With turmoil and chaos all around, I read a blog post somewhere recently that posed the question, "What are you thankful/grateful for?"
Things I am thankful for (in no particular order):
Getting to spend this Thanksgiving with my mother in law
My husband's continued employment
My husband
My husband's family
The State of Texas
My friends
My family
Redeemer PCA
My health
My dogs
My kids
The USMC
Dave Ramsey
My mom and her friends
My sister & her family
John 3:16 and 1Cor. 15:51-55
Sola scriptura, Sola fide, Sola gratia, Solus Christus, Soli Deo gloria
I know there are other things that I am forgetting to mention.Please forgive my forgetfulness.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Friday, November 9, 2012
Leaves for Leontien
If you remember my earlier post of the Iris, in Flowers for Leontien, it seems her friends have started an autumn posting for her to enjoy, of Autumn Leaves.
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| Bradford Pear |
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| More Bradford Pears |
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Camp cooking...cub scout style!
Last weekend our son's cub scout pack had their fall family campout at one of the local Scout Camps. Great place to camp, and all the scouts and sibs had a blast! Parents too, though somehow sleeping on a small air mattress isn't as easy or as comfortable as it once was! Must be that 'getting older' thing!
I decided, a couple campouts ago, that it was a good thing to be on the Food Committee. It lets me help out, and also to have input into what the big people get to eat. Since I am feeding a diabetic in the family, input is a good thing!
Last year, I cobbled together a beef stew at the fall campout, that apparently folks are still remembering fondly. I was asked if something like it could be done again. Sure! Though I did want something more soup-like this time. Apparently it came out well, as evidenced by the fact that folks polished off at least 5 gallons of it, and I swear I saw some folks coming back for 4ths!
But the best part was teaching a handful of Webelos how to make baked beans tasty! The Pack often serves up baked beans on campouts, and inevitably, they don't get eaten in quantity. I hate to see good food wasted, so this time, when the scouts wanted to help make the beans I told them to bring me a few additional ingredients beyond the basic cans of Bush Original beans... Yellow mustard, ketchup and sugar. They looked at me like I was from another planet! But they were willing to listen...
One scout put 4 cans of beans into the bean pot. Then they got to taste the beans before alteration. Another squirted 'enough' mustard, and a third added 2-3x as much ketchup as mustard. Yours truly added the sugar. The beans were then stirred and warmed on the camp stove for a little bit. Then my helpers were allowed to taste the sauce again. Wow! I had never seen young boys so ecstatic over a pot of sweet beans before! The helpers were literally doing the happy dance over the beans! We then added a little more of everything, and they were served with the hot dogs that the kids were rapidly consuming.
Soon, I heard a cry of "MORE BEANS!" from the serving table. We whipped up a second batch with the remaining cans of beans, and of course, the secret ingredients! There were ZERO leftover beans! I think that is a 'first' for our pack. There was even one parent who came up later that evening, saying that those were the first beans their son had ever liked.
Now, if there had been any cheap BBQ sauce (think Kraft Original, etc), I would have used that instead of ketchup, but we didn't bring any BBQ sauce. A rough estimate of the additions to 4 cans of beans was 2T mustard, 4-6T ketchup, and about 1/2c sugar...but start with less, and add until it tastes good.
One final note--this is not something I invented. This is how my mom taught me to make beans (what we refer to at my house in the South, as Sweet Beans).
I decided, a couple campouts ago, that it was a good thing to be on the Food Committee. It lets me help out, and also to have input into what the big people get to eat. Since I am feeding a diabetic in the family, input is a good thing!
Last year, I cobbled together a beef stew at the fall campout, that apparently folks are still remembering fondly. I was asked if something like it could be done again. Sure! Though I did want something more soup-like this time. Apparently it came out well, as evidenced by the fact that folks polished off at least 5 gallons of it, and I swear I saw some folks coming back for 4ths!
But the best part was teaching a handful of Webelos how to make baked beans tasty! The Pack often serves up baked beans on campouts, and inevitably, they don't get eaten in quantity. I hate to see good food wasted, so this time, when the scouts wanted to help make the beans I told them to bring me a few additional ingredients beyond the basic cans of Bush Original beans... Yellow mustard, ketchup and sugar. They looked at me like I was from another planet! But they were willing to listen...
One scout put 4 cans of beans into the bean pot. Then they got to taste the beans before alteration. Another squirted 'enough' mustard, and a third added 2-3x as much ketchup as mustard. Yours truly added the sugar. The beans were then stirred and warmed on the camp stove for a little bit. Then my helpers were allowed to taste the sauce again. Wow! I had never seen young boys so ecstatic over a pot of sweet beans before! The helpers were literally doing the happy dance over the beans! We then added a little more of everything, and they were served with the hot dogs that the kids were rapidly consuming.
Soon, I heard a cry of "MORE BEANS!" from the serving table. We whipped up a second batch with the remaining cans of beans, and of course, the secret ingredients! There were ZERO leftover beans! I think that is a 'first' for our pack. There was even one parent who came up later that evening, saying that those were the first beans their son had ever liked.
Now, if there had been any cheap BBQ sauce (think Kraft Original, etc), I would have used that instead of ketchup, but we didn't bring any BBQ sauce. A rough estimate of the additions to 4 cans of beans was 2T mustard, 4-6T ketchup, and about 1/2c sugar...but start with less, and add until it tastes good.
One final note--this is not something I invented. This is how my mom taught me to make beans (what we refer to at my house in the South, as Sweet Beans).
Monday, November 5, 2012
Remember, remember
I remember stories from my Dad of growing up in Liverpool in the '30s, and begging a "Penny for the Guy", on a long-ago today...of the bonfires the neighborhoods built at the end of streets, not to burn down the 'hood, or cause destruction, but to burn the effigy, and roast potatoes wrapped up in foil and placed in the coals.
As long as I can remember, I have known about Nov.5th, at least as it related to English history. This website, has a good summary of what happened long ago on this day, and what happened to those responsible for the treason...it wasn't pretty then, and it isn't pretty now. But treason never is...
With our own country's elections concluding tomorrow, I know this is a divisive issue. I only ask that you pray we, as a people, choose thoughtfully and wisely whom we would have lead this country for the next 4 years.
As long as I can remember, I have known about Nov.5th, at least as it related to English history. This website, has a good summary of what happened long ago on this day, and what happened to those responsible for the treason...it wasn't pretty then, and it isn't pretty now. But treason never is...
With our own country's elections concluding tomorrow, I know this is a divisive issue. I only ask that you pray we, as a people, choose thoughtfully and wisely whom we would have lead this country for the next 4 years.
Remember Remember poem
Remember remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder, treason
Should ever be forgot...
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder, treason
Should ever be forgot...
Thursday, November 1, 2012
DeFeet, not just for your toes any more!
Years ago, Dave had introduced me to DeFeet socks. They do make a nice set of socks, especially for cycling. I have several pairs--they come in all sorts of interesting designs and colors. I even have a pair of their wonderfully obnoxious Chili Pepper socks! Colors so loud as to make your eyes water...I love it!
DeFeet Air-E-Ators in Chili Pepper
Due to the traffic we routinely ride in, we have become huge fans of visibility. Not wishing to become hood ornaments, we now tend to favor anything to improve our visibility, from DiNotte lights, to 3M SOLAS tape, Glo-Gloves, to Illuminite leg warmers for night riding.
So imagine our mutual surprise when Dave stumbled across DeFeet Arm Warmers. Not only a basic pair of arm warmers for that chilly riding weather that passes for winter in DFW, but really LOUD arm warmers!
2 pair were promptly ordered, of course in Neon Headache Hi-Viz Tennisball Green. The picture on the DeFeet website truly does not render the color well, or at least our monitor fails miserably to do it justice. These things are LOUD! Stare at it too long, and I bet you will get a headache...
DeFeet Neon Arm Warmers
These DeFeets are different that my old pair of white arm warmers in that they have a wrist cuff like a long sleeve shirt would, and NO rubbery spandex stuff at the top that other warmers use to hold them in place. Initially I was concerned the DeFeets would slide down with out the grippy stuff. I didn't need to worry however. These warmers stay put! No sliding or slippage, and no pinching either! The fabric does a great job of blocking wind, and seems to breathe well too. I'm sold on 'em now.
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