat and enjoy.

Bologna Sandwich

Yes I can have a bologna sandwich too and not feel guilty about what it is made of!  There is a large variety of  "mock" meats in the stores made from soy and gluten.  Many of these products are used as fillers in hamburger mixtures served in tacos and hamburger patties at fast food eateries.

My favorite mock meats are made by Light Life Smart Deli.  They make bologna, hot dogs, chicken patties, turkey meat and hamburger crumbles. 

I make my bologna sandwich on Pepperidge Farms whole wheat Deli Flats bread.  Spread the bread with vegan mayo, place bologna, sliced tomatoes and basil leaves.  Season with salt and pepper.  The basil adds a wonderful fresh taste to this healthy alternative to regular bologna.

You can get creative with your spreads.  With mayonnaise you can mix in some organic barbecue sauce, pickle relish, horseradish sauce, soy sauce, hot sauce or organic ketchup.  These will each bring your mayo to a new level of culinary experience.

You can also use any variety of mustards and any of the other spreads that are on the market.

I hope you will try my sandwich recipes the next time you need a boost in your gloomy mood.  Sandwiches  have a way of bringing us back to happy times and childhood memories of picnics in the park .

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow,

for tomorrow will  worry about its own things.

Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

Matthew 6:34

The Wonderful World of Nature

Nature is wonderful.  It is so big and varied, no one can experience it in its entirety in a lifetime.  Nature's bounty includes plant life, animal life, aquamarine life and, let's not forget earth's atmosphere, which is in itself another whole entity.  We refer to nature as Mother Nature.  Mother Nature is blamed for everything from a devastating hurricane to a woman's phases in life (which is not a bad comparison).

A feral cat nursing her babies.

The amount of animals on our fair planet is countless.  All we know about is what has been discovered.  Of course we have the common animals everyone knows about.  The animals we eat, the animals we keep in zoos, those we keep as pets and all the others.  The other animals are those in nature, the feral (wild) ones that we prefer to see at a distance and those creepy crawly ones that most of us prefer to completely avoid.

I met one of those creepy crawly ones yesterday morning while I was weeding the vegetable garden.  I met it, I did not see it.  My contact with it came in the form of a bite that felt like a needle stick.  Try as I might I could not get a visual on the sneaky little thing.  All I know is I was left with a slightly swollen hand that is just now going down.  When I am gardening I come up close and personal with a lot of Mother Nature's little blessings.  I've met squash bugs, all kinds of spiders, little black bugs, little red bugs, grasshoppers of all sizes, worms, caterpillars, bumblebees, butterflies, centipedes and wasps. 

I am OK with meeting these precious little gems until they want to meet me.  Like yesterday, I was just minding my garden and my business until that stealth critter made a rash judgement on me and attacked me.  Not nice.  I've had wasps come down on my neck and sting me, I've met little bees on my toes, a scorpion on my back and a jellyfish on my legs (in the ocean of course!).  I even met a stinging nettle on my backside while taking care of some, um, personal business in Mother Nature's out house once.  If it stings, I've found it. 

Then there are reptiles.  I like snakes.  Yes I do.  My husband does not like snakes which is why I am the one who goes into the storage shed in our backyeard when we need something out of it.  I know there are dangerous snakes out there, but they don't sneak up on you like the black ops insect that attacked me yesterday.  Snakes are afraid of us.  They don't want a big tall giant around them.  Think about it, they are down on the ground.  They have to look way up high to see us.  That is like when we are at the bottom of a tall building looking up.   Snakes much rather run away from you than attack you.

Buffalo in the Tall Grass Prairie Reserve

I like to see animals in the wild.  When my husband and I are camping or hiking we get to see a lot of wonderful creatures.  We've seen deer, racoons, squirrels, road runners, rabbits, turkeys, turtles, buffalo, and all kinds of birds. 




Yes, Mother Nature has given us a big wide world full of things to be discovered.  Whether you like the desert, mountains, forests or the oceans, it's out there for you to experience and enjoy.  Try to experience it in every season.  Nature is constantly changing and it's beauty is never ending.

Just remember to watch where you walk and where you stick your hands!


SCL
 

"Let the rivers clap their hands;

let the hills be joyful together before the Lord."

Psalm 98:8





Words

Words are cool. Where would we be without them?  They are what makes the world go 'round' and frankly I hate to think what our lives would be like without them.  Have you ever thought about that?  Words invoke emotions in us, they describe things, they tantalize our senses and they can make us who we are.

Some words are just downright funny.  Take the word "blog" for example.  I just want to say it over and over again.  It's like blab and blah.  You can say "I'm going to blab about how blah I feel on my blog".  Kind of fun, huh?  Or when I am passionately trying to express my feelings about something to my husband and all he hears is "blah, blah, blah"!

We have words that describe physical things like dynamite which can mean a big explosion or it can also mean something very good.  Like "he is just dynamite at blowing up that dynamite".  Then we have milkweed.  I like this word but it just doesn't seem to go with this plant.  You would think that you should be able to milk this weed.  Besides, this is not a weed, this is a wonderful flowering herb that has beneficial properties.  One person's weed is another person's medicine cabinet!

I digress.  I am getting just a tad off today's subject.  Aha!  Did you get that one?  Digress.  It means to veer away from the point of the story, but whether I used this correctly or not doesn't matter, I just like this word, too.

Two of my favorite words to use when I am not happy are aggravate like this computer is doing to me right now) and irritate.  Happy words like elated and ecstatic are fun words, too.  Productive words I like are multi-tasking and organizing and non-productive words are snoozing, schmoozing, and lazy.  Some days I don't feel very motivated and all I want to do is sit around and schmooze with other like minded people!

 I like precious.  It can describe anything as cute as a baby, a nice gesture by a child or a sarcastic term for something ridiculous.  For example "your idea of crossing that log over that muddy water in your Sunday best was just too precious.  Your mama's gonna kill you!"

Agape love.

The bible is full of interesting words.   I could write a book about them but two of my favorites are selah and agape.  It seems that no one knows what selah really means, but it appears in Psalms a lot at the end of a verse.  I think it means "right on, you rock God"!  Agape is a Christian love that represents unconditional love. It is pronounced agap-pa.  God has agape love for his us just as a parent has for her children.



Words are endless.  Our lives are intertwined with words and we couldn't function without them.  Let's just remember folks to use our words wisely and speak softly.   You never know whose life you might touch with your words.

SCL

"Since you were precious in My sight,

You have been honored,

And I have loved you."

Isaiah 43:4

National Recognize Something Day

We all know about the national holidays our country celebrates, but what about all those little things that are given special monthly and daily recognition?  I find it humorous that July is National Pickle Month which goes quite well with today being National Hot Dog Day, National Vanilla Ice Cream Day and Hot Enough For You? Day.  This just screams July!  Who doesn't like hot dogs with pickles and some nice cold ice cream to top it off during the hottest month of the summer?

Call

Who thinks this stuff up?  I want this job.  You don't need to pay me.  Just having the distinction of being the one in charge of declaring special days would be payment enough.  I have some ideas I would like to share with you.  If you like them, then you can start a petition to get me hired as the National Recognize Something Day spokesperson.  Just call your congressman or woman to get me nominated.

Let's start with the warm months of June, July and August.



Lewis

National Brush your Dog Day, National Brush your Cat day, National Kiss your Dog Day, National Kiss your Cat Day.  National Picnic Day, National Campout Day, National Take a Hike Day, or National Family Reunion Day.

Now I'll suggest some days for the cooler months from September to March.



National Thank God it's Back to School Day, National Rake your Yard Day, National Wear the Ugliest Sweater you can Find Day, National Save a Turkey Day, National Wear Orange Day, or National Build a Snowman Day.

Now for April and May.  I saved the best for last.

National Play in the Rain Day, National Pick Spring Flowers for your Neighbor Day, National Plant a Victory Garden Day, National Kiss your Horse Day, National Jump Rope Day, National Play Hop Scotch Day and National Skip Day.  Spring just brings out the child in me.

Other ideas I have are National Kiss Your Husband/Wife Day, National Shake Hands with a Stranger Day, National Sing in an Elevator Day, and National Be A Vegetarian for the Day, Day!

Well, you get the idea.  I could go on and on.  This is a lot of fun.  Why don't you try it?  Make a list of days for recognizing special things that you like.  I guarantee it, you will find this as relaxing as a thirty minute yoga session.   Before you know it you may find yourself skipping down the hallway humming a lively little ditty that you won't be able to get out of your head for a very, very long time.  Then you can declare it National Get This Song Out of My Head Before I go Crazy Day!

SCL

"You are my hiding place,

you shall surround me with

songs of deliverance."

Psalms 32:7

Recipe of the Week - Crock Pot Beans

I love food and I like to cook.   I especially like to experiment with different recipes.  More on myself than on my husband.  There are three people living in our home and we all have different kinds of diets.  My mother likes foods that she grew up eating, I am a vegetarian and my husband, well, he likes to eat almost anything, especially if it mooed, oinked or cackled in its former life.

Cool snake.  I like snakes.

I'm sure I have gotten the attention of some vegetarians out there, but frankly, I love my husband more than life itself and I love cooking for him.  If he wants meat I will cook meat for him.  He has his own tastes when it comes to vegetables, though, he doesn't like any cooked greens or any kind of squash, but otherwise he is very easy to please.  He respects my choice of diet and I respect his.  I believe mutual respect in a marriage is the number one priority.

Today I am starting my Recipe of the Week posting.  I decided to do this every Friday.  The recipes will always be vegetarian or vegan and I guarantee they will be delicious.  One night a week I make a meatless meal for my husband, too.  One thing we both love is beans so making a meatless meal with beans is as easy as can be.

 
The following recipe can be cooked on the stove top or in a crock pot.  I do not presoak my beans.  They cook just fine without being presoaked, it just takes them a little longer.  You will also note that I do not always include measurements.  Your measurements will basically depend on how many people you are serving.  Just adjust the recipe accordingly.

Crock pot Beans

1 cup of washed dry beans (you can use pinto, navy, kidney, black beans, lima, or any beans of your choice).  You can also use more than one variety.
1 chopped onion
1 - 2 cloves chopped garlic
Seasonings to taste include salt, black and red pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder or paprika.  This is your call on what you want to season your beans with.
Water or vegetable broth - you want enough liquid to cover the beans by at least two inches.

Place all in the ingredients in a crock pot early in the morning and set it on high.

This method of cooking takes about 8 hours.  They will keep well on the warm setting until you are ready to serve.

If  you decide to cook this on the stove it takes only takes about four hours.  Just as good and declicious.

Garnish with chopped onions, shredded cheese, chopped hot or sweet peppers or sour cream for extra richness.

Serve with cornbread and fresh vegetables that are in season.

I will also share this easy cornbread recipe my mother has used for years.

Easy Cornbread

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  While it is heating up put 1/4 cup of canola oil in a cast iron skillet* and place it in the oven.

Mix together 1 cup flour, 1 cup cornmeal, 4 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  Once mixed add 2 eggs, 1 cup of milk and the hot oil from the skillet.

Stir until you do not see any dry particles in the batter.  Do not over mix.

Place the batter in the skillet and bake for about 25-30 minutes.

*I use an eight inch skillet.  If you do not have a cast iron skillet you can bake this in any oven proof dish.  By putting the oil in the dish first you do not have to pre-grease it.

I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as we do.  Let me know if you have any questions.  You will see by my recipes how easy it is to make vegetarian meals for you and your family.

Have a wonderful weekend.  I hope to see you back here on Monday.

SCL

"Also take for yourself wheat, barley, beans,

 lentils, millet, and spelt;  put them into one vessel,

and make bread of them for yourself."

Ezekiel 4:9a

Social Networking (Or Not)

Is my brain in there somewhere?

Okay, I know.  I belong to that "other" generation now.  You know that baby boomer generation that is a product of the post WWII boom.  I've heard it said "how old would you be if you didn't know your age"?  Yes, I dig it and I get it, but what I don't get are these social networking sites on the world wide web that are supposed to be so user friendly.  I think when that web was being spun my brain got caught up with the bugs and was devoured!

I joined Tweeter (oops, it's Twitter and tweet is what you do on Twitter),  I joined Facebook and, obviously, I joined this blog site.  However when I try to tweek my profile information on Twitter and face-off the information I get on Facebook, I cannot follow or get what in the world wide web what they want!

I have tried several times to post my profile picture on Twitter but it does not like the size of my photos.  I have tried to edit the information I get on Facebook but they keep coming back like that damn spot in the Poe story.   It is a conspiracy I tell you.  They don't want us B.B.'s here.  Push like if you agree with me!
 



I wouldn't feel so stupid if I hadn't been a part of this computer boom.  Back when I was a professional in the world,  I worked with the newest and best office equipment that was available.  I was sent to numerous training classes at places like IBM and the IT departments where I worked.  I learned many new software programs that made our jobs easier.  It was exciting days back then.  Kind of like "look Pa there's land in them thar computers".   Well, not quite like that but kinda, sorta.

If your pulling one these stay in the
slow lane so we don't make them mad!



I like blogging and I like seeing what's going on in the world.  I also think it is very sweet that these sites are offered to us for free.  However, I really think it is a plot to get rid of us "others".  You know, us other than the 20 and 30 somethings.  Maybe we are driving too slow on the information highway and are getting in their way. 





So to appease the ones behind the flasing cursors, I suggest we hang in there, muddle along and act like we know what we are doing.  Stay in the right lane, take power naps and hit like on everything you read.  That way they will think we know what we are doing and maybe, just maybe, they will stop sending those stupid "error" messages all the time.

Love and peace to you all.

SBL

Share with God's people who are in need.

  Practice hospitality.

Romans 12:13





It's A Small World

Our past has a way at coming back to us.  I don't mean this in a negative or sarcastic way.  Nor do I mean you sow what you reap or what goes around comes around.  Alright, I know, enough with the cliches!

This is not our home. 
Wouldn't mind if it was.

Several years ago my husband and I were in the market for a larger home when my mother came to live with us.  We had  some very specific needs for our new house and we looked at a lot of houses.  Thankfully we had the most patient real estate agent on the face of this earth.  The day finally came when we found the house with the best fit for us.

I was so excited as I described the house to my mother.  When I told her where it was, she said we had some friends who used to live in that town.  When I told her it had a Florida room she said her friend's house had a Florida room.  Well, you guessed it.  The original owners of this house were some long time friends of my family.  Not only that, they hosted my parents 25th wedding anniversary in this house and I was at that party.  I don't know why I do not remember that party or this house.   Sounds like something I need to address some other time.

Another time I experienced the small world phenomenon was in 1977 when I was stationed in South Korea while serving in the Army.  I met a young man at a party I was attending who went to the same high school as me.  He had been a couple of years behind me and knew me, but I didn't know him.  However, here we were, two Oklahomans several thousands of miles away from home and bumping in to each other in South Korea!

Pretty boots.

Last week I found out my horseback instructor is from the same town in Texas where I have relatives and she knows my great niece.   I could go on and on with stories like this.  I'm sure all of you have had these same experiences and every time one occurs we always say "what a small world".

I find this very exciting.  It's like "life reruns" or "second chances".  Or maybe it's a way to connect us to the big wide world.  Sometimes as we go through our daily routines life becomes mundane.  We can start to feel like ants in a colony going through our tasks and doing what we need to do to   get through another day. 

When we have a small world occurrence it gives us a whole new outlook on life.  It brings our past back to us.  It's a way of reminding us that we are truly connected with everyone and that everything that happens is not always just a coincidence.  It is truly a purposeful event.

Until tomorrow dear friends.  Have a blessed evening.

SCL

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a
manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.

Philippians 1:27

Economics 101 - Supply or Demand

When I took economics in college our professor asked the class what drove the economy.  Was it supply or demand?  A very interesting discussion ensued and I said it was supply.  Apparently I was wrong, but I still stand by my decision.

Just yesterday while I was browsing in a thrift store I overheard a mother telling her son who was looking at toys to hurry up and pick something out.  He said  "I know I want something, I just don't know what".  So there you have it.  The boy wanted to buy something but he wasn't seeing anything that interested him.

Which brings me to today's topic.  Consumerism.  My husband and I love to visit antique stores, thrift stores and flea markets.  I guess you can consider it a hobby.  However, because of this we have a lot of stuff.  I am positive that we wouldn't have all this stuff if it wasn't out there.

In the process of this looking around we starting collecting things.  Many, many things.  And I know we are not the only people who do this.  Just look at the many books and magazines that offer prices on collectibles and look at the numerous websites and television programs about pickers, auctions and appraising items.



I collect milk glass, gravy boats, small creamers, egg coddlers, egg holders, mid-century glass pitchers, vintage tablecloths, napkins and fabric, spice holders and the list goes on and on.  Now don't misunderstand me, I am not a hoarder.  I have a nice, clean home with my collections displayed artfully.  In fact I had to stop collecting some things because I have run out of room.






 I love most any mid-century kitchen and dining items.  I am constantly amazed at the clever inventions that were made to make life easier in the kitchen.  It is like a walk through history.




My husband collects old glass insulators, Lionel trains, vintage gumball machines, and other manly kinds of stuff.  He would have more but the things he likes are old cash registers, gas pumps, juke boxes, pinball machines, cars,  you get the picture, things we really cannot afford!



So there you have it folks.  What you see here is just a fraction of our collections.  I am convinced that it is supply that drives us to be crazy collectors.  As you can see, if these things were not made we would not have bought them.  Don't you agree?  After all, why was I in that thrift store yesterday?  I didn't need anything, I was "just looking".  By the way, I bought an excellent crock pot carrier that I really needed!

Go in peace dear friends.

SCL

Let us not love with words or tongue

 but with actions and in truth.

1 John 3:18





Cooking with your roasted tomatoes

Good day dear neighbors.  I hope everyone had a good weekend.  We had a weekend full of fun and fellowship with wonderful friends.

Today I want to continue with Friday's post about putting up your summer harvests.  I basically talked about freezing and drying your harvests.  I use these methods primarily when I do not have a large harvest.  If I have an abundance of tomatoes or other vegetables I prefer to can them.  Canning requires special equipment and detailed instructions that I will not cover on my blog.  If you are interested in this method of preserving your foods I would suggest you buy books on canning, call your county extension office or look on the world wide web.  There is an abundance of information out there to help you learn how to can.

The beauty of putting up all of your wonderful vegetables is, of course, enjoying them over the winter when you want the flavor of your sun kissed bounties. 

The roasted tomatoes and other vegetables can be tossed in stews, soups, and casseroles.  You can also add the roasted tomatoes to some cooked pasta or create a gourmet tasting pizza with them.

Now I want to share my recipe for an easy basic marinara sauce using your roasted tomatoes.  If you do not have roasted tomatoes you can use two cans of tomatoes from the store.

You will need:

1 minced onion
2-3 chopped carrots
2-3 minced garlic cloves
Pinch of dried hot pepper flakes
1 small can tomato paste
1 small can tomato sauce
3-4 cups roasted tomatoes
1-2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon each of dried oregano, basil and thyme

Saute the onions and carrots in olive oil until soft, add the garlic and hot pepper flakes and cook until you start smelling the garlic.  Garlic burns easily and turns bitter.  Then add the rest of your ingredients.   You can add vegetable broth or water if it is too thick.  Simmer for about 30 minutes to an hour.  If you like your sauce chunky, serve it as is.  If you prefer a smooth sauce you can run it in a food processor but be careful if it is hot.  I use a hand-held immersion blender.  If you have fresh herbs, add them the last few minutes of cooking. 

The carrots in this recipe adds sweetness without sugar and gives you beneficial nutrients.  You can also add other vegetables like zucchini, eggplant, yellow squash, or peppers.  This is just a basic marinara sauce and it is very versatile. 

Serve it over any kind of pasta or use it in any recipes that call for marinara sauce.   Enjoy!

Some beautiful basil in my garden



I hope you all will try this recipe.  It is delicious.  I welcome any comments or questions you may have about this recipe.

Have a blessed and peaceful evening.

SCL

Delight yourself in the Lord and he

will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalms 37:4



Putting Up Your Harvest

I have a brother.  Yep and a pretty cool one at that.  We have a few things in common besides being related!  He, like me is a vegetarian and he likes to garden.  Unlike me he is more athletic than I am.

He is a long distance bicyclist.  He's one of those people who rides for many, many miles and does it for fun!  He just completed an annual event called Freewheel 2012.  It draws hundreds of like minded enthusiasts to ride over 100 miles and I repeat, just the fun of it!  I find this very impressive.  If you want to see some neat photos he took on his ride visit his link at:  http://midtowndepot.com/fw12.

I'm sure by now you are wondering about the title of today's post, "putting up your harvest".  My cool brother asked me to share some tips on what to do with the bountiful harvests we get from our gardens.  Especially this year since everyone is getting so many cherry tomatoes.   Here are my easy to follow tips.

Peppers

We have a lot of peppers of many varieties but mostly banana and other small peppers.  Since I am not in the mood to pickle them this year I am freezing them.  They can be frozen fresh.  There is no need to blanch them if you don't want to.  Make sure you wash and dry them thoroughly.  Cut off the stems and remove the seeds.  You can cut them up or leave them as is.  Place in freezer bags and freeze.  They should stay good for at least 12 months.

I also roast them in a 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes.  Again make sure they are washed and dried thoroughly, place them on a cookie sheet and toss them with some olive oil and salt.  After they have cooled down, place in freezer bags and freeze.

If you have large peppers like bells, anahiems or poblanos, I would suggest that you peel them after roasting.  Just roast them following the instructions above and place them in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Once they are cool you just take the outer skin off and freeze.

Tomatoes

To freeze cherry tomatoes I roast them first.  Roast them in a 400 degree oven for about thirty to forty minutes.  Just until they have shriveled.  Roasting intensifies the flavor of these gems and makes them doubly delicious.  Just place the washed and dried tomatoes on a cookie sheet, toss with olive oil and salt and roast.  You can also roast these with garlic cloves, peppers and/or chopped up onions.  Then you have the makings for an easy to prepare marinara sauce this winter.

You can freeze just about anything your little heart desires.  My husband and I froze a bushel of corn in their husks.  We simply stuffed them in gallon freezer bags.  They will keep in the freezer this way for several months.

Miscellaneous Veggies

Remember to wash and dry and cut them to the size you want.

Okra - you can freeze them whole or cut up.  I do not blanch them.  They freeze well.
Squash - blanch squash for about three minutes, cool, dry and freeze.
Green beans and other beans - blanch for about three minutes, cool dry and freeze.

Herbs

Herbs can be frozen or dried.  Wash and dry them thoroughly before proceeding.

To freeze them, simply cut them up, place in ice trays, fill with water and freeze.  Once frozen you can put the cubes in freezer bags and simply toss them into your soups and sauces.  They will be mushy after freezing but it does not harm their taste.

To dry herbs you can use a dehydrator, a low oven or simply hang them up for a few weeks.

I bought an inexpensive dehydrator at Wal Mart which is very easy to use.   You can also use your oven on the lowest temp it has.  Just keep an eye on them to make sure they don't burn.  The most common method is to hang them up in a cool dark place.  Simply tie the bundles with string or twine, cover with a small paper bag and hang.  Check them every few days.

The herbs are ready when you are able to crumble them easily.  Then store them in plastic bags or small glass containers.  I prefer glass containers because I think these keep them fresh longer.  Dried herbs will keep for about a year.

There you go folks.  Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.  I welcome any feedback.  Please just be nice, I don't take criticism too well!

I will share recipes using all these wonderful ingredients in the future.

Thank you dear brother for today's blog idea. I love you.

SCL

Today is truly a day that I do not know what I want to talk about.  I didn't do much today.  I guess you can say I kind of took a day off.  Now yesterday, that was different.

I picked some  vegetables from our gardens and I  had a lot of tomatoes that a friend gave us including a bunch of cherry tomatoes.  From our gardens I had sweet banana peppers, eggplants and some blackberries.  The last time I harvested a bunch of the peppers I chopped them up and froze them.  This time I decided to roast them and then freeze them.  I also roasted the cherry tomatoes and froze them for future use in sauces and soups.

Ah Ha!  Whaddya have here?

Now comes the fun part.  We have a thieving, vegetable loving cat named Annabelle Lee.  We cannot leave any fresh vegetables on the counter or she will abscomb with them and chew them up.  This time I caught her in the act as I was taking pictures of my day's pickings.  She is obviously not afraid of me or she wouldn't have been doing this with me standing right there! 

Hmmm, now let's see what I want.

 As you can see in the photos she calmly approaches her target, scopes it out and makes her decision on what to take.  All this, of course while I am standing there with my camera.  All the while she thinks if she doesn't make eye contact with me, I won't see what she is doing.

Here it is.

Now you have to admit it, this is just down right cute.  She is one of our adoptees from the feral cat colony that lives in our area.  She was a baby when we brought her into our home along with her mother.  She has a unique personality.  She is very sweet and loving when it suits her, but if she is in "one of her moods" just leave her alone!  Well she is a female after all!



I'm out of here.

Needless to say I rescued the the errant tomato and put it up in our tomato safe place above the kitchen sink.  Afterward I spent the rest of the afternoon making six pints of peach butter. 


That is primarily the way my day went yesterday.  But, today was pretty much uneventual.  Except that I had my third horseback riding lesson today.   Even that went off without a hitch.  (Pun intended).

Have a good evening dear friends.  Until tomorrow.

SCL

Remembering Loved Ones

Good evening neighbors.  Tonight's post is a little difficult to write.  My husband lost a beloved aunt who passed away last night.  She and her late husband had a significant impact on his life because he lived with them when he was in high school.  Now she is reunited with the husband she loved dearly.

While we were on a visit to them a couple of years ago they decided to give us some of their things they no longer used or needed.  We went home with a carload of items that were near and dear to their hearts. Among these items, his aunt gave me her china dishes that her husband bought for her when they were engaged.

They met in Japan in the 1960's where they were both serving in the military.  He was in the Air Force and she was a nurse in the Army.  She told me when he asked her what kind of china she wanted she asked him what his favorite color was and he told her black.  So she decided on the black rose pattern.  As a person who collects almost anything that has to do with kitchen and dining items I was thrilled to be given this china.  It will always have a very special place in my heart. 

My husband's uncle gave him his model train collection.  This is not a small set that you set up around your Christmas tree once a year.  This is a set that we need to build an extra room on to our house to set it up.  He also gave him a 1970's pick-up truck that is my husband's work truck.  What a legacy to give to a person who was the closest to a child they could have.  Since they were childless, my husband was the son they never had.  

He has many fond memories of camping and fishing trips with them and how they rooted him on at his high school football games.

We were floating on clouds after that visit.  Not only were we given beloved items from these loved ones, we received these things from them.  We experienced the extent of their pride as they handed these things over to us.  We saw the pride in their eyes, the smiles on their faces and the love that they had for him.  This is what will remain in our memories forever

Until tomorrow friends. 

Have a wonderful evening.

SCL

If you water, it will rain

I pray a lot.  I ask God for the usual things, the safety of my family and friends, forgiveness of my sins and special prayer requests for people in my life and our church.  But mostly, I ask God for things throughout the day.

Sunday I prayed for rain because the TV weather people forecasted rain.  I thought if I asked God for rain I would be covered both ways.  Well, it didn't rain.  So I broke down and watered the flower garden yesterday.  Then I tried to pull weeds in the herb garden and they decided they weren't going anywhere.  I pictured the weeds with little hands down in their little roots holding steadfast to the dirt. 

My husband working in the herb garden in May

when it was just a baby and the weeds were sweet.

So I had the bright idea that I would soak that stubborn garden today with visions of getting those little buggers tomorrow.   I ran the sprinkler for seven hours while I was out today running errands with my mother.  Of course, I also hung some laundry on the clothesline before we left, too.  You guessed it.  It rained while we were gone and it rained even harder after we returned.  Now I have really wet clothes on the line but I'm looking forward to tackling those mean weeds tomorrow morning.

Because I knew I would be out and about today (and because I have a tendency to not want to be around a lot of strangers) I asked God to give me patience and to help me to play nice today.  Of course this time he didn't delay in answering this prayer.  It happened while I waited for my mother to get her prescriptions turned in at the pharmacy on base.  I don't know how many of you have ever had dealings with the military or any form of federal government agency, but if you have you do not want to be in a hurry and you have to put aside any phobias you might have about being up close and personal with a lot of people.  They pack you like a tin of sardines in that waiting room.

Of course when I have these kinds of errands with my mother I always take a book to read.  That way I can ignore people without them knowing that I am really ignoring them.  While I was reading a lady sat next to me at a time when I was looking up (not down at my book).  We made eye contact and that's when God said go for it.   I said nice dress and she just started talking.  I heard about the walk she took around the medical facility to kill time, about her son who was shot in a drive by shooting(he is OK now) and the man she had been seeing who, it sounds to me, is a cad.  She talked to me until they called her name  to pick up her meds.  All in all it was not an unpleasant experience.

God is good.  He knows what we want and he gives it to us in his own time.  However, Big Daddy,  in the future, how about a heads up on the rain.   Don't you know that we have to use a pump for our water?  Please check out yesterday's blog dear Father and you will see that our electricity on earth is not cheap!

Just remember dear friends and neighbors.  Be careful what you ask for.  When you talk to God, you WILL GET IT!

Have a wonderful evening.

SCL

Procrastinating

Have you ever had a task that you need to get done but you keep putting it off?  Today I  have been procrastinating on writing this blog.  When I procrastinate on one task, I actually get a lot of work done on other tasks that I have been putting off but then I find more things to delay working on.

I did laundry today which is not unusual.  I washed three loads of regular laundry, but I also washed the blankets our dog sleeps on which I have been putting off and I washed some vintage linens I recently purchased.  Then I hung these items on the clothes line.  Then it clouded up outside and I thought it was going to rain so I took everything off the clothes line and laid the still damp blankets on the patio chairs because I can't use my dryer right now.

You see, we signed up for smart hours with our electric company and if we don't use major appliances during the hours of 2 - 7 p.m. we get lower electric rates.  Because of this I have to put off a whole lot of things.  I can't vacuum, cook, clean, bake, iron or anything that requires loads of electricity.  Now isn't that just too bad? 

I planned to put up some peaches we bought over the weekend but I decided to put that task off and ironed instead.  I ironed clothes and table cloths until I had to stop at 2 p.m.  I collect vintage table cloths.  I love the old cotten ones that are soft from many years of washings and ironings.  The only problem is I put off ironing them and end up buying more when we go antiquing.  Then I have about twenty or so in my ironing basket.

In the meanwhile I have had this blog in the back of my mind all day.  I've had many ideas of what to write about.  Some of these ideas were our cats and dogs, the many things I collect, the weather, my gardens, food, which could include recipes, all the fresh foods we are enjoying from our gardens and the local farmer's markets, and the camping trips my husband and I frequently take.  No wonder I kept putting this off, all of these thoughts are exhausting.

So here I am  writing on this blog even though it is between the hours of 2 - 7 p.m.  I think it is okay because, you see, I am using my wireless laptop computer.  I'm using a satellite dish instead of electricity, right?

Another snag I found in writing my blog again is where to compose it.  I tried my "office" room but I found it to be too confining.  I tried with the computer on my lap but I hit too many wrong buttons while typing.  Finally I ended up on my cool old wooden school desk which I have painted pink.  This desk is just the muse I needed.

This is my cool old wooden school desk which I painted pink.



Well dear neighbors and friends, I will go for today.  I promise you all, I will do better in the future.  Writing is like a sport or art.  You only get better the more you do it. 

May you have a beautiful and peaceful evening.

Until next time.

SCL

Back from Sabbatical with a new name

Hello old friends.  I am back from my two year sabbatical with a new name and ready to renew our connections.

Back in the fall of 2010 we had a family emergency which took me out of town for a few days.  When I returned home I went into a deep depression for a while and I felt it was frivolous to spend time writing on my blog.  However, long story short, life goes on and so do I!

I chose my new name, Suburban Country Lady, because it better represents who I am than my old blog name and I wanted a fresh start. I still love God, my husband and family, gardening, reading and camping.  I am still a vegetarian who cooks meat for my husband and I still love animals.

So what's new you ask?  I had a milestone birthday this year and when I have a milestone birthday I must do something, well, out of the ordinary for me.  I gave myself two choices.  Jump out of an airplane or take horseback riding lessons.  I chose the latter because I could get more for my money and, frankly, do you think you could jump out of an airplane!?

I have had two riding lessons so far.  The first lesson was getting to know the horse.  I had to learn horse anatomy, how to brush it, put on the blanket and saddle and walk with it.  My horse's name is Spider.  He is a few years old, very sweet and gentle and he is used to work with handicapped children.  Does that give you an idea of how my instructor used my age to pick out my horse?  I am very thankful to her for that.

My second lesson I got on the horse and learned the basic commands and rode him the corral.  My instructor gives me praise when I do something right which makes me feel like a "good little girl".  I really like my instructor!  I will keep you posted on my new horseback riding adventures.

My husband expanded my herb garden for me this year.  It is doing beautifully growing and producing lots of herbs and weeds.  I have to get a handle on those weeds!  We got our vegetable garden in a little late this year.  We are getting lots of peppers right now and some eggplants.  Our tomato plants are loaded with green tomatoes and I am anxiously waiting for the rest of our produce.  We also planted cucumbers, three different squashes, soy beans, green beans and okra.  I also have a beautiful large pumpkin plant that came up by our back patio where I threw a couple of halloween
pumpkins last fall.  I have three pumpkins growing on that plant. 

Well, enough catching up for now.  I am glad to be back and I look forward to hearing from you all again real soon.

Please come back again for a visit. Sit down with me and we can share a cup of tea and swap stories together.

Peace be with you all.

SCL